Foul Ball

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In his first diary since Ball Four, Jim Bouton shares his adventure to save Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a historic ballpark facing abandonment. The owner of the Pittsfield Mets planned to relocate the team, prompting Bouton and his partner to propose a locally owned professional baseball team and a privately restored ballpark at no cost to taxpayers. While the majority of Pittsfield's citizens supported the plan, it faced opposition from the Mayor, the Parks Commissioners, City Council members, the local newspaper, the largest bank, a powerful law firm, and a representative from General Electric. The “good old boys” resisted Bouton’s proposal, fearing it would undermine a rejected $18.5 million stadium plan. Bouton’s narrative reveals the mayor’s arrogance, media deception, and government corruption. After self-publishing his story, Bouton returned to Pittsfield, where a new mayor invited him to help raise $1.2 million, uncover a document tracing the city’s baseball history to 1791, and stage a vintage game broadcast live by ESPN. This unexpected journey ultimately involved the Massachusetts Attorney General. Bouton’s humor and remarkable storytelling shine through, making the tale both entertaining and hard to believe.