Fear Strikes Out

A star of the 1950s Red Sox recounts his career and his battle with mental illness

When Jim Piersall first donned a Boston Red Sox uniform, he quickly distinguished himself as one of baseball's most colorful figures. Prone to wild rages, he argued with umpires, managers, and his fellow teammates, showing off an unpredictable personality that fans and sportswriters ate up, but which infuriated his club. His behavior became more erratic until he suffered a violent breakdown that saw him institutionalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.