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Jim "Catfish" Hunter

Chronology

1946	Born April 8 in Hertford, North Carolina, to Abbott and Lillie Harrell Hunter
1960s	Becomes star of Perquiman High baseball team
1963	Injures foot in hunting accident
1964	Signs with Kansas City A's
1965	On May 13, pitches two innings in his major league baseball debut
1966	Marries high school sweetheart, Helen, on October 9
1968	On May 8, pitches a perfect game to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0
1971	Compiles a 21-11 season to help the A's win the Western Division title
1972	Plays in first World Series, comes away a winner
1973	Helps team win the World Series
1974	Helps team win the World Series
1974	Wins contract dispute, becomes free agent, and signs a $3.75 million deal with New York Yankees, making him baseball's first multi-millionaire player
1975	Makes his debut in pinstripes as a New York Yankee
1976	Plays in fourth World Series, though team loses
1977	Has trouble with sore arm; plays and wins fifth World Series
1978	Spends most of season on the disabled list; makes comeback for the World Series, winning game six, the deciding game
1978	Diagnosed with diabetes
1979	Retires from baseball after 15 years
1979	Returns to Hertford, North Carolina
1987	Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
1988	Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS
1999	Dies on September 9 of complications due to ALS