American baseball player and politician (1931-2017)
Jim Bunning
United States Senator from Kentucky
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by
Wendell Ford
Succeeded by
Rand Paul
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 4th district
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by
Gene Snyder
Succeeded by
Ken Lucas
Member of the Kentucky Senate from the 11th district
In office January 1, 1980 – January 1, 1984
Preceded by
Donald Johnson
Succeeded by
Art Schmidt
Personal details
Born
James Paul David Bunning
(1931-10-23)October 23, 1931 Southgate, Kentucky, U.S.
Died
May 26, 2017(2017-05-26) (aged 85) Edgewood, Kentucky, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Spouse
Mary Theis
(m. 1952)
Children
9
Education
Xavier University (BA)
Jim Bunning's voice
Bunning speaks in support of the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales as United States attorney general Recorded February 2, 2005
Baseball player
Baseball career
Jim Bunning as a Detroit Tigers rookie in 1955
Pitcher
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 20, 1955, for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
September 3, 1971, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
Win–loss record
224–184
Earned run average
3.27
Strikeouts
2,855
Teams
Detroit Tigers (1955–1963)
Philadelphia Phillies (1964–1967)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1968–1969)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1969)
Philadelphia Phillies (1970–1971)
Career highlights and awards
9× All-Star (1957, 1959, 1961–1964, 1966)
AL wins leader (1957)
3× Strikeout leader (1959, 1960, 1967)
Pitched a perfect game on June 21, 1964
Pitched a no-hitter on July 20, 1958
Philadelphia Phillies No. 14 retired
Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction
1996
Vote
Veterans Committee
James Paul David Bunning (October 23, 1931 – May 26, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher and politician who represented Kentucky in both chambers of the United States Congress. He was the sole Major League Baseball athlete to have been elected to both the United States Senate and the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bunning pitched from 1955 to 1971 for the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers. When Bunning retired, he had the second-highest total career strikeouts in Major League history; he currently ranks 22nd. As a member of the Phillies, Bunning pitched the seventh perfect game in Major League Baseball history on June 21, 1964, the first game of a Father's Day doubleheader at Shea Stadium, against the New York Mets. It was the first perfect game in the National League since 1880.[1] Bunning was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1996 after election by the Hall's Veterans Committee.
After retiring from baseball, Bunning returned to his native northern Kentucky and was elected to the Fort Thomas city council, then the Kentucky Senate, in which he served as minority leader. In 1983, Bunning was the Republican nominee for governor of Kentucky. In 1986, Bunning was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky's 4th congressional district, and served in the House from 1987 to 1999. He was elected to the United States Senate from Kentucky in 1998 and served two terms as the Republican junior U.S. senator. In July 2009, he announced that he would not run for re-election in 2010. Bunning gave his farewell speech to the Senate on December 9, 2010, and was succeeded by fellow Republican Rand Paul on January 3, 2011.
^Valentine, Matt (May 27, 2017). "Jim Bunning, U.S. senator and baseball luminary, dies at 85". Politico. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
Fame. Bunning pitched from 1955 to 1971 for the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers. When Bunning retired...
District of Kentucky Erwin Bünning (1906–1990), German biologist James Bunstone Bunning (1802–1863), British architect JimBunning (1931–2017), former US...
by the Phillies in the off-season of 1963 was the acquisition of JimBunning. Bunning had been with the Detroit Tigers since 1955 and was one of the best...
Republican Senator JimBunning, a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher who represented Kentucky in the United States Senate from 1999 to 2011. Bunning was born in Fort...
in 2004, controversy erupted when Bunning described Mongiardo as looking "like one of Saddam Hussein's sons." Bunning apologized, then later went on to...
Hunter (3), Bunning (2), and Young (1). Six perfect-game pitchers recorded hits during their games: Hunter had three hits; Richmond, Ward, Bunning, Martínez...
retire, instead of seeking a fifth term. Republican U.S. Representative JimBunning narrowly won the open seat, defeating Democratic U.S. Representative...
younger pitchers Art Mahaffey, Chris Short, and rookie Ray Culp; veterans JimBunning and screwballer Jack Baldschun; and fan favorites Cookie Rojas, Johnny...
James Bunning may refer to: JimBunning (1931–2017), American baseball pitcher and politician James Bunstone Bunning (1802–1863), British architect This...
Democratic nominee Martha Layne Collins defeated Republican nominee JimBunning with 54.50% of the vote, replacing outgoing governor John Y. Brown Jr...
insurance claim payments have been made." The Act's main sponsors were Sen. JimBunning, Rep. Doug Bereuter, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer. The Act's preamble included...
for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by incumbent JimBunning. Mongiardo called for Bunning to withdraw from reelection, questioning his ability to...
Hall of Fame member JimBunning pitched for the 1951 Davenport Tigers at age 19. In his second season of professional play, Bunning had an 8–10 record...
chairman John Cornyn pressured Bunning to retire due to concerns that he could lose a reelection bid. In July 2009, Bunning announced he would not run for...
draft Paul in a bid to replace beleaguered Republican Kentucky senator JimBunning. Paul's potential candidacy was discussed in the Los Angeles Times and...
Bernie Boland Jeremy Bonderman Matthew Boyd Tommy Bridges Doug Brocail JimBunning Joe Coleman Rip Collins Harry Coveleski Hooks Dauss Jean Dubuc Howard...
Skiles (right) and Sullenberger (left) attending the First Inauguration of Barack Obama, with U.S. Senator JimBunning seen standing in front of them...
in 2004, controversy erupted when Bunning described Mongiardo as looking "like one of Saddam Hussein's sons." Bunning apologized, then later went on to...
and first officer Jeffrey Skiles (back right) at the first inauguration of Barack Obama on 20 January 2009, with Kentucky Senator JimBunning in front...
than 500 days of her four-year term. In 1983, she defeated Republican JimBunning to become Kentucky's first woman governor. Her administration had two...
Veryzer double. He would have become the third pitcher (after Cy Young and JimBunning) to pitch no-hitters in both leagues. Holtzman lost Games 1 and 3 of...
"Bunning makes a pitch for others to enter Hall". Chicago Tribune. pp. 3–10. Retrieved October 8, 2019 – via newspapers.com. Muder, Craig. "BUNNING, FOSTER...
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