Springtime and the Three Careers of James P. D. Bunning

Welcome to the first day of spring! Spring means baseball and baseball means more moments like this.

From Nomar's three-homer day

The coming of spring also ends winter and, for some, careers. Fellow collector Steve F. wrote in this Phillies Room post about the last card of thrice-retired James Paul David Bunning. Jim first hung up his spikes after going 5-12 for Philly in 1971 and moved to managing at Reading (PA) for 1972.

Reading Phillies, 1972 (photo from MLB.com)

After Reading, Bunning spent 1973 at Eugene (OR) and then Toledo for 1974-75. Oklahoma City's 1976 team set shows Bunning at the wane of that second career.

1976 Oklahoma City 89ers #14, Jim Bunning

Manager Danny Ozark proved too successful, back-to-back 101 win seasons 1976-77, for Jim to reach the bigs with Philly. I suspect a lack of MLB openings convinced Bunning to try with Kentucky voters. That third career (politics) ended in 2010, after a falling out with Kentucky's GOP, and he passed away in 2017.

TRIVIA: Only five men, Jim Bunning, Cy Young, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, and Dennis Martinez won 100+ games in both leagues.

BONUS TRIVIA: Bunning's the only MLB pitcher to walk exactly 1000 batters (career stats).