Monday's Bunts and Boots--Thinking of Dock

I was distressed to read the Sunday edition of the New York Post, which featured a story about former Pirates and Yankees ace Dock Ellis. One of the key contributors to the Bucs' world championship in 1971, Ellis has lost 60 pounds since last fall, when he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Ellis needs a liver transplant soon; otherwise, the outlook is dire.

Over the first half of the 1970s, Ellis carved out a reputation as one of the National League's better right-handed pitchers. With his sinking fastball and steely grittiness, Ellis became the co-anchor of the Bucs' rotation (along with Steve Blass) and the emotional leader of the pitching staff. He also emerged as one of the Pirates' most colorful characters, Outspoken to a fault, Ellis provided comic relief with his clubhouse imitations of Muhammad Ali and his on-field habit of wearing hair curlers. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn didn't care for the radical fashion statement, but many observers appreciated the humor of the incident at Wrigley Field. 

Ellis has made more than his fair share of mistakes over the years, including pitching a game while under the influence of LSD, intentionally throwing at Reds hitters in an infamous 1974 game, and repeatedly undermining his managers. But almost all of that behavior occurred during Ellis' playing days in the sixties and seventies, while he was trapped in a haze of alcohol and drug abuse. After his retirement in 1980, Ellis successfully abandoned his drug addiction and used his experiences to become a counselor against drugs. An emotional public speaker, Ellis has worked diligently to advise youngsters not to repeat his own mistakes. Beginning early in his career, Dock has also made efforts to help prisoners in the Pennsylvania state penal system, soliciting their input in making suggestions for prison reform.

Considering his own personal reforms and the social consciousness that Ellis has displayed, he has become one of the game's good guys. Let's say a prayer that he receives some financial help for his mounting medical bills, which have become more problematic given his lack of health insurance. More importantly, let's hope Dock receives that much needed liver transplant--quicker rather than later.