My life changed for the better when my Dad set me up with a copy of Bill Lee’s The Wrong Stuff , an autobiographical work seemingly penned in another plane of reality. “Free-spirited” is a term that is often used injudiciously. In the case of the Spaceman, however,  it falls hopelessly short. This is a man who talked to animals, quoted Maoist doctrine, championed environmental causes, pondered existentialism, smoked weed, practiced yoga, studied Eastern philosophy, bucked authority and staged the occasional walkout in bouts of indignation. While a true iconoclast off the field, Lee was all business on the mound. Few have cared more about the game of baseball- Spaceman was old-school all the way. To wit:

“If I accomplished anything as a player, I hope it’s that I proved you could exist as a dual personality in the game…Away from the ballpark, I tried to care about the earth, and I wasn’t concerned with getting ahead of the ‘other guy.’ On the mound, I was a different person, highly competitive and always out to win. Who I was off the field fed the person I became on it…To be silent in the face of injustice would have made my life and my pitching meaningless. If I was able to keep my compassion while retaining my competitive senses, then I would judge my career a success. I hope I was able to make more than just a few fans smile, while showing them that the game shouldn’t be taken too seriously. If I am remembered by anyone, I would want it to be as a guy who cared about the planet and the welfare of his fellow man.” -Bill Lee, The Wrong Stuff