LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Jim Bunning, the Hall of Fame pitcher who threw a perfect game and later forged a second career as a Republican congressman and senator from Kentucky, died Friday in the Fort Thomas, Ky., area. He was 85.
His death was confirmed by the Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home in Fort Thomas. He had a stroke in October.
Pitching for 17 seasons, mostly with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies, Bunning dominated batters with his sidearm right-handed deliveries.
He was the second pitcher, after Cy Young, to win at least 100 games, record at least 1,000 strikeouts and throw no-hitters in both the American and National leagues. When he retired after the 1971 season, his 2,855 strikeouts were second only to Walter Johnson's 3,509.
Bunning pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 20, 1958, retiring Ted Williams for the final out.
The only Baseball Hall of Fame player to have served in Congress, Bunning was elected to Cooperstown by the Veterans Committee in 1996.
After serving as majority leader in the Kentucky Senate, Bunning was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. He served six terms in the House, then was elected to the Senate in 1998 and re-elected in 2004. He spoke out against spending and taxes and showed a contrarian streak in the Senate.
James Paul David Bunning Jr. was born on Oct. 23, 1931, in Southgate, Ky., the son of a businessman, and grew up in Fort Thomas, Ky., a suburb of Cincinnati.
Bunning and his wife, Mary, had five daughters, four sons.
Metro on 05/28/2017