#225 Bo Belinsky

Pitcher Bo Belinsky had a reputation as a free-wheeling playboy...and he's certainly giving you his best smoldering gaze on this card. Let's just move along...

Fun facts about Bo Belinsky:

-A native of New York City, Bo signed with the Pirates in 1956.

-A year later, Pittsburgh sent him to the Orioles. He spent four years in the Baltimore organization before the Angels claimed him in the Rule 5 draft.

-Thrust suddenly into the Halos rotation, the 25-year-old Belinsky made headlines by no-hitting the Birds on May 5. It was his fourth major league start, and part of a five-game winning streak to begin his career. He later remarked, "If I had known I was gonna pitch a no-hitter today, I would have gotten a haircut."

-He faded down the stretch but finished 10-11 with a 3.56 ERA. He also led the league in walks with 122.

-His hot start and charismatic personality brought Bo lots of attention. He had dalliances with Ann-Margret, Connie Stevens, Tina Louise (a.k.a. Ginger), and short-term fiancee Mamie Van Doren, among others. He had two wives, the first of them former Playmate of the Year Jo Collins.

-The off-the-field carousing may have taken its toll, as he slipped to 2-9 with a 5.75 ERA in his sophomore season.

-Despite rebounding with a 9-8 record and a 2.86 ERA in 1964, Bo was shut down in August by the team after a hotel room fight with elderly L.A. Times sportswriter Braven Dyer. That was the last straw, as the Angels traded him to the Phillies that offseason.

-The southpaw never delivered on that early promise, bouncing among the Phillies, Astros, Pirates, and Reds and finally washing out of the majors in 1970 at age 33. In parts of eight seasons, he was 28-51 with a 4.10 ERA.

-He overcame a bout with alcoholism, later becoming a spokesman and counselor for the clinic in Hawaii that treated him. He also worked as an auto agency representative in Las Vegas and turned to Christianity.

-In his later years, Bo battled bladder cancer before succumbing to a heart attack in 2001 at age 64.