Ellis had a daughter, Shangalesa, with Paula. Ellis had three children and two grandchildren both daughters have passed, one in 2003 due to complications arising from type 1 diabetes. 157 Ellis’ second wife was Austine, divorced in 1980, the third wife was Jacquelyn, and the fourth was Hjordis. Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball, p. His first wife was Paula they divorced in 1972. Personal lifeĮllis was married four times. He died of a liver ailment in 2008 at the age of 63. After going into treatment Ellis remained sober and devoted the remainder of his life to counseling drug addicts in treatment centers and prisons. He also had a substance abuse problem, and he acknowledged after his retirement that he never pitched without the use of drugs. Joining the Yankees in 1976, he helped lead the team to the 1976 World Series, and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year in the process.Įllis was an outspoken individual who advocated for the rights of players and African Americans.
DOC ELLIS LSD GAME SERIES
That year, the Pirates were World Series champions. Ellis was the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game in 1971. He later claimed that he accomplished the feat under the influence of LSD. In his MLB career, he had a 138–119 win-loss record, a 3.46 earned run average, and 1,136 strikeouts.Įllis threw a no-hitter on June 12, 1970. A pitcher, Ellis played in Major League Baseball from 1968 through 1979 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, and New York Mets.
DOC ELLIS LSD GAME PROFESSIONAL
(Ma– December 19, 2008) was a professional baseball player. Palmer and Oriole manager Earl Weaver collected the brunt of the public criticism in the subsequent furor, which culminated in Congressional hearings and widespread press regarding "Beanball Wars" in baseball.Dock Phillip Ellis, Jr. During his next at-bat, Dock worked Reggie in and out until he caught him leaning, smashed his glasses and sent the future Hall of Famer to the hospital.īaltimore pitcher Jim Palmer retaliated later with a changeup he threw at Mickey Rivers. Yankees catcher Thurman Munson approached the mound and asked Dock if he heard what his "brother man" had said. Reggie shouted from the dugout, "Why don't you hit a big so-and-so like me?" Dock repeatedly stated that it was not, although he claimed that Reggie "styled" on him when he trotted the bases in Detroit back in '71.Īs Dock tells it, he was exchanging balls with his catcher, and his toss slipped, nearly hitting Baltimore shortstop Mark Belanger, who had his head down in the batter's box. It has been presumed that the beanball was retribution for the All-Star Game home run five years prior. They faced off uneventfully early in the season, but then, on July 27, an Ellis pitch struck Jackson in the face. He jumped in Willie's limousine and was gone.ĭock Ellis did not face Reggie Jackson again until 1976, when Jackson was on the Orioles and Ellis was a member of the Yankees. As he told Donald Hall in his biography, he didn't stick around for the end of the game. In Dock's words, he was "high as a Georgia pine," drunk and high on speed when he pitched that day.Īfter a rough third inning, Dock was removed in the fourth, subbed along with Willie Mays. He said there was a container of orange juice at the table, and he spiked it with vodka, consuming only screwdrivers through the lunch. Surprisingly, Dock batted earlier in the top of the third, a decision unlikely to be made by managers today.ĭock has also discussed a luncheon that took place earlier in the day, before the 1971 All-Star Game. Reggie's blast hit one of the light towers on the right-field roof of Tiger Stadium and was estimated to have traveled over 540 feet. Only after he went to the press, stating that Sparky wouldn't start two "brothers," did he finagle a spot at the top of the NL rotation.Īlso notable was the monster home run that Dock yielded to Reggie Jackson in the bottom of the third inning. Dock was one of the league leaders at the time, with 14 wins. The National League starter was far less certain. Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics began the season phenomenally, having accumulated 17 wins going into the break, making him a shoo-in for the American League nod. Roberto Clemente and Manny Sanguillen were reserves (although Sanguillen did not play), and Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh also served as a coach.ĭock's participation is memorable for two reasons.įirst, he effectively goaded Anderson into starting him in the game. Willie Stargell was an elected starter, and Dock was named the starting pitcher by National League manager Sparky Anderson. The '71 Midsummer Classic featured four Pirates players.