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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Jimmy 
4Anthony Piersall, who passed away on June 3, 2017; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall was born in Waterbury, Connecticut  
6to John and Mary (Williams) Piersall on November 14, 1929; he 
7was a star basketball and baseball player in high school and 
8was signed by the Red Sox in 1948; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall broke into Major League Baseball in 
101952; he played for 17 seasons with the Red Sox, Indians, 
11Senators, Mets, and Angels; he was a two-time All-Star and a 
12two-time Gold Glove winner for center field; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall was known for clowning around on 
14the field, fighting with teammates and opposing players, and 
15arguing with umpires, but he was also known as an advocate for 
16removing the stigma associated with mental illness; after 
17suffering a nervous breakdown in 1952, he entered psychiatric 
18treatment; he was always open about what he was going through 
19and his journey with what is now known as bipolar disorder 
20which was chronicled in The Saturday Evening Post article 
21titled "They Call Me Crazy - And I Was!", the precursor to his 
221955 book "Fear Strikes Out", which was turned into a film in 
 
 
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11957; in 1985, he wrote his memoir, "The Truth Hurts"; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall called White Sox games alongside 
3Harry Carry from 1977 to 1981; he was also a minor league 
4outfield instructor with the Cubs; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Jimmy Piersall is survived by his wife, Janet 
6Weber Jones Piersall; nine children from his marriage to Mary 
7(Teevan); many grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren; 
8therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
10HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
11mourn the passing of Jimmy Anthony Piersall, and extend our 
12sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew 
13and loved him; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to  the family of  Jimmy Piersall as an expression of 
16our deepest sympathy.