Jim Bouton, 'Ball Four' author and former Yankees pitcher, dies at 80

"Ball Four," which came out in 1970, had a dramatic effect on baseball by revealing the late-night adventures of players like New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle and the use of illegal drugs.

The diary of his 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and the Houston Astros also included anecdotes from his time with the Yankees during the first seven seasons of his career.

"The motive for doing this was not to make money or write something that was going to last a long time," Bouton told the Los Angeles Times in 2010. "Basically, I just wanted to share the fun of baseball."

But while the book, co-written with Leonard Shecter of the New York Post, was a critical hit, the funny tales angered the baseball establishment and many former teammates.

Bouton also pitched with the Atlanta Braves. He was an all-star once, in 1963 when he was 21-7 with New York. In 1964, he won two games in the World Series but the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Yankees four games to three.

He was 62-63 in his 10-year career.

CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

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