Perquimans County, NC

Obituary of James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter ~ 1999

Obituary from the Virginia-Pilot Newspaper

September 10, 1999
Jim "Catfish" Hunter

  James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter, 53, of Route 7, a former professional 
baseball player with the Kansas City Athletics, Oakland Athletics and the 
New York Yankees, died Sept. 9, 1999, at his home.

  A native son and lifetime resident of Perquimans County, he was the son 
of the late Lillie Mae Harrell and Abbott Shepard Hunter. He was an active
member of Hertford Baptist Church, where he was a former deacon, a member 
of Hertford Lions Club, Bear Swamp Hunt Club, Ducks Unlimited and Major 
League Baseball Players Alumni. Mr. Hunter was a major league baseball 
pitcher for 15 years, going straight to the major leagues from Perquimans
County High School, where he played from 1961 to 1964. Perquimans won a 
state championship in 1963 with Mr. Hunter on the mound, and came in second 
in 1964. He also played American Legion Baseball in 1962 and 1963. His major 
league career began in 1965 when he signed with the Kansas City Athletics. 

  He made history on May 8, 1968, when he pitched a perfect game against the 
Minnesota Twins, becoming the first American League pitcher in 46 years to 
throw a regular season perfect game. In 1968, Mr. Hunter moved to Oakland 
with the A's, where he played until 1974. In 1974, he earned a Cy Young Award, 
as well as being elected to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. He made 
history again in 1975 when he became the first free agent to sign a contract, 
signing with the Yankees where he played until his retirement in 1979. Mr. 
Hunter posted a major league career record of 224 wins and 166 losses with 
a 3.26 ERA. He won 20 or more games in five consecutive seasons and pitched 
in six World Series, playing with both the Oakland Athletics and Yankees. 
His World Series record was 5-3. Mr. Hunter was inducted into the Baseball 
Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1987.

  Mr. Hunter is survived by his wife, Helen Overton Hunter; a daughter, Kim
Hunter-Layne and her husband, Larry; two sons, Todd Hunter and his wife, 
Joanna, and Paul Hunter; a grandson, Taylor James Hunter, all of Hertford; 
three sisters, Mrs. Marie Leary and Mrs. Elizabeth Roberson, both of 
Hertford, Mrs. Lillie Ambrose of Elizabeth City; and three brothers, A. 
Marvin Hunter, Ray Hunter and W.G. "Pete" Hunter, all of Hertford.

  Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Cedar Wood Cemetery 
with the Rev. Keith Vaughan officiating. The family will be at the home.

  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made 
to the Jim "Catfish" Hunter ALS Foundation, P.O. Box 47, Hertford, NC 27944, 
or to the Perquimans County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 563, Hertford, NC 27944.
Swindell Funeral Home is handling arrangements.





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