Belinsky – International Boxing Association

LAS VEGAS (NOV 24) – Bo Belinsky, the former major-league pitcher known as much for his colorful personality as his baseball career, died of an apparent heart attack at his home. Bo was 64 years old.

Bo was a left-hander who pitched a nine-strikeout, four-walk no-hitter as a rookie for the Los Angeles Angels against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium in 1962, the first major-league no-hitter on the West Coast.

Bo was not only long-time and good friends with IBA’s president Dean Chance, but Bo and Dean were on the same baseball team in the 1960’s.

Bo had gain much notoriety for dating movie stars such as Mamie Van Doren, Ann Margaret, Tina Louise, Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens. He was at one time engaged to VanDoren.

AP of Belinsky and Mamie

Van Doren told the Associated Press on Saturday, “We’ve had a love affair that’s continued a long time. “I lost someone that was a very special part of my life.”

Van Doren went on to say, “This is very sad for me. Our life was a circus. We were engaged on April Fools Day and broke the engagement on Halloween. It just broke my heart, and his, too. It was a wild ride, but a lot of fun.”

On May 5, 1962, the 25-year-old Belinsky had a live, riding fastball, a hard curve and baffling screwball, according to Bob (Buck) Rodgers, who caught the no-hitter.

AP photo of Belinsky

Rodgers, who later managed the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos and the Angels, said Belinsky had overpowering stuff on the night of the no-hitter.

“He could challenge anybody with that fastball,” said Rodgers. “He got the screwball over early, but the fastball set up everything.

“Even on the last out, it was a 3-1 fastball to Dave Nicholson and Bo threw him a fastball right down Broadway. He fouled out to third. When Bo was on, he had that electric kind of stuff.” (source tsn.ca)

Bo had finished 10-11 his rookie season, his finest in the majors. Bo was 28-51 with 476 strikeouts and an ERA of 4.10 in an eight-year career that included stints with the Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds.

Bo told the Las Vegas Review Journal last summer, “You know, I’ve probably gotten more mileage winning 28 games in the majors than most guys who’ve won 200.”