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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBill "Spaceman" Lee is running for Governor of Vermont
Fringe candidates for public office often come out of Left Field.
But this year, the best nationally-known name on the lineup of candidates for governor comes out of the bullpen.
Former Red Sox and Expos pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee pitched with guts and guile, giving out-of-this-world interviews on the game and world politics.
<snip>
Lee famously quipped that marijuana sprinkled on his pancakes immunized him from Boston bus fumes as he jogged to Fenway Park during his nine years with the club.
He argues for legalization and taxation of pot in Vermont, along with single-payer health care, paid family leave and bringing the Expos back to Montreal.
In 1988 he ran for president under the Canadian Rhinoceros Party which touted positions like bulldozing the Rocky Mountains so that Alberta could receive a few extra minutes of daylight and a ban on deadly guns and butter.
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"If things don't go our way, if we get Trump as president, I'm out of here and I'll take Vermont with us," said Lee.
>snip>
http://www.wcax.com/story/32043285/vermonts-most-famous-former-baseball-players-pitch-for-governor
BeyondGeography
(39,374 posts)"What are you gonna do, punch me?" Sometimes it's better not to ask.
Great pitcher though. The only way we could beat him was to put him on the DL. Not so sure about his governating skills.
dragonfly301
(399 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)The debates will be hilarious.
https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=rOEVmwFCYtQ
BeyondGeography
(39,374 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)dragonfly301
(399 posts)after one look at Tony Conigliaro, I was smitten. Bill Lee was favorite pitcher though his eephus pitch used to give me heart palpitations during the glory year of 1975. Go Spaceman!
Scuba
(53,475 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)Radio Row Josh Duhamel Learned Eephus Pitch From Bill Lee During Spaceman Movie by NESN Staff on Wed, Feb 3, 2016 at 9:39PM1,022 Share this: SAN FRANCISCO Bill Lee graced the Fenway Park mound like no other pitcher ever has, and now his story is being told in an upcoming film, Spaceman, in which the eccentric former Boston Red Sox left-hander is played by Josh Duhamel, eephus pitches and all.
Bill actually taught me how to throw an eephus, believe it or not, Duhamel told NESN.coms Michaela Vernava on Wednesday on Super Bowl Radio Row. He came to the set the last day we were shooting.
And literally, you know, its about getting it high and getting this topspin on it. And after a few tries, I started getting it. And then we did some BP, and I just love the guy. I loved what he stood for.
Lee went 114-90 with a 3.62 ERA in 14 major league seasons with the Red Sox (1969-78) and Montreal Expos (1978-82). And while his personal beliefs and clashes with management and media led Lee to be drummed out of the game, Duhamel grew great respect for the now-69-year-old. He owns the room when hes here, so its sort of a challenge to embody someone like that in a movie, Duhamel said, because he is so charismatic, and hes incredibly smart, and Im not either one of those things. So I had to do my best acting work of my life. He was gracious enough to let us tell a story and not tell a story that always paints him in the perfect picture, because hed be the first one to admit that he made a lot of mistakes.
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2016/02/josh-duhamel-learned-eephus-pitch-from-bill-lee-during-spaceman-movie/
Scuba
(53,475 posts)annabanana
(52,791 posts)Where's his Act Blue page?
MADem
(135,425 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)this is not a serious run. This is Bill being Bill and Vermont being Vermont. To say that we have always have a colorful cast or characters running for Governor is the simple truth. And they get to debate the serious candidates a few times on statewide TV.
It's just part of the political culture. And Bill is engaging in a some self promotion. There's a Hollywood movie bio pic starring Josh Duhamel coming out in August- just in time for the first debates.
It'll be fun.
Bucky
(54,026 posts)Dude was crazy back when I was a kid.
Good on ya, Vermonters.
cali
(114,904 posts)I like competing against guys that still think they can hit me, says Lee, as he exercises his rotator cuff for his upcoming start with the Burlington Cardinals in Mad River. Guys half my age. I see these kids and I say, dont worry, grab a bat, I got your grandpa out, your Dad out, and now Im going to get you out.
<snip>
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/07/24/traveling-through-time-with-spaceman/jAxtkskOi313LarAv5gENL/story.html
maveric
(16,445 posts)When traded to Montreal he complained that the ballpark in Montreal looked like a toilet bowl and he felt like the "Tidy Bowl" man. He's a treasure and hope that he wins.
cali
(114,904 posts)Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)He called Zimmer a designated gerbil.
maveric
(16,445 posts)joeybee12
(56,177 posts)with us."
Hard to argue with that.
cali
(114,904 posts)great memories of watching Lee pitch. Now he lives in the next town over.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)He's out there but was always enjoyable to watch.
redwitch
(14,944 posts)A most unusual man.
cali
(114,904 posts)redwitch
(14,944 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)<snip>
Lee ran for president in 1988 under the banner of the Rhinoceros Party of Canada. He was unsuccessful. The country, he said, has finally caught up to his disdain for the establishment. Plus, he was recently inspired by Socrates.
Socrates, he repeated sagely. In Republic, he was interviewed by Plato and the boys before he took hemlock. And he said, The greatest disservice you can do your people is to not run for governor when required. So thats basically why Im doing it. These people want me.
Lee is running under the banner of the obscure Liberty Union Party, best known as the party Bernie Sanders helped run in the early 1970s. Lee, like Sanders, describes himself as a socialist.
He also describes himself as a liberal with a gun. He also describes himself as a pragmatic Rastafarian ex-Catholic. He also describes himself as Sanderss policy twin.
More
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/05/25/bill-spaceman-lee-launches-run-for-vermont-governor.htm
Republicans are pterodactyls': Ex-Red Sox pitcher Bill Spaceman Lee runs for governor of Vermont
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/25/republicans-are-pterodactyls-ex-red-sox-pitcher-bill-spaceman-lee-runs-for-governor-of-vermont/