Hall Of Famer and U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning Dies At 85

Jim Bunning (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Jim Bunning, who followed a Hall of Fame pitching career by serving as a congressman and U.S. senator from his native Kentucky, has died. He was 85.

According to the Associated Press, Bunning’s death was confirmed by his former Senate chief of staff Jon Deuser.

Bunning, a righthander, won 100 games in both the American and National leagues and pitched a no-hitter in both leagues, including a perfect game for the Phillies in 1964 against the Mets.

At 6-foot-3, Bunning cut an imposing figure. He pitched for the Tigers, Phillies, Pirates, Dodgers, retired after the 1971 season and then returned for a second stint with the Phillies. Bunning was a nine-time all-star and led his league in strikeouts three times. He was 224-184, 3.27 with 2,855 strikeouts.

In 1996 he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame through a vote by the Veterans Committee.

After his illustrious baseball career, Bunning sought elected office in his home state, first serving on the city council in Fort Thomas, Ky., in 1977 and then running and winning a seat in the Kentucky senate. He ran for governor as a Republican in 1983, but lost to Democrat Martha Layne Collins.

In 1986, Bunning won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Kentucky’s fourth congressional district and served until 1998 when he ran for a U.S. Senate seat and narrowly defeated Democrat Scotty Beasler. Known as a staunch conservative, Bunning served two terms in the Senate and decided not to seek re-election in 2010.

“Jim Bunning led an extraordinary life in the national pastime and in public service,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “He was a consistent winner and workhorse pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. . . . In his baseball career, Jim was proud of always taking the ball. The work ethic that made him a Hall of Famer led him to the House of Representatives and the United Stated Senate.”