Bo Belinsky

This work proves the adage of all that glitters is not gold. David Krell has written the first full-length biography of one of baseball’s most notorious figures, using archival newspaper articles to reconstruct the colorful career of Bo Belinsky. Belinsky began in the Minor Leagues in the mid-1950s, gained a spotlight with a no-hitter for the Angels during his rookie season, and endured severe ups and downs. Along the way, he dated the most famous actresses in America, including Mamie Van Doren, Connie Stevens, and Tina Louise.
What the fans didn’t know about was the disastrous effect of Belinsky’s alcoholism and drug abuse. Three marriages resulted in divorces. He couldn’t get traction in rehab or AA. But in the 1990s, he moved to Las Vegas where he embraced sobriety and worked with one of the city’s most successful car dealerships. Included interviews with Belinsky’s friends and colleagues show a different side to this controversial player balances rumor with reality and shows that fame has its benefits but also terrific costs.

David Krell is a noted baseball historian who brings a passion for the cultural aspects of the national pastime to his writing. He’s the author of several books and a regular speaker at baseball conferences.

• “Bo Belinsky had the ability to pitch a no-hitter as a major league rookie and project to be a star. But he also had the capacity to undermine the promise of his successes under the game lights with excesses in his nightlife. In his latest book, Bo Belinsky: The Rise, Fall and Rebound of a Playboy Pitcher, David Krell captures the talented pitcher with a powerful left arm and the troubled, boozing playboy (meet the beautiful actresses, the heiresses, the Playboy model). Krell makes both sides of Belinsky indelibly come to life.”—Phil Coffin, author of When Baseball Was Still Topps: Portraits of the Game in 1959, Card by Card

• “Providing a close look of both the highs and lows of Bo Belinsky’s life and pitching career, David Krell gives a long overdue examination of one of baseball’s most colorful characters.”—Willie Steele, author of Going the Distance: The Life and Works of W.P. Kinsella

• “I’m a big fan of David Krell’s writing. His ability to blend stories of our national pastime with their relevant cultural impacts is not just enjoyable, but also important. He clearly connects historical baseball figures and stories with their effects on society outside of the game. Bo Belinsky is one of those historical figures. I have no doubt you’ll enjoy his new book.”—Zak Ford, author of Called Up: Ballplayers Remember Becoming Major Leaguers