No-Hit Thrower, Noted Playboy Belinsky Dies at 64

.c The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 24) -- Former major league pitcher Bo Belinsky, known as much for his colorful personality as his baseball career, has died of an apparent heart attack at his home in Las Vegas.

He died Friday at 64.

The left-hander 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.

But Belinsky gained as much notoriety for dating movie stars such as Mamie Van Doren, Ann-Margret, Tina Louise, Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens.

Selected out of the Baltimore Orioles' system by the Angels in 1961 expansion draft, Belinsky won his first three decisions.

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.

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

"He could challenge anybody with that fastball,'' Rodgers, who managed the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos and Angels. "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.''

Shortly after the no-hitter, Belinsky became part of the Hollywood scene, developing a reputation as a pool-hustling, heavy-drinking playboy.

Belinsky had a much-publicized romance with Van Doren.

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

Belinsky finished 10-11 his rookie season, his finest in the majors.

Belinsky 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.

"You know, I've probably gotten more mileage winning 28 games in the majors than most guys who've won 200,'' Belinsky told the Las Vegas Review-Journal last summer before the minor league Las Vegas 51s hosted "Bo Belinsky Night.''

After retiring from baseball in 1970, Belinsky married and divorced Playboy Playmate centerfold Jo Collins. He also married and divorced paper heiress Janie Weyerhaeuser, with whom he had twin daughters.

Belinsky, who had bladder cancer, worked in customer relations for the Findlay Automotive Group for nearly 10 years. He was sober for the final 25 years of his life, was a born-again Christian and was active in his church, the Trinity Life Center.

Belinsky loved to rhapsodize about the old times, but developed a deep religious belief, which former Angels teammate Dean Chance said allowed him to accept his fate.

"Bo was a one-of-a-kind guy and there won't be another one like him,'' Chance, a Cy Young winner and close friend of Belinsky told the Review-Journal. "He was full of cancer, his heart was bad and his hip was hurting him terribly at the end.

"He had slipped and fallen, and it was really tough on him. But he had made his peace with the Lord and he is probably better off today than he was last week. He's not suffering terribly any more.''

Belinsky was born in New York in 1936 and began hanging out in New Jersey pool halls at the age of 14.

Belinsky was estranged from his daughters for more than 20 years.

Funeral arrangements are pending, according to Davis Funeral Home in Las Vegas.

Sunday, November 25, 2001
Las Vegas Review-Journal

EX-PLAYER'S DEATH: Belinsky dies of apparent heart attack

Former major-league pitcher, playboy dead at age 64

Former major-league pitcher Bo Belinsky, known as much for his womanizing and colorful personality as his baseball career, was found dead Friday of an apparent heart attack in his Las Vegas home. He was 64.

Belinsky pitched a no-hitter as a rookie for the Los Angeles Angels against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium in 1962, but gained notoriety for dating movie stars such as Mamie Van Doren, Ann-Margret, Tina Louise, Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens.

He was only 28-51 in an eight-year career that included stints with the Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, but was nearly as well known as his close friend and sidekick, Cy Young winner Dean Chance. Belinsky's winningest season was his rookie campaign, when he finished 10-11.

"You know, I've probably gotten more mileage winning 28 games in the majors than most guys who've won 200," Belinsky said last summer before the Las Vegas 51s hosted "Bo Belinsky Night" at Cashman Field.

Belinsky, who was fighting bladder cancer, worked in customer relations for the Findlay Automotive Group for nearly 10 years, first at Saturn of West Sahara and most recently for Findlay Toyota. He was sober for the final 25 years of his life and found religion, adopting his church, the Trinity Life Center, as something of a second home.

He loved to rhapsodize about the old times, but developed a deep belief in God, which Chance said allowed him to accept his fate.

"Bo was a one-of-a-kind guy and there won't be another one like him," Chance said. "He was full of cancer, his heart was bad and his hip was hurting him terribly at the end. He had slipped and fallen and it was really tough on him. But he had made his peace with the Lord and he is probably better off today than he was last week. He's not suffering terribly any more."

The highlight of Belinsky's career was the no-hitter on May 5, 1962. Belinsky had a live, riding fastball, as well as a knee-buckling curve and a screwball. He didn't have his best stuff in the bullpen that day, said the man who caught the no-hitter, Bob "Buck" Rodgers, but he made the most of what he had.

Rodgers, who later managed the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos and Angels, said Belinsky's fastball was dancing on the night he no-hit the Orioles.

"He could challenge anybody with that fastball," Rodgers said. "He got the screwball over early, but the fastball set up everything. Even when he was down in the count 2-0 or 3-1, the ball was moving enough that he had enough to pop them up.

"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."

His Las Vegas friends remember him more as a kind person who was always looking for a way to help someone. The also recall his love of golf. Rich Abajian, who was Belinsky's supervisor at both auto dealerships, said Belinsky learned from the mistakes of his oft-wild youth.

"Bo admitted that when he first came up in baseball, he did things for Bo and not with the team concept first," Abajian said. "He learned from that and in the past few years, his main concern was helping others and being a good person. He did that, because Bo was a guy you wanted for a friend.

"At work, he would do things and let the credit go to someone else. He was content to stay in the background. He was a wonderful person and I'm going to miss him."

Belinsky has twin daughters, but was estranged from them for more than 20 years. Funeral arrangements are pending.