High & Outside

Bill "Spaceman" Lee was one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball in the mid-1970s. He also marched to the beat of his own drummer like few players before or since.

High & Outside traces the life of the outspoken southpaw from his college days at USC through his 14 years in the major leagues—with the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos—to his post-baseball career as a baseball enthusiast, part-time philosopher, and avid Yankee-hater. Never one to keep his opinions to himself, Lee (like many others) contends that his productive playing days were cut short by the baseball establishment’s opposition to his counterculture personality and union leadership. Lee’s comments are joined in the film with interviews featuring Carl Yastrzemski, Peter Gammons, Marvin Miller, Tony Oliva, and more. (80 mins., video)

Here are two samples of Lee’s wit and wisdom:

"I think about the cosmic snowball theory. A few million years from now the sun will burn out and lose its gravitational pull. The earth will turn into a giant snowball and be hurled through space. When that happens it won't matter if I get this guy out."—Bill Lee

"Baseball's a very simple game. All you have to do is sit on your butt, spit tobacco, and nod at the stupid things your manager says."—Bill Lee

High & Outside Trailer: