Do you throw a slider with your middle finger, Jim Bunning?

Senator Jim Bunning (R – Kentucky) (Photo: Wikipedia)

There was a time when Jim Bunning was feared. As the star pitcher for the Detroit Tigers (1955-1963) and Philadelphia Phillies (1964-1967), the big right-hander would rock back and fire his sidearm fastball and slider at overmatched hitters. For a pitcher with excellent control, it is telling that he hit more batters with pitches than any other hurler in the 1960s. In his mind, the plate belonged to him. If a batter dug in too close, they were going to have to dodge a bullet. In baseball parlance, he was "filthy" in more ways than one.

From the mound to the Senate floor

Jim Bunning's work on the mound earned him a big pay day into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1996. After his playing career ended in 1971, the big Kentuckian worked his way into politics. By 1986, he was a state Representative, and in 1998 he secured a spot in the U.S. Senate. If Bunning's approval ratings are any indication, the fear he once commanded on the mound have permanently been replaced by loathing.

Which leads us to his recent Senate elevator caper

As he was preparing to head to the Senate floor, ABC News caught up with Senator Jim Bunning and asked him about his recent decision to block a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to long out-of-work Americans who need cash now. Not only did Jim Bunning refuse to answer the question, but he screamed at reporters "Excuse me! This is a Senators only elevator!" Then, when asked if he was concerned about unemployed Americans losing their benefits, he reportedly made an obscene gesture. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Do you throw a slider with your ! middle finger, Jim Bunning?"