Dock Ellis RIP

Dock Ellis, a major-league pitcher from the 1970s, most prominently with the Pittsburgh Pirates, died on Friday of a liver ailment at age 63.

He was still a factor in baseball as I was cutting my teeth as a fan. But memories of his career go beyond the numbers behind what he accomplished on the field.

Here's Jerry Crasnick with ESPN.com...

Dock Ellis, the former major league pitcher best remembered for his flamboyance and social activism as a member of the great Pittsburgh Pirates teams of the 1970s...Ellis spent 12 years in the majors with Pittsburgh, the New York Yankees, Oakland, Texas and the New York Mets. He retired in 1979 with a record of 138-119, but was best known for several colorful incidents on and off the field.

...he threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in June 1970 while under the influence of LSD [he claimed].

...in May 1974 -- in an effort to inspire a lifeless Pittsburgh team -- Ellis drilled Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Dan Driessen in the top of the first inning. After walking Tony Perez, Ellis threw a pitch near Johnny Bench's head and was lifted from the game by manager Danny Murtaugh.

...gave up Reggie Jackson's memorable home run off the Tiger Stadium light tower in the 1971 All-Star Game in Detroit.

...spoke freely about racial issues, once telling reporters that he wouldn't start against Oakland's Vida Blue in the All-Star Game because Major League Baseball would never start "two soul brothers'' against each other.

...Ellis suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and was placed on a list to receive a liver transplant in May. The Los Angeles Times wrote that Ellis had no health insurance, but received help paying his medical bills from friends in baseball....worked for years in the California department of corrections helping inmates transition from prison back to the community....ran a drug counseling center in Los Angeles.