James “Catfish” Hunter spent the final five years of his career with the Yankees. Hunter became the highest paid free agent in baseball history (in 1975) for a whopping $3.75 million. Hunter is enshrined in the Hall of Fame as an Athletic, as he spent two-thirds of his career with them. Francisco Cervelli holds Hunter’s No. 29 Yankees jersey today.
Hunter won the 1978 World Series-clinching Game 6 with his seven strong innings.
Sadly, the right-hander lost his battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1999 at age 53.
