Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League Baseball for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1979 as a pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers and New York Mets. A native of Los Angeles, California, he was signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1964. A right handed pitcher, he became known as a free spirit, while also gaining notoriety for several on-field incidents during the course of his career. His best year was 1971 when he won 19 games while helping the Pirates win the National League pennant. In the subsequent World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, he started and lost Game 1 as Pittsburgh captured the championship 4 games to 3 . He also made the National League All-Star team that season, and gave up Oakland A's slugger Reggie Jackson's famous home run to right field, a shot that hit the light transformer at Tigers Stadium. Traded to the Yankees along with pitcher Ken Brett and second baseman Willie Randolph for pitcher Doc Medich on December 11, 1975, he would pitch in 1976 to a record of 17-8, good enough to earn him the American League's Comeback Player of the Year. Helping the Yankees reach the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, he started Game 3, which was won by the Reds as they went on to sweep the Series 4-0. He would go on to make stops with the Oakland A's, Texas Rangers and New York Mets before the Pirates reacquired him in September of 1979 for their pennant drive. His major league career came to an end when he was granted free agency on November 1, 1979. His most career famous exploit occurred when he pitched a 2-0 no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 12, 1970. After his career ended, Ellis admitted to pitching the contest, which was held at the Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, under the influence of the drug LSD. In 1976 he collaborated with poet Donald Hall on his autobiography, which was published as "Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball." During the course of his career, he accrued a lifetime record of 138 wins, 119 losses with a 3.46 earned run average. In post-season play, he was 2-3 in 5 League Championship Series appearances and 0-2 in two World Series appearances. After his career, he worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to rehabilitate African-American prisoners, helped start the Black Athletes Foundation for Sickle Cell Research, and worked as a drug counselor in his native Los Angeles. He died from cirrhosis of the liver while on a waiting list to receive a liver transplant.