Adrian Zabala Sr.
Florida Times-Union on 1/6/2002. 1/4/02 11:21:54 AM Pacific
Standard Time
Funeral services for Adrian Zabala, Sr., 85, who died Friday,
January 4, 2002, will be held Monday at 2 p.m. from the graveside
in Evergreen Cemetery (Gate #2) with Father Ron Camarda officiating.
Mr. Zabala was a native of San Antonio de Los Banos, Cuba and
was a longtime resident of Jacksonville, FL.
He played professional baseball in the early 1940s in Jacksonville
for the Tars, later to pitch for the New York Giants. In 1956
he returned to Jacksonville to play and coach the Jacksonville
Braves. He had retired in 1981, after 20 years with St. Regis
Paper Mill. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Mary Anderson
Zabala; a daughter, Rosemary Zabala; a son, Adrian Zabala, Jr.
(Joy); 4 grandchildren, Adriana Zabala, Gaye Linford, Robby Henson
and Jami Pena.
Bo Belinsky.
c The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 24) — Former major league pitcher Bo Belinsky,
known as much for his colorful personality as his baseball career,
has died of an apparent heart attack at his home in Las Vegas.
He died Friday at 64. The left-hander pitched a nine-strikeout,
four-walk no-hitter as a rookie for the Los Angeles Angels against
the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium in 1962, the first major
league no-hitter on the West Coast. But Belinsky gained as much
notoriety for dating movie stars such as Mamie Van Doren, Ann-Margret,
Tina Louise, Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens. Selected out of
the Baltimore Orioles’ system by the Angels in 1961 expansion
draft, Belinsky won his first three decisions. On May 5, 1962,
the 25-year-old Belinsky had a live, riding fastball, a hard curve
and baffling screwball, according to Bob « Buck » Rodgers,
who caught the no-hitter. Rodgers, who later managed the Milwaukee
Brewers, Montreal Expos and Angels, said Belinsky had overpowering
stuff on the night of the no-hitter. « He could challenge
anybody with that fastball, » Rodgers, who managed the Milwaukee
Brewers, Montreal Expos and Angels. « He got the screwball
over early, but the fastball set up everything. « Even on
the last out, it was a 3-1 fastball to Dave Nicholson and Bo threw
him a fastball right down Broadway. He fouled out to third. When
Bo was on, he had that electric kind of stuff. » Shortly after
the no-hitter, Belinsky became part of the Hollywood scene, developing
a reputation as a pool-hustling, heavy-drinking playboy. Belinsky
had a much-publicized romance with Van Doren. « We’ve had
a love affair that’s continued a long time, » Van Doren told The
Associated Press on Saturday. « I lost someone that was a
very special part of my life. This is very sad for me. « Our
life was a circus. We were engaged on April Fools Day and broke
the engagement on Halloween. It just broke my heart, and his,
too. It was a wild ride, but a lot of fun. » Belinsky finished
10-11 his rookie season, his finest in the majors. Belinsky was
28-51 with 476 strikeouts and an ERA of 4.10 in an eight-year
career that included stints with the Angels, Philadelphia Phillies,
Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds. « You
know, I’ve probably gotten more mileage winning 28 games in the
majors than most guys who’ve won 200, » Belinsky told the Las
Vegas Review-Journal last summer before the minor league Las Vegas
51s hosted « Bo Belinsky Night. » After retiring from baseball
in 1970, Belinsky married and divorced Playboy Playmate centerfold
Jo Collins. He also married and divorced paper heiress Janie Weyerhaeuser,
with whom he had twin daughters. Belinsky, who had bladder cancer,
worked in customer relations for the Findlay Automotive Group
for nearly 10 years. He was sober for the final 25 years of his
life, was a born-again Christian and was active in his church,
the Trinity Life Center. Belinsky loved to rhapsodize about the
old times, but developed a deep religious belief, which former
Angels teammate Dean Chance said allowed him to accept his fate.
« Bo was a one-of-a-kind guy and there won’t be another one
like him, » Chance, a Cy Young winner and close friend of Belinsky
told the Review-Journal. « He was full of cancer, his heart
was bad and his hip was hurting him terribly at the end. « He
had slipped and fallen, and it was really tough on him. But he
had made his peace with the Lord and he is probably better off
today than he was last week. He’s not suffering terribly any more. »
Belinsky was born in New York in 1936 and began hanging out in
New Jersey pool halls at the age of 14. Belinsky was estranged
from his daughters for more than 20 years. Funeral arrangements
are pending, according to Davis Funeral Home in Las Vegas.
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