Bunning pitched in MLB for 17 seasons primarily with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies with brief stints with both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers. While Bunning was never the top pitcher in the game from the late 1950's through the late 1960's he was one of the best. Bunning was named to seven All-Star teams (five in the AL and two in the NL). He only won 20 games in a season once, but won 19 games four times. In 1967, he finished runner up in NL Cy Young balloting to Mike McCormick of the St. Louis Cardinals. He threw a no-hitter for the Tigers against the Boston Red Sox in 1958. Six years later, Bunning threw a perfect game in his inaugural season with the Phillies against the hapless New York Mets on Father's Day. It was the first perfect game in regular season play since Charlie Robertson's in 1922 and first in NL competition since John Montgomery Ward threw one for the Providence Grays in 1880.
However, 1964 would end badly for Bunning as the Phillies collapsed in the final two weeks of this season were overtaken by the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. Bunning thrice led his league in strikeouts fanning 200 or more batters six times in his career. When Bunning retired his 2,855 strikeouts were second only to Walter Johnson on the all-time strikeout list. Despite his accomplishments, Bunning was not selected to the Hall of Fame until he was elected by the Veterans Committee in 1996.
At the time of his selection, Bunning was serving his fourth term in the House of Representatives. Bunning began his stint in politics as a member of the Kentucky state legislature in 1975 later moving to the state Senate. After an unsuccessful bid for Governor in 1983, Bunning was elected to Congress three years later. In 1998, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, narrowly re-elected in 2004 and retired prior to the 2010 election. Bunning was both a fiscal and social conservative, yet did not become a favorite in the conservative movement and had an uneasy relationship with fellow Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. On occasion he was gaffe prone (especially with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg), but generally stuck to his principles as was the case when towards the end of his career insisted that unemployment benefits be paid for by the Stimulus Bill on pay as you go basis.
It is worth noting that Bunning's accomplishments in baseball weren't properly recognized until 25 years after his retirement. It is quite possible that Bunning's contribution to American politics won't be properly recognized until 25 years after his passing.
It didn't help matters that Bunning lacked President Reagan's sunny disposition. But there sure was joy on his face when he achieved perfection that Sunday afternoon in 1964. R.I.P.
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