“Ball Four” was a short-lived sitcom on CBS, based on Jim Bouton’s controversial 1970 book of the same name. The show followed the fictional minor league baseball team, the Washington Americans, as they dealt with the fallout of revealing Sports Illustrated articles written by player Jim Barton, played by Bouton. The series tackled then-taboo subjects like drug use, womanizing, and homosexuality in sports.

Despite its aim to offer a candid look at professional baseball, the series ran into censorship issues during the “Family Viewing Hour,” which limited its ability to portray realistic locker room scenes. Although Bouton’s performance received praise, the show faced mixed reviews and was ultimately canceled after only five episodes had aired.