Dock Ellis: High and Outside [from Very Special Episodes]
Ridiculous Crime
iHeartPodcasts
4.5 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 16 May 2026
⏱️ 62 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In June 1970, Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates somehow tossed a no-hitter while tripping on acid. The LSD stunt made him a legend, but it overshadowed a much deeper story: a man who spent the second half of his life searching for redemption, purpose, and a way to help others escape the same darkness that once enveloped him.
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Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English
Written by Zaron Burnett
Story Editor is Virginia Prescott
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger
Mixing and Mastering by Jesse Nighswonger
Research and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Zaron Burnett
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English
Today's episode was produced in partnership with School of Humans. For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott.
Special thanks to American Public Media’s Weekend America, and to Todd Snider.
- “Dock Ellis: An LSD No-No” from American Public Media
- “America’s Favorite Pastime” by Todd Snider
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:07.6 | In the spring of 2008, former Major League pitcher Doc Ellis sat down for an interview with American Public Media's show Weekend America. |
| 0:16.8 | He was 63 years old at the time. He recalled for listeners the day back in 1970 when he threw a no-hitter on LSD. |
| 0:26.2 | As Doc told it, |
| 0:27.6 | We flew into San Diego and I asked the manager, could I go home? |
| 0:31.1 | Because we had an off day. |
| 0:32.6 | So he said, yeah. |
| 0:34.1 | So I took some LSD at the airport because I knew where it would hit me. I'd be in my own |
| 0:40.8 | little area and I'd know where to go. So that's how I got to my friend's girlfriend's house. |
| 0:46.8 | She said, what's wrong with you? I said, I'm a high as a Georgia party. There he is on his |
| 0:51.6 | supposed day off and he's got a head full of acid. |
| 0:54.9 | Now, Doc Ellis's off days were often colored with what you might call a psychedelic purple haze. |
| 1:00.9 | But on this particular day off, Doc had a big surprise waiting for him in the middle of his acid trip. |
| 1:08.1 | The next day, which I thought was the next day, she told me, you better get up, you |
| 1:13.7 | got to go pitch. |
| 1:14.9 | I said, pitch, I pitch tomorrow. |
| 1:16.7 | Hell, what are you talking about? |
| 1:17.9 | Because I had got up in the middle of the morning and it took some more acid. |
| 1:20.9 | Only after he double dipped on the LSD does Doc learn from his friend's girlfriend |
| 1:26.0 | that he is scheduled to be on the mound to pitch a game in San Diego, |
| 1:31.4 | part of a double header scheduled for later that same day. |
| 1:35.7 | Plus, Doc is in the wrong city. |
... |
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