Born in Livingston, Montana, Bouchee moved with his family to Spokane, Washington during World War II.

He attended Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane, where he was an all-state athlete in football, basketball, and baseball.

In high school, Bouchee became longtime friends with future big league pitcher Jack Spring.

On April 24, 1957, his bases-loaded triple against Bob Friend of the Pittsburgh Pirates allowed pinch runner John Kennedy, the first black player in Phillies' history, to score his only major league run.

Bouchee was sentenced to three years of probation, spent a few months in a psychiatric institution in Connecticut, and then was allowed to return to the Phillies on July 1, 1958.