RIP Vida Blue

[awz50]

1949-2023

Vida Blue, a former MLB pitcher, passed away

He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1969 and 1986, most notably as an integral member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974. He won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971.

A six-time All-Star, Blue is the first of only five pitchers in major league history to start the All-Star Game for both the American League (1971) and the National League (1978); Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Roy Halladay, and Max Scherzer are the others. During his 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics (1969–77), San Francisco Giants (1978–81; 1985–86), and Kansas City Royals (1982–83)

[NYRE2PECT]

Originally Posted by awz50

1949-2023

Vida Blue, a former MLB pitcher, passed away

He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1969 and 1986, most notably as an integral member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974. He won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971.

A six-time All-Star, Blue is the first of only five pitchers in major league history to start the All-Star Game for both the American League (1971) and the National League (1978); Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Roy Halladay, and Max Scherzer are the others. During his 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics (1969–77), San Francisco Giants (1978–81; 1985–86), and Kansas City Royals (1982–83)

Pretty sure that I watched Vida Blue play the Angels in 82-83. RIP.

[Skipscards]

God Bless Vida Blue. Member of the Hall of Very Good.

[Silent George]

Another pitcher I imagine will one day be put in by the vets committee who won’t be around to see it :-/

[mattsey9]

The last switch hitter to win the AL MVP. R.I.P.

[awz50]

Originally Posted by mattsey9

The last switch hitter to win the AL MVP. R.I.P.

That trivia fact always stumped people

[marl1220]

Originally Posted by Silent George

Another pitcher I imagine will one day be put in by the vets committee who won’t be around to see it :-/

I was thinking the same thing. He had a pretty impressive run that lasted 10 years. His number say HOF to me.

[Astros19]

Saw him way back in the early 70's playing for the Iowa Oaks. Oakland farm team at the time.
RIP

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[oplum29]

Vida Blue..i always think of that song

I'm talkin' baseball!
Like Reggie, Quisenberry.
Talkin' baseball!
Carew and Gaylord Perry,
Seaver, Garvey, Schmidt and Vida Blue,
If Cooperstown is calling, it's no fluke.
They'll be with Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

[Tomi]

143 complete games for his career. Had 24 in one year. In 2022 there were a total of 36 complete games thrown across the whole league. Just embarrassing what has happened to the modern pitcher.

[ottobord]

That 1971 season is incredible. Those 1970s As teams were fun. Great major leaguer.

[REGGIE206]

Rest in peace

[davidantx]

RIP Vida. Always enjoyed pulling your cards out of packs as a kid. Loved your name!

[fabiani12333]

Sad day. I used to watch and listen to him and Bill Laskey do postgame shows for the SF Giants network. He split his career between the A's and Giants -- one of only a few to do so. RIP.

[bongo870]

R.I.P. good guy. Sad day,

[par578]

Absolutely electric in '71. Followed all of his starts-- as well as one could back then. RIP.

[fabiani12333]

For those who want to get a nice little history lesson on Vida Blue, broadcaster Jon Miller gave a nice little interview yesterday discussing Blue's career:
https://omny.fm/shows/marty-lurie/5-...alkback-segmen

[TimBuckTwo]

Vida Blue should be in the Hall of Fame.

RIP big guy.

[Retired hobbist]

I used to get him and Johnny "Blue Moon" Odum confused when I was in grade school. I thought he was another World B. Free.

Sad news...

[Thetruthisout]

Rest In Peace.

I can't say enough about the innovative Charlie Finley.

I remember wearing white spikes in high school because of the Athletics.

[fabiani12333]

The all-Black school he attended had offered equipment to its baseball players, but Vida Blue Jr. wanted his own glove. So he took a summer job picking cotton and, with the money he saved, ordered one from the Sears catalogue.
Baseball was a luxury for a young Black boy growing up in Mansfield, La. Blue’s parents, though loving and hard-working, could provide only the essentials: hugs, kisses and three meals a day.
Blue spent Saturdays with his dad, Vida Sr. That meant watching baseball and drinking beer, with Senior making Junior promise to drink only when dad was around. Vida Sr. worked 25 years at a steel mill. When he sneezed, coal dust blew out of his nose. And when he died at 45, with six kids and no pension, his namesake became the man of the house.
Depressed, Blue quit playing sports. But he still had scholarship offers from a host of southern HBCUs to play quarterback. And even though he threw wildly when he donned that department-store glove, Blue attracted attention from major league scouts. A month before his 18th birthday, he was drafted in the second round by the Athletics and took the $25,000 signing bonus to take care of his family.
“When you’re from Mansfield, Louisiana,” Blue says now, “that’s a trillion dollars.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...ine-hall-fame/