Vida Blue

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This article is about Vida Blue, the baseball pitcher. For information on the jam band of the same name, see Vida Blue (band).

Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. (born July 28, 1949, in Mansfield, Louisiana) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. In his 17-year career, he played for the Oakland Athletics (1969-77), San Francisco Giants (1978-81, 1985-86), and Kansas City Royals (1982-83).

In 1970, after spending the season in the minor leagues with the Iowa Oaks of the American Association, (fanning 165 in 133 innings, 12-3 with a 2.17 ERA for the Oaks[1]), Blue was called up in September and made two starts that provided a glimpse of what was to come for the 21-year old. On September 11, he shut out the Kansas City Royals 3-0, giving up only one hit, to Pat Kelly in the eighth inning. Ten days later, he no-hit the Minnesota Twins 6-0 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the lone baserunner coming on Harmon Killebrew's fourth-inning walk. The no-hitter capped a season that witnessed four no-hitters; like Blue's, the other three were also pitched in California-based stadiums (Candlestick Park was the only one of the five Major League California stadiums that went without a no-hitter on the season):

• June 12—Dock Ellis, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-0 over the San Diego Padres at San Diego Stadium, first game of a doubleheader
• July 3—Clyde Wright, California Angels, 4-0 over the Athletics at Anaheim Stadium
• July 20—Bill Singer, Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-0 over the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium

Blue was a quitessential power pitcher, albeit a southpaw. He possessed a sharp, breaking curveball that he threw on occasion, and his change-up was above average, but his out pitch was an overpowering fastball that dialed up to nearly 100 miles per hour. He is considered by baseball historian Bill James to be the hardest-throwing lefty, and second hardest thrower of his era, finishing only behind all-time strikeout king Nolan Ryan. ^[1]

Blue had a 24-8 record in 1971; he also struck out 301 batters, winning both the Cy Young and MVP awards. He was the starting pitcher for the AL in the 1971 All-Star Game, and for the NL in the 1978 All-Star Game. Charlie Finley, owner of the Oakland Athletics, offered Blue $10,000 to change his name to Vida "True" Blue, but Blue declined.

Blue won 20 games in 1973 as he led the A's to the World Championship that year. He won 22 games in 1975.

In 1976, baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn vetoed an attempt to sell Blue to the New York Yankees and in 1977, Kuhn cancelled an attempted trade of Blue to the Cincinnati Reds. In both instances, Kuhn said the trades would be bad for baseball because they would have benefitted already powerful teams without making them give up any significant talent in return.

In 1978, Blue won 18 games as he led the Giants to 83 wins as they battled all year for the National League West Division which was won that year by the Los Angeles Dodgers. His great year was rewarded as he won the Sporting News National League Pitcher Of The Year.

Blue also made a name and career after baseball for himself in the San Francisco Bay Area by donating his time to many charitable causes, mostly promoting baseball in the inner city.

Blue battled drug addiction over the course of baseball career. After the 1983 season, he and former teammates, Willie Wilson, Jerry Martin and Willie Aikens, pleaded guilty to attempting to purchase cocaine. In 1985, he testified in the scandalous Pittsburgh drug trials.

[edit] Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Vida Blue autograph on a 1981 Fleer baseball card - 1981 Series, #432

• He was the last player before Ichiro Suzuki to wear his given name on the back of his uniform instead of his surname, having done so with the Giants.
• Vida Blue is the name of a song by punk band ALL on their 1998 album Mass Nerder.
• Even though he was listed as a switch hitter, he admitted he only batted right-handed about 6-7 times during his career.
• Throws left-handed, but writes right-handed.

[edit] Career statistics

Games: 502

Games Started: 479

Wins: 209

Losses: 161

Winning %: .565 (56.5 %)

Earned Run Average (ERA): 3.27

Strikeouts: 2,175

Complete games: 143

Shutouts: 37

All-Star appearances: 5

In his 1971 MVP and Cy Young-winning season, his best, he collected these stats:

24 wins

8 losses

1.89 ERA

301 strikeouts

24 Complete games

8 Shutouts

In 1971, Blue also led the American league in ERA and shutouts.

In an article in Esquire magazine in 1976, sportswriter Harry Stein published an article called the "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," a list of five ethnic baseball teams. Blue was the left-handed pitcher on Stein's black team.

[edit] See also

• Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
• Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

[edit] References

1. ^ ESPN.com - The Mighty Fastball

• "The Mighty Fastball June 15, 2004 ESPN.com"

• "A Bolt of Blue Lightning" *August 23, 1971) TIME Magazine.

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference