Vida Blue was a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics’ who helped lead the team to three consecutive World Series championships in the 1970s, winning the American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in the process.
- Died: May 6, 2023 (Who else died on May 6?)
- Details of death: Died in San Francisco of cancer at the age of 73.
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Vida Blue’s legacy
Coming out of Mansfield, Louisiana, Vida Blue was a dominant athlete even in high school. As a quarterback, he threw for 3,400 yards, had 35 touchdown passes, and even rushed for over 1,600 yards. However, it was in baseball where he made a name for himself. After striking out 21 in just seven innings of no-hitter in high school, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics, foregoing a college career in order to help support his family.
By 1970, Blue and his fastball had established their dominance. He threw a no-hitter shortly after being called up from the minors, becoming the fourth youngest player to do so. In 1971, in his first full season in the major leagues, he led the league in earned run average (ERA) and shutouts. At the age of 22, he won both the American League Cy Young and MVP awards. Blue would then help lead the Athletics to three consecutive World Series titles in 1972 through 1974, one of the MLB’s greatest modern dynasties.
Blue continued to dominate throughout the 70s, largely on the strength of his fastball, racking up over 2,000 strikeouts and 200 wins in his career. He would go on to play with the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals before retiring after the 1986 season. Following his MLB career, Blue did sports commentary in the San Francisco Bay area. He also helped promote baseball in South America, and he was involved in a number of charitable organizations.
Notable quote
“It’s a weird scene. You win a few baseball games and all of a sudden, you’re surrounded by reporters and TV men with cameras asking you about Vietnam and race relations.”—Vida: His Own Story (Prentice-Hall, 1972)
Tributes to Vida Blue
Full obituary: The New York Times
