Vida Blue, a flamethrowing left-hander who became the youngest MVP in AL/NL historical previous in 1971 and helped the Athletics procure three straight World Assortment championships from 1972-74, died on Saturday. He became 73.
“There are few avid gamers with a extra decorated profession than Vida Blue,” the A’s acknowledged in an announcement. “He became a 3-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Giant name, a Cy Young Award winner, and an Oakland A’s Hall of Famer. Vida will continually be a franchise story and a friend. We ship our deepest condolences to his family and mates all the procedure via this onerous time.”
Chosen by the Kansas Metropolis A’s within the 2d round of the 1967 MLB Draft out of De Soto High College in northwestern Louisiana, Blue made his debut on the age of 19 in 1969, the franchise’s 2d twelve months after transferring to Oakland.
Whereas Blue fully made 18 appearances (10 begins) for the A’s over his first two seasons, his dominance after being called up in September 1970 served as a preview of what became to arrive.
Two begins after throwing a one-hit shutout against the Royals in Kansas Metropolis, Blue took the mound at dwelling against the Twins and tossed a no-hitter, placing out nine and permitting fully one batter to reach base on a fourth-inning poke. At 21 years and 55 days susceptible, Blue stays the youngest participant since the begin of the Live Ball Period in 1920 to throw a no-hitter.
Blue’s profession took off in 1971, as he won the AL Cy Young and MVP Awards after going 24-8 with a 1.82 ERA and 301 strikeouts over 312 innings. In doing so, he became the fifth participant to procure every awards within the the same twelve months.
Blue went on to safe six All-Giant name teams all the procedure via a 17-twelve months profession that saw him spend time with the Giants and Royals as properly as to the A’s.
Blue’s immediate ascent became especially outstanding brooding about he virtually chose to pursue yet every other sport after excessive school.
Born Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. in Mansfield, La., on July 28, 1949, he became the eldest of six children born to Vida Blue Sr. and Sallie Blue.
A massive athlete, Blue played every baseball and football in excessive school, starring as a quarterback, and he became recruited to play the latter sport by several major colleges. Nonetheless, after the death of his father all the procedure via his senior twelve months, he made the choice to pursue baseball, which would supply him with the different to toughen his family earlier than football.
Following his breakout season in 1971, Blue became embroiled in a contract dispute with A’s proprietor Charlie Finley, even going to this point as stepping a long way from the game to diagram shut a job with a metal firm.
Blue and Finley one way or the opposite got right here to an settlement facilitated by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, and the southpaw made his return to the A’s on Would possibly merely 24, 1972.
Blue spent nine seasons with the A’s, winning three straight World Assortment titles and incomes three All-Giant name decisions, sooner than being traded across the Bay to the Giants all the procedure via Spring Coaching in 1978. San Francisco sent seven avid gamers and $300,000 to Oakland for the southpaw.
Blue earned three extra All-Giant name decisions with the Giants, together with the starting nod for the Nationwide League in 1978. Blue, who furthermore started the All-Giant name Game twice as a member of the A’s, became the first pitcher to begin the All-Giant name Game for every leagues.
Blue served a immediate penal advanced sentence for trying to aquire cocaine and became suspended from baseball by Kuhn, missing your entire 1984 season consequently. After being reinstated and spending 1985-86 with the Giants, Blue returned to the A’s as a free agent, nonetheless he without discover retired in February 1987.
Blue carried out his profession with a 209-161 sage, a 3.27 ERA, 2,175 strikeouts, 143 total video games and 37 shutouts over 3,343 1/3 innings.
He topped out at 8.7% on the baseball writers’ ballotfor the Hall of Repute in 1993, and he became inducted into the A’s Hall of Repute in 2019.
