Blue's career was marred by drug and alcohol problems. He was involved in the Kansas City Royals' baseball cocaine controversy. He was imprisoned and barred from playing in the 1984 season. In both 1992 and 1993, Blue garnered less than 10% of the vote, significantly less than a pitcher of his caliber merited.
In addition to being one of the best pitchers in baseball history, Vada Blue was also an excellent hitter who posted a.275 average with 33 home runs and 992 RBI over 16 seasons.
He died in 1998 at the age of 47 after suffering a heart attack while working on his car in Florida.
Vada Blue wasn't inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame because he had a bad drug problem that led to him being suspended for using cocaine. His career was too short and he didn't generate enough support from the voters.
Blue won 18 games in 1978, leading the Giants to 89 victories and third place in the National League West Division, which was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers. His outstanding season was recognized when he was named Sporting News National League Pitcher of the Year.
Blue, unlike many other southpaws, was a power pitcher who worked quickly and smashed the strike zone. He threw an infrequent curveball and an above-average change-up to keep batters off balance, but his defining pitch was a blazing fastball that he could routinely hurl at 94 miles per hour (151 km/h).
Perhaps his most memorable playoff outings were four innings of scoreless bullpen work against the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the 1972 American League Championship Series and a complete-game 1-0 shutout against the Baltimore Orioles in Game 3 of the 1974 ALCS.
Blue went 24-8 in 1971, capturing the Cy Young and MVP honors. He was the first Athletic to win the latter honor since fellow pitcher, Bobby Shantz, with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1952. He was also the American League's leader in complete games (24), shutouts (8), and earned run average (ERA).
In addition to his work on the mound, Blue also led the league in hits allowed (917) and hit by pitch (47).
His 24 wins were second only to New York Yankees' pitcher, Bill Wilson, who had 25 victories.
The Oakland Athletics finished first in the American League with a record of 90-72. They were seven games ahead of the second place Chicago White Sox with two months left in the season.
Vida Blue's winning percentage of.625 was third best in Athletics history at the time of his retirement. The previous year's winner, Billy O'Dell, had a winning percentage of.611.
O'Dell played only one full season after coming back from war injuries, hitting.273 with 16 home runs and 74 RBI's. His duties as a part-time player were taken over by Blue when O'Dell suffered a knee injury in August 1970.
With Blue on the mound, the Athletics made it to the postseason for the fourth consecutive year.
Between 1969 and 1986, he was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, most notably as a key component of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series victories between 1972 and 1974. In 1971, he earned the American League Cy Young Award as well as the Most Valuable Player Award.
By then, Blue had previously pitched a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins on September 21, 1970. On September 28, 1975, he and three other pitchers combined to throw a second no-hitter against the California Angels.
Blue Vida Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. (born July 28, 1949) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from the United States.
Tovar was the final batter, and he hit a high pop fly that first baseman Mincher gloved in foul area. Blue was about to make his second and final choice of the year. A's owner Charles Finley gave him a $2000 bonus.
On March 30, 1982, he and Bob Tufts were dealt by the San Francisco Giants to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Craig Chamberlain, Atlee Hammaker, Renie Martin, and Brad Wellman. On August 5, 1983, he was released by the Kansas City Royals. On April 6, 1985, he was signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants.
Blue won 18 games in 1978, leading the Giants to 89 victories and third place in the National League West Division, which was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers. His outstanding season was recognized when he was named Sporting News National League Pitcher of the Year.
14. Ellis Burks is not in the Hall of Fame. He has been nominated by his fans and voted into history. If you believe that baseball's best have a place in the Hall of Fame, then it's only fair to give credit where it is due. The voting process is transparent and if your favorite player is not in there now, they will be soon.
For the first 35 years of the Blue Jays' existence, the most coveted distinction was a seat on the Level of Excellence. However, Roberto Alomar's Hall of Fame career seemed deserving of a larger celebration. In 2009, an advisory committee voted unanimously to induct Alomar into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Alomar made his debut with the Blue Jays in 1989 and spent all but three seasons with them, finishing with a.275 average, 147 homers and 536 RBIs over 14 seasons.
The following year, the Blue Jays celebrated their 25th anniversary by holding a special day game against the Chicago White Sox at SkyDome. The team finished up its opening day victory with a bang as Joe Carter hit a home run in the 11th inning to win it for the Jays. It was the first time that has ever happened on opening day of a season. Later in the month, Alex Rodriguez joined the club as a free agent after nine seasons with the New York Yankees. He went on to become one of the best third basemen of all time. His stay with the Blue Jays was short lived though, as he was traded to the Seattle Mariners before the 2010 season began.
In 2012, the Blue Jays held their first annual All-Star Game which was played at Citi Field.
Boudreau joined the Red Sox for the 1951 season and served as the club's player manager in 1952, his final season as a player. He was constantly thinking, always playing. Boudreau was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970.
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