Farewell Vida Blue

Farewell to Vida Blue and the 70s

By David A. Avila

Seems just yesterday the lanky figure of Vida Blue in his green and white Oakland Athletics uniform and high leg kick, flashed his white cleats before blazing a fast ball past the opposition.

Back in 1971, I can remember playing a doubleheader on a baseball diamond near the Los Angeles Police Academy. Today that same area serves as part of the Dodger Stadium parking lot. But half a century ago teams played baseball there.

Many playing on those sandlot fields would go on to become big leaguers in the Major Leagues.

But, on one particular day, our East L.A. team in the Joe DiMaggio League, were playing a double-header. At the same time the MLB All Star game was going on and Vida Blue was the starting pitcher. He was the talk of baseball and quite a player.

Blue, 73, passed away on Saturday May 6, but for those that remember his incredible pitching for one of the best teams in Major League Baseball history, he was quite a central figure. And he was one of the younger players on that colorful and talented team.

That pitching staff, that included Blue, also had Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Rollie Fingers, “Blue Moon” Odom and Ken Holtzman. It was no wonder they won three consecutive World Series in 1972, 1973 and 1974 beating the Reds, Mets and Dodgers. The A’s were loaded until free agency broke them up.

The A’s as a whole were unique and fit the times of that period. They had long hair, moustaches, Afros and played baseball as if they invented a new style. And it worked. This was during the height of the Vietnam War and the atmosphere of that period was very anti-government and anti-establishment.

Many minorities were drafted into the war and had no recourse until the draft was ended in 1973. Blue, a young Black pitcher from Louisiana was lucky he was not conscripted into the military. Instead, he pitched for the wild and talented A’s.

They could beat you on the base paths by stealing with Bert Campaneris or Bill North or bash the ball out of the park with Reggie Smith, Sal Bando or Gene Tenace. Pick your poison. Their pitching could also shut you down flat.

When the A’s met the Cincinnati Reds in 1972, it was thought the Big Red Machine would squash them in four. Instead, the A’s surprised everyone with their flashy style and proved they were more than a sideshow. They could really play baseball.

Blue was very young and very talented. His southpaw delivery was fresh to look at and he was absolutely confident in his abilities. When he dominated the American League in 1971 he mowed down hitters with flair and won 24 games with a 1.82 ERA with 301 strikeouts in 312 innings.

He was voted Most Valuable Player and won the Cy Young Award. He would never work that many innings again and made only $14,750 dollars that year. The next year Blue held out for much of 1972 seeking a boost in salary.

When he returned in 1973 he won 20 games again.

Blue had a torrid relationship with A’s owner Charlie Finley and eventually was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He twice played for the Giants and also with the Kansas City Royals. He won more than 200 games as a Major League pitcher.

Quite a player and an inspiring figure for that generation of youths.

More News - LA Split

Two Los Angeles area-based teams competing for the lead in their respective divisions fared differently this past weekend.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took two of three from the San Diego Padres behind stellar pitching and timely hitting from Mookie Betts on Sunday. His ninth inning homer tied the game and allowed the Dodger rookies to snatch the game away from the Padres 5-2.

In the American League, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were battered by the Texas Rangers who took two of three to maintain their lead over the second place Angels pounding them 16-7.

It’s still early for the baseball season but this last showdown revealed what each team possesses and lacks.

The Angels lack pitching in both the bullpen and starting roles.

Rangers hitting attack appears to be a lot more than just Corey Seager who missed the past month. Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim and Josh Jung add serious pop to their lineup and should prove dangerous for the rest of the season.

In the National League West, it seems the Padres lack pitching in the relief department. When they beat the Dodgers in the playoffs it was their bullpen that did the job. Still, it is very early and the Dodgers also need relief help, but not as much at this point.

It is a very long season.