Vida Blue, the Oakland Athletics star pitcher who helped lead the staff to a few straight world championships within the early Nineteen Seventies, died at age 73, the Athletics introduced Sunday.
The reason for demise wasn’t disclosed.
“There are few gamers with a extra embellished profession than Vida Blue,” the A’s mentioned in a assertion. “He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Younger Award winner, and an Oakland A’s Corridor of Famer. Vida will all the time be a franchise legend and a buddy. We ship our deepest condolences to his household and pals throughout this arduous time.”
Blue performed 17 seasons within the main leagues from 1969-86. He began his profession in Oakland, the place he was a key contributor to the franchise’s three straight World Sequence championships from 1972-74 and 5 straight West Division titles from 1971-1975.
In 1971, the left-hander turned the youngest MVP in main league historical past when he achieved the dignity on the age of 21. In that season, Blue went 24-8 with a 1.82 ERA in 39 begins. He additionally struck out 301 batters and recorded 24 full video games for the A’s. Blue obtained his lone Cy Younger award for that stellar season.
He was chosen by the Kansas Metropolis A’s within the second spherical of the 1967 MLB Draft out of De Soto Excessive Faculty in northwestern Louisiana. He made his debut with the A’s two years later on the age of 19. It was additionally the franchise’s second 12 months after transferring from Kansas Metropolis to Oakland.
He went on to make six All-Star groups in his profession. Blue additionally performed for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas Metropolis Royals.
He completed his profession with a 209-161 report with a 3.27 ERA in 502 whole video games. He made 473 begins and recorded 143 full video games.
()