Vida Blue was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1969 to 1986, hurling for the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. Blue's career was notable for several reasons, including winning the Cy Young Award, the American League MVP Award and wearing his first name on his jersey, rather than his last. Blue retired after amassing more than 200 victories and 143 complete games.
Birth and Early Life
Vida Rochelle Blue Jr., was born July 28, 1949, in Mansfield, Louisiana to parents Sallie and Vida Sr. As a young man, Blue was heavily involved in athletics, and stood out for his prowess as a football player and a pitcher while attending DeSoto High School. Because of his football skill, Blue was offered scholarships to play quarterback in college, but he decided to pursue baseball instead.
Entry to the MLB
In 1967, Blue signed with the Kansas City Athletics. Blue would not pitch a game for the Athletics until 1969, by which time the team had moved to Oakland. Blue pitched in 12 games during the 1969 season, winning one and losing the one. He ended the season with an ERA of 6.64 after pitching 42 innings.
Rise to Notoriety
Blue progressed quickly, no-hitting the Minnesota Twins after a late-season call-up in 1970, a season in which he had a 2-0 record with an ERA of 2.09. Blue surrendered just 20 hits in 38 innings that season, but his performance in 1971 would overshadow those accomplishments. Blue amassed a 24-8 record in 1971, producing what would be the lowest ERA of his career, 1.82. Blue had eight shutouts that season, and won the American League MVP and Cy Young awards for his accomplishments.
Off-Field Distractions
Because Blue was paid only $13,000 during his stellar 1971 season, he held out until the Athletics agreed to pay him $90,000 for the 1972 campaign. However, Blue had many distractions with which to deal at this time. He began having problems with drugs, appeared in several movies and suffered from skipping spring training. Although Blue's record was 6-10 during the 1972 season, the Athletics did win the World Series.
Resurgence and Success
Although Blue's performance in 1972 was dismal, he returned with a 20-9 record in 1973 and helped the Athletics win the world championship in 1973 and 1974. Blue would not return to the All-Star game until 1975. He also appeared in 1978, his first season with the San Francisco Giants. Blue was third in the voting for the Cy Young award in 1978, the final year in which he'd be considered for that honor.
Trades and Retirement
Blue spent four seasons with the Giants before being traded to the Kansas City Royals in 1982. Blue pitched for two seasons in Kansas City, going 13-12 in 1982 and 0-5 in 1983. Blue did not pitch in the 1984 season but returned to the Giants in 1985 and 1986. Blue would retire after failing a drug test in which he tested positive for cocaine.
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