Legendary baseball player Vida Blue dies at 73, leaving behind a trailblazing legacy

The Oakland Athletics announced on Sunday that Vida Blue, a former American League MVP and three-time World Series champion, passed away on Saturday at 73. Blue’s family stated the Athletics expressed their sadness and requested privacy. Baseball player Vida Blue

The left-handed pitcher was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics in 1967, made his Major League Baseball debut in 1969, and spent 17 seasons with the Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and the Kansas City Royals.

Blue won the American League Cy Young Award and was named Most Valuable Player in 1971, becoming only the fifth player in history to win both awards in the same year. He also helped the Athletics win three consecutive World Series titles from 1972 to 1974.

Despite his success, Blue’s career was plagued by drug issues, which led to his suspension from baseball and a brief prison sentence after attempting to purchase cocaine. He was suspended for the entire 1984 season by MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn before being reinstated in 1985.

Blue retired in 1987 after pitching two more seasons with the Giants. He was inducted into the A’s Hall of Fame in 2019 and is a member of the Giants Wall of Fame and Bay Area Hall of Fame.

The Athletics released a statement describing Blue as a franchise legend, friend, and one of the few players with a more decorated career than him. During this difficult time, the team sent its condolences to his family and friends.

Giants President and CEO Larry Baer also expressed his condolences to Blue’s family and friends, describing him as a Bay Area baseball icon for over 50 years and a critical part of the Junior Giants program.