Vida Blue, a six-time All-Star, has passed away at the age of 73. He was fighting cancer.
The left-handed pitcher was one of the most dominant players in the early 1970s who lead his Oakland side to three consecutive world titles. He spent 9 seasons at the Oakland Athletics. He also played for six seasons for the San Francisco Giants and two seasons for Kansas City Royals.
Blue passed away at a hospital in the San Francisco’s East Bay of medical complications due to cancer.
“Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time,” the Oakland Athletics said in a statement.
In 502 appearances, Blue finished 209-161 with a 3.23 ERA and a 3.43 FIP.
“Vida Blue rest in peace, my mentor, hero, and friend. I remember watching a 19 year old phenom dominate baseball, and at the same time alter my life. There are no words for what you have meant to me and so many others. My heart goes out to the Blue family,” Dave “Smoke” Stewart said in a statement on social media.
His promising career hit a roadblock after he encourage drug-abuse problems which also prevented his entry into the Hall of Fame.
“That Hall of Fame thing, that’s something that I can honestly, openly say I wish I was a Hall of Famer. And I know for a fact this drug thing impeded my road to the Hall of Fame — so far, ” he told the Washington Post in 2021.
