A tribute in verse to pitching great Vida Blue

Have you ever had the thought that the Baseball Hall of Fame weighs sheer longevity too much? We had to wait so long to see Tony Oliva finally get the call. It was sad. Players who have performed spectacularly have come up shy because they couldn't stay at the top of their game long enough or consistently enough. 

I think Rocky Colavito should be in the Hall. You look at the year-by-year stats of some of these people and then you realize why they are not. Seems you need a very long string of years with superlative stats to get the nod. And I extend hearty congrats to those players who have met the criterion. But we fondly remember so many other players who were not exactly a flash in the pan. 

So I put forward here the name of Vida Blue. Vida Blue! Should need no introduction for you at all. 

I can claim to have attended a game at our old Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington MN, in Blue's breakout season of 1971. I remember the game vividly because of Blue's spectacular form. Naturally he won. I begged my parents to take me to this game because I had already consumed much media coverage about this young prodigy pitcher, a lefty with such a smooth, natural pitching motion. My late parents always enjoyed these outings.

And my God, the young Vida Blue could fire "seeds." I remember Jim Bouton in "Ball Four" saying of Bob Gibson at his peak that he "fired seeds." Ball must look pretty small when it's thrown with such authority. 

 

HOF futility

Alas, Vida Blue lasted only four years on the Hall of Fame ballot. He topped out with 8.7 percent of the vote in 1993, whereas 75 percent was needed. He got 5.7 percent in 1995 and then disappeared from the ballot. I'll suggest that's just not fair. 

Blue passed away this year, 2023. RIP Vida Blue. 

We remember his magical 1971 season with delight but he came on the scene with the same impact in 1970. It was in late-season. My team of the Twins succumbed to a Blue no-hitter. He pitched this in front of the scant fan turnout of 4,284. Our Twins were on their way to the A.L. West title. The young Blue throttled us as a sign of things to come. 

And in 1971? "One of the best pitching seasons in baseball history." It would not characterize his whole career. Ups and downs? Yes. Some personal difficulties? Yes. Some adversity connected to baseball's growing pains with free agency? Yes. 

Blue is best remembered as an Oakland ballplayer but he went on to have stints with San Francisco and Kansas City. He retired with a career win total of 209 - not too shabby - but this in an era of lots of good starting pitchers with boffo stats. 

My opinion? A no-brainer: he belongs in the Hall. Justice will come along as it did finally with "Tony O.," I predict. So sad he left this life first. Roger Maris died before baseball's commissioner decided there should be one single-season home run record. 

Inspired by memories of seeing Blue at his peak, in '71, I have written song lyrics/poetry to commemorate Blue's career. Whenever I write poetry, I have a melody in mind. I invite you to read my tribute to the late Vida Blue.

 

"We Remember Vida Blue"

(by Brian Williams)

He was born in '49

Louisiana suited him just fine

As the oldest one of six

He led the batch of kids

He did

As a prepster he was great

In sports he showed his talent was first-rate

It was in the diamond game

Where he would make his name

Get fame

He was sent to Burlington

In Iowa on the Mississippi bluffs

Then he pitched for Birmingham

Still following the plan

So grand

It was nineteen sixty-nine

The young man was so energized and primed

Then he finally got a taste

Of being with the A's

Hooray!

CHORUS:

We remember Vida Blue

A pitching motion beautiful and smooth

He made it look so easy on the hill

As he reared back and let fly with the pill

He was boffo with the A's

A fastball that could leave the batters fazed

So we remember Vida Blue

He really was a jewel

He developed two more years

Before he heard the waves of boundless cheers

Making clear he was a star

He cleared the higher bar

By far

He put on the color green

When Oakland was a World Series team

They built up such winning ways

With Vida getting raves

In spades

Keep in mind those were the days

When players got so little in their pay

Just compare it to today

And you will feel amazed

Just sayin'

Vida had to state his case

And had to be a holdout come what may

You see baseball was behind

The ever-changing times

We sighed

(repeat chorus)

We remember him in green

But Vida got assigned a diff-rent team

He still popped the catcher's mitt

The Giants were a fit

So slick

Vida made a whole new mark

A diff-rent league, a diff-rent home ballpark

Now his home was Candlestick

And with the swirling winds

He'd win

Then the final chapter came

In K.C. he would still project his flame

Still commanding with his stuff

But time was catching up

So tough

He was not a perfect man

But who among us can make such a stand

Let's assign it to us all

To get him in the Hall

Our call?

(repeat chorus)

Seems the best that he can do

If Hall of Fame just never does come through

Are the plaudits from the press

And others who know best 

No guess

Oh to see it all get down

To see his name enshrined in Cooperstown

Weigh the World Series crowns

They're what it's all about

Just shout

In the '70s we heard

A disco beat around us to be sure

And the Gong Show on TV

Just gave us a release

Oh please

All the fashions come and go

But baseball will continue with its flow

Vida had a solid place

In heaven he's their ace

With grace

(repeat chorus)

 

 

Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com