Steve Blass

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#EAC117
bgcolor2=#000000
textcolor1=black
textcolor2=white
name=Steve Blass
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1942|4|18
debutdate=May 10
debutyear=1964
debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
finaldate=April 18
finalyear=1974
finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
stat1label=Record
stat1value=103-76
stat2label=ERA
stat2value=3.63
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=896
teams =
*Pittsburgh Pirates (by|1964, by|1966-by|1974)
highlights =
*All-Star (NL): 1972
*Led NL in Shutouts (5) in 1971

Stephen Robert Blass (born April 18, 1942 in Canaan, Connecticut) is a former Major League Baseball right handed pitcher and a current broadcast announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Playing career

In a 10-year career, Blass posted a 103-76 record with 896 strikeouts and a 3.63 ERA in 1597 innings pitched.

Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in by|1960, Blass made his major league debut in by|1964, joining the team permanently in by|1966. He won 18 games in by|1968, including a 2.12 ERA with seven shutouts, both career-highs, and in by|1969 won 16 with a career-high 147 strikeouts. From 1969-72, Blass won 60 games, with a career-high 19 victories in by|1972. In that season, he made the National League All-Star team.

In the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, Blass pitched two complete game wins, allowing only seven hits and two runs in 18 innings. He finished second in the voting for World Series MVP behind teammate Roberto Clemente.

Besides his Series performance, Blass is best known for his sudden and inexplicable loss of control after the by|1972 season Fact|date=September 2008. His ERA climbed to 9.81 in the by|1973 season. He walked 84 batters in 88 innings, and struck out only 27. Blass suffered through the 1973 season, then spent most of 1974 in the minor leagues. He gave it one last try in spring training of by|1975. Failing to regain his form, he retired from baseball in March by|1975.

Thereafter, a condition referred to as "Steve Blass Disease", became a part of baseball lexicon because such a change in a player's skill was identified with him. The diagnosis is applied to talented pitchers who inexplicably and permanently seem to lose their talent. [ [http://www.thebaseballpage.com/columns/robinson/000601.htm Steve Blass, Cured | The BASEBALL Page ] ] [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1568307&type=story ESPN.com - Ankiel can't seem to conquer 'The Creature' ] ] [ [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/cardinals/2002-03-06-cover-ankiel.htm USATODAY.com - Ankiel's back, but are the demons? ] ] [ [http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=1169&bid=1289 BIOPROJ.SABR.ORG :: The Baseball Biography Project ] ] [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/2001/spring_training/news/2001/03/23/ankiel_knob/ CNNSI.com - 2001 MLB Spring Training - Ankiel, Knoblauch fight through woes - Friday March 23, 2001 04:24 PM ] ]

Post-playing career

Following his retirement as a player, Blass held several jobs. He was a sales representative for Jostens, a ring manufacturer. He called on schools in western Pennsylvania in an effort to sell them class rings. Later, Blass became a salesman for Frank Fuhrer Wholesale, a Pittsburgh-based beer distributor. Blass joined the Pirates' TV and radio broadcast team in by|1983 as a part-time color commentator, earning a full-time post in by|1986. He is known for his affable nature and knowledge of the game Fact|date=September 2008. Before the by|2005 season, he announced that he would only announce home games onward so as to spend more time with his family Fact|date=September 2008.

He was inducted into the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in by|1997.

ee also

*Pittsburgh Pirates broadcasters and media

References

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/blassst01.shtml Baseball Reference] - Career statistics and analysis
* [http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1289&pid=1169 SABR BioProject biography of Blass]