Man could that dude play some CF: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBA_OBIT_PAUL_BLAIR?SITE=PAPIT&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
RIP Paul Blair
- Thread starter Don Buddin's GS
- Start date
Paul Blair was the first player who wasn't a Red Sox that I called one of my favorite players. Might be my favorite non Red Sox ever...I even like him as a Yankee.
I remember as a kid how I couldn't get over how shallow he played in CF compared to everybody else, yet he never failed to get to anything hit over his head.
Edit: the obituary Buddin links above is excellent, and worth a read for anyone nostalgic for 60s/70s AL baseball
I remember as a kid how I couldn't get over how shallow he played in CF compared to everybody else, yet he never failed to get to anything hit over his head.
Edit: the obituary Buddin links above is excellent, and worth a read for anyone nostalgic for 60s/70s AL baseball
Have to second Mugsys Jock's comment. My favorite player back when I was a teenager. Looked like he was playing about 20 feet behind second base, but the ball never landed behind him. And he made it look easy. A sad day in my house.
Sad to see him go - was a truly great CF, and could hit some too.
Just strolling through his B-Ref page and noticed a few things - first, so someone of his era, he has alot of postseason ABs (161) b/c of his 8 trips (even though one, the 66 World Series, he got only 7 ABs and hit that famous HR).
Second, he had 171 stolen bases in his career, but was also nabbed 93 times (so not great by any shakes). In 52 postseason games however he stole 1 base and was thrown out 5 times! Three of those were in 73/74 when he was around 30, so probably a case of the mind thinking the body was still a bit younger than it really was ;-)
Maybe just great catchers & pitchers he was facing on the 5 CS, might have to go dig that up...
Anyways, RIP Paul Blair.
Just strolling through his B-Ref page and noticed a few things - first, so someone of his era, he has alot of postseason ABs (161) b/c of his 8 trips (even though one, the 66 World Series, he got only 7 ABs and hit that famous HR).
Second, he had 171 stolen bases in his career, but was also nabbed 93 times (so not great by any shakes). In 52 postseason games however he stole 1 base and was thrown out 5 times! Three of those were in 73/74 when he was around 30, so probably a case of the mind thinking the body was still a bit younger than it really was ;-)
Maybe just great catchers & pitchers he was facing on the 5 CS, might have to go dig that up...
Anyways, RIP Paul Blair.