Major League Baseball Player. For seventeen seasons (1964 to 1980), he played at the outfield position with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Raised in Los Angeles, California, he attended Manuel Arts High School, prior to being signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1961. He was claimed by Baltimore during the 1962 MLB Draft and marked his Major League debut on September 20, 1964. In 1965, he secured the starting center-field position with the Orioles and held on to that spot for the next eleven years. In 1967, he led the league with 12 triples and established himself as one of the top defensive players in the American League, as he earned the first of eight Gold Gloves (1967 and 1969 to 1975). He experienced his first world championship with the Orioles in 1966 and hit a home run during the 1966 World Series. He was a major contributor to Baltimore's three consecutive American League Pennants (1969 to 1971), including the 1970 World Championship. He yielded a .474 batting average during the 1970 Fall Classic. He was acquired by the Yankees prior to the 1977 season and added his experience to New York's back-to-back world championship years of 1977 and 1978. After a stint with the Reds (1979), he concluded his career with a return to the Yankees in 1980. In 1,947 regular season games, Blair compiled 1,513 hits with a .250 lifetime batting average. Following his playing career, he served as a Minor League instructor and also coached on the collegiate level. Blair collapsed while bowling and died later at the hospital.
Major League Baseball Player. For seventeen seasons (1964 to 1980), he played at the outfield position with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Raised in Los Angeles, California, he attended Manuel Arts High School, prior to being signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1961. He was claimed by Baltimore during the 1962 MLB Draft and marked his Major League debut on September 20, 1964. In 1965, he secured the starting center-field position with the Orioles and held on to that spot for the next eleven years. In 1967, he led the league with 12 triples and established himself as one of the top defensive players in the American League, as he earned the first of eight Gold Gloves (1967 and 1969 to 1975). He experienced his first world championship with the Orioles in 1966 and hit a home run during the 1966 World Series. He was a major contributor to Baltimore's three consecutive American League Pennants (1969 to 1971), including the 1970 World Championship. He yielded a .474 batting average during the 1970 Fall Classic. He was acquired by the Yankees prior to the 1977 season and added his experience to New York's back-to-back world championship years of 1977 and 1978. After a stint with the Reds (1979), he concluded his career with a return to the Yankees in 1980. In 1,947 regular season games, Blair compiled 1,513 hits with a .250 lifetime batting average. Following his playing career, he served as a Minor League instructor and also coached on the collegiate level. Blair collapsed while bowling and died later at the hospital.
Bio by: C.S.
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