| Bert Blyleven | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | ||
| Born: April 6, 1951 Zeist, Netherlands |
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| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| June 5, 1970 for the Minnesota Twins |
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| Final game | ||
| October 4, 1992 for the California Angels |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Win-Loss record | 287-250 | |
| Earned run average | 3. In Baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the Pitcher's mound toward the Catcher to begin each play with the goal of Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Zeist is a Municipality and a Town in the central Netherlands, located east of the city of Utrecht. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Champions Major Leagues World Series MVP Brooks Robinson All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves (4-2 Pat Borders, MVP The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. A win is a Statistic in Major League Baseball credited to the Pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when his team last took the lead In Baseball statistics, earned run average ( ERA) is the Mean of Earned runs given up by a Pitcher per nine Innings pitched 31 | |
| Strikeouts | 3,701 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
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Rik Aalbert "Bert" Blyleven (born April 6, 1951, in Zeist, Netherlands), is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1970 to 1992, and was best known for his curveball. In Baseball or Softball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K) occurs when a batter receives three strikes The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Champions Major Leagues World Series MVP Brooks Robinson All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees (4-0 Johnny Bench, MVP Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Kansas City Royals over St See also 1988 Major League Baseball season Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington Texas, United States, representing the Dallas-Ft Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees (4-0 Johnny Bench, MVP Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2 Reggie Jackson, The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2 Bucky Dent, MVP Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Kansas City Royals (4-2 Mike Schmidt, MVP The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees (4-2 Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Kansas City Royals over St The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants (4-0 Dave Stewart, Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves (4-2 Pat Borders, MVP The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic" is an annual Baseball game between players from the National League For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation. The 1979 World Series matched the National League 's Pittsburgh Pirates (98-64 against the American League 's Baltimore Orioles (102-57 The 1987 World Series was played between the Minnesota Twins and the St Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Zeist is a Municipality and a Town in the central Netherlands, located east of the city of Utrecht. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands In Baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the Pitcher's mound toward the Catcher to begin each play with the goal of Champions Major Leagues World Series MVP Brooks Robinson All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves (4-2 Pat Borders, MVP The curveball is a breaking pitch in Baseball thrown with a grip and hand movement that imparts down and/or sideways spin to the ball.
Contents |
Baseball career
Blyleven, who was born in the Netherlands but raised in Garden Grove, California, became interested in baseball as a young boy watching Sandy Koufax pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California, United States. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Sanford Koufax (ˈkoʊfæks (born Sanford Braun, on December 30, 1935) is an American Left-handed former Pitcher in The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Bert starred on the Santiago High School baseball team, also running cross country to build up his stamina and leg strength. He was drafted straight out of high school by the Minnesota Twins in the third round in 1969, where after only 21 minor league starts he found himself called up to the Majors at age 19, June 2, 1970. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Champions Major League Baseball The most notable part of the 1969 season were the Miracle Mets World Series: New York Mets Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Champions Major Leagues World Series MVP Brooks Robinson All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium In his first season, his sharp curveball helped him to ten victories and he was named AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News. Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports
However, Blyleven's early career with the Twins was not always pleasant as he was hounded by critics and fans and suffered with a dismal Minnesota Twins team. Becoming more vocal, Blyleven was traded to the Texas Rangers on June 1, 1976. The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington Texas, United States, representing the Dallas-Ft Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees (4-0 Johnny Bench, MVP He pitched well with the Rangers, having a 2. 76 ERA in his first season and throwing a no-hitter against the California Angels on September 22, 1977, just two weeks after being sidelined with a groin injury. In Baseball, a no-hitter (also known as a no-hit game, or colloquially a no-no) refers to a game in which one of the teams prevented the other from getting The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2 Reggie Jackson,
On December 8, 1977, Blyleven and John Milner were traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of the first four-team trade in Major League Baseball history. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. John Albert Milner ( December 28 1949 - January 4 2000) also nicknamed "The Hammer" was an American First baseman The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With the Pirates, he led the team in ERA, strikeouts and complete games in 1978 and helped them to a World Series victory in 1979. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2 Bucky Dent, MVP For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles (4-3 Willie Stargell,
However, Blyleven became disgruntled with the Pirates and threatened to retire during the 1980 season if he was not traded. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Kansas City Royals (4-2 Mike Schmidt, MVP Eventually, the Pirates did trade him to the Cleveland Indians on December 9, 1980. The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Blyleven sat out most of the 1982 season with an elbow injury and struggled again in 1983, but came back in 1984 with one of his best seasons: a 19-7 record with a 2. Champions Major League Baseball World Series Champion St Louis Cardinals World Series MVP Darrell Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies (4-1 Rick Dempsey, Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Detroit Tigers over San Diego Padres (4-1 Alan Trammell, MVP 87 ERA. He missed a second 20-win season that year when he was forced to miss a couple of starts after breaking his foot when joking around in the bullpen. Blyleven was unhappy playing for the lackluster Indians and forced a trade back to the Twins, where he passed the 3,000-strikeout mark and helped the Twins to a 1987 World Series victory. The 1987 World Series was played between the Minnesota Twins and the St
Blyleven went to the California Angels in 1989 and pitched a 2. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants (4-0 Dave Stewart, 73 ERA for a 17-5 record in his first season, but he missed the entire 1991 season following rotator cuff surgery. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves (4-3 Jack Morris, MVP The rotator cuff (rotor cuff is an anatomical term given to the group of Muscles and their Tendons that act to stabilize the Shoulder. He came back in 1992, but was mostly unproductive, going 8-12 with a 4. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves (4-2 Pat Borders, MVP 74 ERA. He retired following that season with a career 287-250 record with 3,701 strikeouts (only 16 other pitchers have at least 3,000 career strikeouts) and a 3. 31 ERA. He tried out for the Twins again in the spring of 1993, but did not make the squad, making his retirement official. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies (4-2 Paul Molitor,
Blyleven is often considered to be the best eligible pitcher not yet in the Baseball Hall of Fame; his first year of eligibility was 1998 and if not elected, he will lose eligibility for the Writers' vote if still not elected after the 2012 ballot. Headline events of the year Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr Baseball Writers' Association of America ( BBWAA) is a professional association for Baseball Journalists writing for daily Newspapers, Magazines If that happens, he can still enter the Hall of Fame through the Veterans Committee. The Veterans Committee, officially the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee on Baseball Veterans, is a committee of the U He is the only retired member of the 3000 strikeout club not in the Hall of Fame. Though he received only 17. 55% of the vote for Hall of Fame admission in 1998 (first year of eligibility), by 2006 this total had increased to 53. 2006 Major League Baseball season|2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season Headline Event of the Year The 2006 World Baseball Classic is a surprise success 33%. In 2007, Blyleven's total dipped to 47. Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Minor League Baseball 7% (75% is the minimum required for admission to the Hall). In 2008, he received 336 votes, or 61. Calendar Major League Baseball See also 2008 Major League Baseball season Postseason October 1 – ALDS and 9% of the vote. [1] Because of his long association with the club, it is believed that if elected to the Hall, Blyleven would enter as a Minnesota Twin.
Commentating career
In 1996, Blyleven became a color commentator for the Twins. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves (4-2 John Wetteland, MVP Blyleven's commentary is frequently risqué for a baseball broadcast, a fact which seems to cause play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer no small amount of discomfort (see below). Richard J Bremer (born March 1, 1956) is a sports broadcaster for Fox Sports Net.
Off-color comments
Blyleven has been known to make off-color remarks during some Twins television broadcasts. Play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer frequently responds to these comments with silence or with an attempt to change the subject. Richard J Bremer (born March 1, 1956) is a sports broadcaster for Fox Sports Net.
- During a 2006 broadcast, the topic of conversation with a guest shifted from George Brett to singing in the shower. George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953 in Glen Dale West Virginia) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals Bathroom singing, also known as Singing in the Bathroom, singing in the bath, or singing in the Shower is a Blyleven mentioned that he had showered with Brett, and the guest expressed surprise. Blyleven exclaimed "Well, there were other guys there! . . . although they did say not to bend over. "[2]
- During the pregame show on September 3, 2006, Blyleven twice used the word "fuck" while he was live on air after getting caught up in his words during commentary. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Fuck is an English Word that as a Verb, means "to have Sexual intercourse " Blyleven stopped his commentary and muttered "We're gonna do this fuckin' thing over again, cause I just fucked it up. " Upon being told by fellow broadcaster Anthony LaPanta (who was filling in for Bremer) that they were actually broadcasting live, Blyleven said "Oh we're live? I didn't know that. " In the first inning of the game, he apologized. Blyleven was originally suspended by the network for two telecasts, but was then suspended three additional games. During his suspension, fans were occasionally spotted holding "Free Bert" signs at the Metrodome. [3]
- During a May 27 2008 broadcast, Blyleven announced that his toe nail had fallen off from all his years of pitching and never grown back. He proceeded to bug Bremer if he wanted to see it, Bremer tried to change the subject several times until giving and saying on another night he would look at the Onychomycosis nail. Onychomycosis means fungal infection of the nail. It is the most common disease of the nails and constitutes about a half of all nail abnormalities
Circle Me, Bert
Circle Me, Bert is a popular sign raised by fans of the Minnesota Twins. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Fans hope that broadcaster Bert Blyleven will spot their sign and circle them on television with his telestrator. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A telestrator is a device that allows its operator to draw a freehand sketch over a motion picture image
Use of Bert's "Circle Machine" is an honor rarely extended to his broadcast partner Dick Bremer. Richard J Bremer (born March 1, 1956) is a sports broadcaster for Fox Sports Net. Blyleven did allow Bremer to use the telestrator on August 5, 2006. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. "For heaven's sake, let me circle my daughter," Dick pleaded. Blyleven then permitted Bremer to circle his daughter, who was in the crowd at the Kansas City Royals' Kauffman Stadium. The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. Ewing M Kauffman Stadium (ˈkɔfmən formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball Stadium located in Kansas City Missouri, and Again, on August 16, 2006, Blyleven permitted Bremer to use the Circle Machine, but was less than thrilled when Bremer drew a peanut shape around a fan's head. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Fans have responded to these sorts of incidents by creating new signs for Bremer involving other shapes, including "Triangle Me, Dick" and "Rhombus Me, Dick. A triangle is one of the basic Shapes of Geometry: a Polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are Line In Geometry, a rhombus (from Ancient Greek ῥόμβος - rrhombos “rhombus spinning top” (plural rhombi or rhombuses "
Starting in 2005, fans who are circled have a chance to win $100 in Minnesota State Lottery tickets as part of the promotion called Winner's Circle. Minnesota State Lottery is the official Lottery association in Minnesota.
Miscellanea
- Blyleven appeared as himself in the 1990 Jim Belushi film "Taking Care of Business". James Adam "Jim" Belushi (born June 15, 1954) is an American Actor, Comedian and Musician, the younger brother Taking Care of Business was a film made in 1990 starring James Belushi and Charles Grodin. [4] During a 2006 broadcast, Blyleven forgot the name of the movie and had to be reminded by a technician in the broadcast booth.
- Blyleven was one of baseball's most notorious dugout pranksters during his playing days. He earned the moniker "Frying Dutchman" by frequently setting fire to his teammates shoelaces, a practical joke known as a "hot-foot. "
- He did not even know his correct name until he was about to get married. He had thought all his life his given name was "Rikaalbert"; when he got a copy of the birth certificate issued to his parents in Zeist, needing the certificate to fill out the marriage-license application, he saw his name for the first time as Rik Aalbert Blyleven. A birth certificate is a Vital record that documents the birth of a child
Source: book Who's Who in Professional Baseball (1973).
- Bert started his career before the designated hitter rule was in place. In Baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6 He got his first major league hit off pitcher Mel Stottlemyre of the New York Yankees. Melvin Leon Stottlemyre Sr (born November 13, 1941 in Hazleton Missouri) is the current pitching coach in Major League Baseball with the The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York.
Career statistics
| W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | SO | WP | HBP |
| 287 | 250 | . A win is a Statistic in Major League Baseball credited to the Pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when his team last took the lead In Baseball statistics, earned run average ( ERA) is the Mean of Earned runs given up by a Pitcher per nine Innings pitched Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a Statistic used in Team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has In Baseball statistics, games started (denoted by GS indicates the number of games that a Pitcher has started for his team In Baseball, a complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a Pitcher pitching an entire game himself without the benefit of a Relief pitcher In team sports in American English a shutout (a clean sheet in Soccer) refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring In Baseball, a save (abbreviated SV or S) is credited to a Pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances In Baseball, innings pitched (IP are the number of Innings a Pitcher has completed measured by the number of batters and Baserunners In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches In Baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable (i In Baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around first second and third base and returns safely to Home plate, touching A base on balls ( BB) is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in Baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire In Baseball or Softball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K) occurs when a batter receives three strikes In Baseball, a wild pitch (abbreviated WP) is charged against a Pitcher when his pitch is too high too short or too wide of Home In Baseball, hit by pitch ( HBP) or hit batsman ( HB) refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the 534 | 3. 31 | 692 | 685 | 242 | 60 | 0 | 4970 | 4632 | 1830 | 2029 | 430 | 1322 | 3701 | 114 | 155 |
See also
- 3000 strikeout club
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
References
- ^ The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News
- ^ http://www.deadspin.com/sports/baseball/question-seems-perfectly-logical-to-us-177650.php (12:19 PM comment)
- ^ Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis) - Sept 3, 2006, see also http://www.startribune.com/509/story/653772.html, http://www.startribune.com/509/story/654047.html
- ^ Taking Care of Business (1990)
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
- Blyleven's Official Website BertBlyleven.com
- BertBelongs.com, a site advocating Blyleven's election into the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Baseball Evolution Hall of Fame - Player Profile
- Bert Blyleven's listing on the Internet Movie Database
- Twins Single-Game Strikeout Leader Statistics
- June 2, 1976: Minneapolis Tribune column on Blyleven's trade to Texas Rangers
- Arguments for inducting Bert Blyleven into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
| Preceded by Mark Langston |
American League Strikeout Champion 1985 |
Succeeded by Mark Langston |
| Preceded by Storm Davis |
AL Comeback Player of the Year 1989 |
Succeeded by Dave Winfield |
| Preceded by Jerry Koosman (15) |
Minnesota Twins Single-Game Strikeout Total Record Holder (15) 1986 |
Succeeded by Johan Santana (17) |
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