Oakland Athletics announced Sunday that its star Vida Blue died at the age of 73.
Blue died Saturday due to unknown causes. As the team’s pitcher, he led the A’s to three consecutive World Series titles in the 1970s. Last month, the stadium hosted him for the last time to commemorate the win.
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“It is with great sadness that the Blue family mourn the passing of our beloved father Blue. Blue was a great father, grandfather, brother, friend, and teammate who will forever be cherished, honored, and loved,” the team wrote on Twitter Sunday. “We appreciate your uplifting prayers as we deal with the overwhelming loss of our father. We ask for respect and privacy at this time.”
Blue won the American League Cy Young Award and was voted MVP in 1971. His record was 209-161 with 2,175 strikeouts, 143 complete games, and 37 shutouts over 17 seasons with Oakland. The pitcher also played for the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals.
“Vida Blue has been a Bay Area baseball icon for over 50 years,” Giants President Larry Baer said in a statement. “His impact on the Bay Area transcends his 17 years on the diamond with the influence he’s had on our community.”
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The pitcher was also part of a group of several MLB players who were hauled before a grand jury in Pittsburgh for buying cocaine. Others convicted included Dale Berra and Dave Parker and other stars such as Jeff Leonard, Tim Raines, and Lonnie Smith.
Eleven players were allowed to stay in baseball if they donated a portion of their salary to anti-drug programs. Blue received a sentence of one year in prison, but U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Milton Sullivant eventually shortened it to three months and a $5,000 fine.
