TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Died: March 25, 2009 in Robbinsdale, MN . . . Johnny Blanchard savored his position as the Yankees' third-string catcher for most of his career. A defensive liability, he nearly quit in 1960 when Casey Stengel considered activating 40-year-old bullpen coach Jim Hegan to back up Yogi Berra while Elston Howard was injured. Stengel reconsidered, and Blanchard responded in 1961 with adequate defense and a career-best .305, 21 HR season. Blanchard holds the record with ten World Series pinch-hitting appearances.

After graduating from Central High on June 14, 1951, and signed a three-year contract with the Yankees worth at least $50,000 on July 3. The Associated Press reported that 12 of the 16 MLB teams were interested in signing him. It was a LONG road from here, Johnny spent the next 8 years in the minors or the service (53,54 & most of 55). He had a brief call up for 1 game in September of 55 but went 0-3 with a walk. He could hit with power but really had no position and the Yankees tried to convert him to catcher, but with Berra and Howard he was frozen out until 1959. He only played in 49 games and had just 66 plate appearances and moved around in the outfield, first and catcher, but he hit just .169 with 2 homeruns.

His break out year was 1961 -

The lefty-swinging Yankee loved Fenway Park. Of his first six hits at Fenway, five were homers. On July 21, 1961, the Yankees trailed the Boston Red Sox, 9-8, going into the top of the 9th when Blanchard, pinch-hitting for Clete Boyer, hit a grand slam off right-hander Mike Fornieles to give the Bombers a 12-9 victory. The following day, the Yanks were again down, 9-8, when Blanchard, pinch-hitting again for Boyer, homered off Gene Conley to tie the score as the Yanks went on to win. A couple of days later, against the Chicago White Sox, he homered in consecutive at-bats against Ray Herbert. His four home runs on four straight at-bats tied a major league record. Overall Blanchard hit 4 pinch-hit home runs during the regular season in 1961 including, one that helped defeat his hometown Twins on June 5. “Sorry, I had to beat the Twins with it, but I needed that homer – first pinch-hit I got this season,” he said.

During the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds he continued his clutch hitting with a two-run pinch homer in Game 3 and another two-run shot in the fifth and final game, a contest he started.

On the one he hit out:
“It was a slider,” he said of the Joey Jay pitch he put in the bleachers. “I don’t know how good it was. I can’t tell you how great it feels to be world champions.”

During that storied 1961 season, he stroked 21 homers in only 243 at-bats and hit .305. Among the 1961 Yankees, only Mantle and Maris had more homers per at bat.

As a result, Blanchard is arguably one of the best known third-string catchers in baseball history. Overall, he appeared in the Fall Classic five consecutive years, from 1960 to 1964, and batted .345, and slugged .690 with two homers.

Blanchard's days as a Yankee were to come to an end in early May 1965. Following an exhibition game against the New York Mets, he was called into manager Johnny Keane's office and given the news he had been traded to Kansas City. John took the news hard, crying uncontrollably in the Yankee clubhouse. Mickey Mantle sat down next to Blanchard and attempted to cheer him up. "Don't take it so hard, John. Just think, in Kansas City you're going to get a chance to play." "Hell, I can't play Mick, that's why I'm crying."

How it ended:
After appearing in 52 games with the A's, he was purchased by the Milwaukee Braves, with whom he played the last ten games of his career at the end of the 1965 season. Three years later, he unsuccessfully tried to make a comeback with the Atlanta Braves in spring training.

“I feel I still have a year or two left. I was kidding myself about being out. I missed it too much,” Blanchard said. He hoped that a comeback could lead to a coaching job or an executive role in the game, but it was not to be.

In his 8-year career, Blanchard slashed .239/.317/.441, with 285 hits in 516 games. He recorded 200 RBIs and 137 runs and homered 67 times. Of those home runs, 7 came as a pinch-hitter. He had the best luck against Milt Pappas, knocking 5 of his pitches out of the park. He also had a .345 batting average in five World Series, with 4 doubles, 2 homers and 5 RBIs.

A broadcasting first:
He was the color commentator for the first live ESPN game ever broadcast. It took place at Joecks Field in Lannon, Wisconsin on September 7, 1979. It was Game 1 of the American Professional Slowpitch Softball League World Series, a best-of-nine endeavor, between the Milwaukee Schlitz and Kentucky Bourbons. However, Blanchard never did get a job in the MLB, and he feared that his reputation as a heavy drinker during his playing days was held against him.

“I’m happiest with baseball,” he said, “but I’m 0-for-90 in trying to get back into the game at the professional level.”

Blanchard died of a heart attack in North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, Minnesota on March 25, 2009. His funeral was held at The Church of St. Mary of the Lake in Plymouth, Minnesota on Monday March 30, 2009 at 11:00AM and was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

March 25, 1916 - An unsigned Tris Speaker arrives at the Boston Red Sox training camp in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in time for an exhibition game. Speaker goes 4 for 4 with a home run and a triple. The feud between Red Sox owner Joe Lannin and Speaker will land Speaker in Cleveland much to his shock about two weeks later.

March 25, 1951 - Hall of Fame player/manager Eddie Collins dies in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 63. Collins batted .333 and stole 744 bases over a 25-year career, and batted .328 in six World Series with the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Athletics.

March 25, 1965 - In spring training, Bill Mazeroski of the Pittsburgh Pirates suffers a broken bone in his right foot. The injury will sideline the Gold Glove second baseman until May, allowing him to play in only 130 games during the regular season.

March 25, 1978: Red Sox rookie pitcher Bobby Sprowl was shot in the right arm while sleeping in his Winter Haven hotel room; the shot came through the wall from the adjacent room and kicked off a bad season for Sprowl who was shelled by the Yankees during the "Boston Massacre" on September 10 he gave up 3 earned runs in .2 innings. Sprowl will pitch in 3 games in 1978, he tossed 12 innings and gave up 9 earned runs.

March 25, 1978 Two Hall of Famers sit down for an interview as Bob Elson interviews Bob Feller.

March 25, 1981 - the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies acquire veteran outfielder Gary Matthews from the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Bob Walk. Matthews will hit .301 and compile a .404 on-base percentage but will play in only 101 games in his first season with the Phillies. Atlanta's new right-hander will compile a 12-13 record with a 4.85 ERA during his three-year tenure with the club.

TRIVIA

TRIVIA: Who was the catcher when Bill Mazeroski hit his World Series Winning Homerun?

IF you think you know the answer and bonus points for how many respond with details and if you are right I will give you a shut out! No Googling!

Know someone who loves baseball like you do? Earn rewards by sharing the Rewind!

 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA:

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

"Every story in today's newsletter has a broadcast behind it. They're all in the archive, exactly as they sounded on the radio the day they happened. Start your free 7-day trial and hear them tonight."

Get the FREE 7 day trial!