I figured it was about time some sort of “special” card was created to mark the occasion, so here goes:
In that “DH” debut on April 6th of 1973, Blomberg walked with the bases loaded against Luis Tiant, and from there went on to have a very nice season that saw him hit .329 over 100 games and 301 at-bats.
I’ve always flip-flopped about whether I like the designated hitter or hate it over the years, as I understand it gave players like Orlando Cepeda, Don Baylor et. Al extension on their MLB playing days, which I’ll never complain about.
However, it does create a difference of type-of-play between the American League and National league: power-ball versus small-ball to an extent.
As is usually the case with my feelings with the way Major League baseball handles things, they totally screwed the whole thing up by NOT making it a league-wide decision: either make it ALL of MLB using the DH, of disregard the idea from the start.
Anyway, and so it goes right?
On another note, in doing some quick research for this post, though I was familiar with Ron Blomberg, the #1 overall pick in the 1967 draft by the Yankees, I never realized what kind of athletic stud the man was coming out of High School!
Playing out of Druid Hills High School, Blomberg went on to become the only athlete ever chosen for the Parade All-American teams in football, baseball and basketball.
He also reportedly received about 125 scholarships for basketball, and over 100 football scholarships, instead signing with the Yankees for what amounts to $500,000 in today’s money ($75,000 in 1967).
Sadly repeated injuries curtailed his Big League career, going through four knee and two shoulder injuries over time, resulting him to never play a full-season and retiring by the age of 30 after only one season with the Chicago White Sox after signing as a Free Agent.
Nevertheless, the did retire with a very nice .293 career average, serving mainly as a DH with some time at first base as well as in the corner outfield positions.
All told, he spent parts of eight years in the Majors, playing 100 or more games only twice with 107 and 100 games in 1972 and 1973 respectively.