Fifty years ago, baseball’s All-Star Game showcased an unspoken Black arms race — The Undefeated

When Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics confronted off in opposition to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Dock Ellis within the 1971 All-Star Recreation 50 years in the past, it was the primary time two Black pitchers began within the Midsummer Traditional. However that reality was barely famous within the media on the time – partly as a result of the massive leagues have been stuffed with Black stars again then. This was very true within the Nationwide League. From 1953 to 1959, each Nationwide League MVP was Black. This was additionally the case from 1965 to 1969. Certainly, seven of the NL MVP awards within the Sixties have been received by Black or Afro Latino gamers.

The American League didn’t have a Black MVP till 1963, the New York Yankees’ Elston Howard. He was shortly adopted by Zoilo Versalles in 1965 and Frank Robinson in 1966 (5 years after he had been the Nationwide League MVP).

On the 1971 recreation in Detroit’s Tiger Stadium, each dugouts boasted plentiful Black expertise amongst rosters and training staffs that featured 25 eventual Corridor of Famers. The beginning outfield for the Nationwide League was Willie Mays, Willie Stargell and Henry Aaron. Apart from Ellis, the pitching employees of the senior circuit featured Ferguson Jenkins and Don Wilson. Bobby Bonds, Lou Brock, Willie Davis and Roberto Clemente have been reserve outfielders. Each beginning first baseman Willie McCovey and backup Nate Colbert have been Black. Manny Sanguillen was the substitute catcher.

Within the reverse dugout, the AL was beginning Rod Carew at second and Robinson in proper discipline. Cuban Mike Cuellar was a part of the pitching rotation. Amos Otis, Don Buford, Tony Oliva and Reggie Jackson have been reserve outfielders.

“The All-Star Recreation itself was fairly particular: Al Kaline, [Harmon] Killebrew, Reggie, [Jim] Palmer, Carew, Mays, Clemente, McCovey. For a child from Mansfield, Louisiana, it was a thrill,” Blue instructed The Undefeated. Of the beginning Black pitchers, he stated, “Nobody talked concerning the historic significance of it.” The larger story within the lead-up to the sport was Blue, who was nonetheless a few weeks shy of his 22^nd birthday. Blue had come as much as the majors in late 1970 and thrown a one-hitter and no-hitter in succession. His 17-3 file on the midseason break in 1971 earned him the quilt of Time journal and segments on nationwide TV information. Followers and sportswriters speculated whether or not the lefty might win 30 video games.

Detroit was nonetheless scarred from the violent nights of unrest that had occurred 4 summers earlier. Blue had simply completed his senior yr in highschool when the riots occurred. Whereas an impressive pitcher in highschool, he had additionally thrown 35 touchdowns his senior season and was severely contemplating taking part in soccer at both Southern College or Grambling.

“The deciding issue was, I’m the oldest of six youngsters, and my senior yr of highschool, my father handed,” he stated. “I took it upon myself to save lots of the day. My dad labored in a metal mill. I talked to my mother about an opportunity for an instantaneous supply of revenue. I helped put my twin sisters by Grambling, and Annette, the fourth youngster, by Northwest Louisiana. I had a brother who went to Grambling on a football-track scholarship.”

Blue pitched for the A’s Burlington, Iowa, staff within the Midwest League after which for his or her Birmingham, Alabama, affiliate.

“I threw a fastball, a curve and a change. Principally you throw as arduous as you’ll be able to, so long as you’ll be able to whenever you’re 21. The important thing to my AAA season – my supervisor was Sherm Lollar – was a former massive league catcher. [Two-time All-Star] Juan Pizarro was on our staff. He confirmed me a lefty curveball grip.

“I used to be one of many prime prospects in our farm system. I went into the Military Reserves. I did primary coaching at Fort Bragg – boots, backpack. Possibly that helped me get stronger.”

In September 1970, the A’s introduced Blue as much as the massive membership. In his first outing, he one-hit the Kansas Metropolis Royals. In his second, on Sept. 21, 1970, he no-hit the eventual West Division champ Minnesota Twins.

Quick-forward to 1971: “We received a brand new supervisor, Dick Williams,” stated Blue. “In camp, I used to be nonetheless in awe of all these guys. I pitched Opening Day 1971 in opposition to Washington – they’d Ed Stroud and Curt Flood. I pitched in opposition to Denny McLain. Dealing with a few of these lineups, guys you examine, collected your bubble gum card. Blue Moon Odom, Catfish Hunter instructed me how they received sure hitters out, however I used to be left-handed. I used to be continually adjusting, somewhat right here and there.”

The opposite starter within the ’71 All-Star Recreation, the 26-year-old Ellis, had extra expertise. However his path to baseball stardom was simply as unconventional.

Ellis grew up in Los Angeles and his youth coach was former Negro Leagues pitcher Chet Brewer, who later grew to become a scout for the Pirates. Ellis’ teen teammates included future massive leaguers Willie Crawford, Billy Rohr, Tom Harrison, Bobby Tolan, Roy White, Ron Woods, Reggie Smith, Wilson, Dave Nelson and Bob Watson. Ellis stop the Gardena Excessive College squad when a white teammate referred to as him a “spearchucker.” When Ellis was discovered smoking marijuana in his highschool restroom, Gardena Excessive agreed to not expel him if he would play on the baseball staff. He made all-league. His first minor league season with the Pirates was at Batavia within the New York-Penn League in 1964. By 1966, he was pitching AA ball for the Asheville Vacationers. He was 10-9.

Ellis as soon as chased a heckling minor league fan with a baseball bat. On June 12, 1970, he no-hit the enlargement San Diego Padres. The day earlier than the sport, he visited a buddy in LA, whom he used LSD with two or 3 times. (Blue’s 1970 no-hitter got here three months later.)

Ultimately, it was hitting, not pitching, that was the story of the 1971 All-Star matchup. Blue surrendered a first-inning two-run homer to Johnny Bench, and a solo blast within the prime of the third to Aaron. It was Aaron’s first extra-base hit in 58 profession All-Star at-bats.

Within the backside of the third, Luis Aparicio singled for the AL and Jackson went in as a pinch hitter for his A’s teammate, Blue. Ellis labored the depend in opposition to Jackson to 1-2. When Ellis delivered once more, Jackson smashed a towering two-run homer, which, after silencing the stadium crowd, caromed off the highest of the sunshine tower above the right-center discipline roof. It hit the transformer field. Blue remembers it effectively: “That sucker was on its approach up, I can visualize him swinging and throwing the bat.”

Because the followers nonetheless buzzed, Ellis walked Carew, retired Bobby Murcer on an infield fly, then received Carl Yastrzemski to fly out to left when his pop was held up lengthy sufficient by the wind to be snared by shortstop Bud Harrelson. With two outs, Robinson drove a two-run homer to proper, giving the AL a 4-3 edge. Ellis then caught Norm Money taking a look at a 3rd strike.

Within the backside of the sixth, Jenkins surrendered a single to hometown hero Al Kaline, establishing a two-run homer by Harmon Killebrew (the third such shot by the underdogs). Within the NL half of the eighth, the Detroit Tigers’ Mickey Lolich gave up a one-run residence run to Clemente, which the Pirates famous person lashed into the higher deck.

Lolich went on to retire the aspect so as within the ninth, securing a 6-4 American League victory. It was the AL’s first win since 1962, ending a decade of frustration in opposition to Mays, Clemente and their teammates.

By recreation’s finish, six residence runs had been hit by six gamers, all of whom made it to the Corridor of Fame: Bench, Aaron, Jackson, Robinson, Killebrew and Clemente. Dwelling runs accounted for all of the scoring within the contest. The six clouts by six gamers tied an All-Star file set within the 1951 recreation, additionally at Tiger Stadium (then generally known as Briggs Stadium). Robinson’s blast was particularly noteworthy, because it made him the primary participant to hit a house run for each leagues in All-Star competitors.

Blue by no means once more reached the heights he did in 1971, when he completed 24-8, with eight shutouts, an ERA of 1.82 and completed first within the Cy Younger voting for the American League. However he did win 20 or extra video games in each 1973 and 1975 (and 18 as late as 1978, when he was a San Francisco Large). He was a six-time All-Star in his 17 years within the majors and he helped the A’s win three straight World Sequence.

Ellis completed the season 19-9, and helped the Pirates win the World Sequence that yr. His subsequent greatest season got here in 1976, when he was 17-8 for the Yankees. He by no means made one other All-Star staff and retired in 1979. The previous tripping no-hit hurler underwent profitable rehabilitation therapy and later labored as a drug therapy counselor for 20 years. He died of a liver ailment in 2008 at age 63.

Right this moment, there are far fewer Black superstars in MLB, particularly U.S. natives akin to Ellis and Blue. Blue remembers, “Again then, Ebony nonetheless printed a season preview of Black gamers. There have been so many. Right this moment, are there any Black scouts? Are groups sending individuals into the neighborhoods? And you’ve got the Jordan issue. The LeBron, the Curry issue. And beginner baseball – you gotta be Rockefellers to have a child on a journey staff.”

Each pitchers have been influenced by the Willie Mays issue, the Hank Aaron issue and the Josh Gibson issue. Illustration issues.