What was Vida Blue's Net Worth, Career Earnings, and Salary?
Vida Blue was a retired American professional baseball player with a net worth of $1.5 million. Throughout his career, he earned $1.4 million in salary, with his largest paycheck of $450,000 coming from the Giants in 1986. This amount is equivalent to around $1 million in today's dollars.
Blue made his Major League Baseball debut for the Oakland Athletics in 1969 and played for the team until 1977. He later joined the San Francisco Giants from 1978 to 1981, moved to the Kansas City Royals in 1982, and returned to the Giants for his final seasons in 1985 and 1986. Blue was instrumental in the Athletics' three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 to 1974.
During his impressive career, Vida Blue was a six-time MLB All-Star and successfully pitched a no-hitter on September 21, 1970. He also pitched a combined no-hitter on September 28, 1975. In 1971, he won the AL MVP and AL Cy Young Award while leading the AL in ERA. His contributions to baseball were honored with his induction into the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame.
Getty
Major League Baseball Career
After spending three years developing his skills in the minor leagues, Blue debuted in MLB on July 20, 1970, with the Oakland Athletics. His first full season in 1971 saw him dominate the baseball world with stellar pitching, including a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins on September 21. He concluded the season with 24 wins, a 1.82 ERA, and 301 strikeouts, earning him the American League Cy Young Award and the American League MVP. He was the youngest player to win both awards in a single season and the first African American pitcher to win the MVP.
In the early 1970s, Vida Blue remained a dominant force, contributing significantly to the Oakland Athletics' three consecutive World Series titles from 1972 to 1974. His outstanding performances earned him All-Star team selections for four consecutive years from 1971 to 1975.
In 1978, Blue was traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he played for six seasons. His tenure with the Giants was marked by impressive statistics and additional accolades, including two more All-Star selections in 1978 and 1981. Blue's performance in the 1981 All-Star Game, where he struck out five batters in three innings, earned him the All-Star Game MVP award.
Blue's final MLB stint was with the Kansas City Royals, where he played from 1982 to 1983 before returning to the Giants in 1985. He retired from professional baseball in 1986, concluding his career with 209 wins, a 3.27 ERA, and 2,175 strikeouts.
