Oakland Athletics icon Vida Blue dies at 73, cause of death unknown

Oakland Athletics icon Vida Blue has died at the age of 73. His passing came mere weeks after his former team announced that they would be leaving the city of Oakland by the end of the decade.

No official cause of death has been revealed, but his friends have said he had been battling an undisclosed cancer.

Born in Louisiana in 1949, Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. showed promise as an athlete from an early age. Excelling in both football and baseball, he decided on the former after completing a 21-strikeout no-hitter in his senior year.

Although Blue received many offers from several prestigious NCAA colleges, he ultimately decided to pursue his major league dream right out of high school. This decision was apparently influenced by the recent passing of his father.

Vida Blue was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 1967 draft and made his debut for the team two seasons later.

"A statement from the Oakland A's on the passing of Vida Blue." -Oakland A's

Blue's breakout season came in 1971, when he started 39 games for the A's, registering eight shutouts and an ERA of just 1.82, enough to lead the league in both categories. In addition, Blue put up 312 innings and accrued a record of 24-8 to win both the Cy Young and MVP Awards.

The Athletics would go on to win the World Series for three consecutive seasons from 1972 to 1974. Although Blue was an integral part of the team, he would go 0-3 in World Series appearances, a curse that is reminiscent of Houston Astros star Justin Verlander, who failed to post a World Series win until 2022 despite having many opportunities.

Although Blue was undoubtedly one of the best pitchers of his time, he experienced several off-field issues, including alcoholism and drug abuse. He was apprehended on several occasions for driving under the influence and was arrested in the early 1980s after attempting to buy cocaine with his teammates.

Blue passed away at his San Francisco home on May 7. Although his family has chosen not to divulge details of his condition, it is understood that he died in peace.

Vida Blue's passing: The end of an era for the Athletics

With the team eyeing an imminent move, over the years, fewer and fewer Oakland A's alumni will exist. Blue represents the golden age of baseball in Oakland.

Now with an MLB-worst record of 8-26, the Athletics are already 12 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the AL West. Vida Blue's passing is intertwined with the decline of the franchise that defined his legendary career.