Blomberg is using the book to advocate for Munson's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.[20]. background-image:unset; April 6, 1973: Yankees' Ron Blomberg makes debut as baseball's first designated hitter This article was written by Bill Nowlin Luis Tiant had led the majors with a 1.91 ERA in 1972 but his 1973 season got off to a rocky start. Although the concept had been discussed since the middle of the 1900's, when. Blomberg, a first basemanoutfielder, was unsure of what the new position entailed. Ronald Mark Blomberg (born August 23, 1948, in Atlanta, Georgia), nicknamed Boomer, is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter, first baseman, and right fielder. [15], Ron Blomberg Stats | Baseball-Reference.com, "Ron Blomberg Career Batting Splits Baseball-Reference PI", "Former Yankee Blomberg remembers glory days", "Holtzman, Blomberg, Shamsky to manage in Israel League MLB CBSSports.com Baseball", "Baseball / IBL / Baseball, kosher-style Haaretz Israel News", "Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story: Ron Blomberg, Dan Schlossberg: Books", "How I became the Yankees' Jewish star (and made friends with Thurman Munson along the way)", "Ex-Yankees slugger Ron Blomberg's new book 'The Captain & Me' chronicles close friendship with Thurman Munson", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ron_Blomberg&oldid=1137742409, September 10,1969,for theNew York Yankees, October 12,1978,for theChicago White Sox, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 06:02. Blomberg marriage. [16] He skippered his team to a league-leading 2912 (.707) regular season won-lost record, as well as to the IBL Championship. But I was lucky. All this happened in 1970, a long time ago, before baseball had battered Ron Blomberg's body, and before the New York Yankees had become the Bronx Zoo. Ive done an awful lot on Facebook and radio and did a lot of Zoom interviews and the book will help too. Thats so great, Mr. Shamsky seemed to enjoy his time there too. 4. He played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter, first baseman, and right fielder. For years, Blomberg has been asked why he thinks Munson has been left out of the Hall of Fame, and the usual refrain is that he didnt cozy up to the media as a player. By Ron Blomberg & Dan Epstein / Foreword by Diana Munson. Today the GHSA shows the 1987 title as "vacated." Bell, who died Tuesday at age 76, was one of Georgia's iconic basketball coaches. [12] He played his final game for the White Sox on October 1, 1978, at 30 years of age. The Yankees were figuring that with Bonds, a right-handed batter in the lineup, they would face more right-handed hurlers. Im gonna lead you to be a good team. Thats why he became the captain. On April 6, 1973, at Fenway Park, he was walked by Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant on five pitches with the bases loaded in the first inning,[10][11][12] and the bat he used is in Cooperstown's Hall of Fame. Werner von Blomberg German officer minister of defence 1933-1938 Blomberg during a manoeuvre of the German army Photo: Kuehlewindt - probably in 1934. We had a great time there. He was injured in 1975, and missed all but one game of the pennant-winning 1976 season. [5], Blomberg attended Druid Hills High School, earning four letters each in baseball, basketball, football, and track, and graduated in 1967. Ron retired from baseball in 1979, having earned both a special place in baseball history and the admiration of baseball fans all over the world. Blomberg grew up in Atlanta and youd be hard-pressed to find someone who had a better career as a young athlete. [7], He received 125 basketball scholarship offers, and John Wooden of the University of California at Los Angeles came out to meet him in person. They put me on the bus and threw me down in the hospital. Blomberg is in high demand as a motivational speaker, telling his story of perseverance and his successes. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed. I got to play in Yankee Stadium in front of the greatest fans in the world. You mentioned Mickey Mantle was your hero. I can play. They took us out to the stadium and there were only about 7,000 people at the game because they didnt have the greatest team. On April 26, 1974, they acquired first baseman Chris Chambliss, and pitchers Dick Tidrow and Cecil Upshaw from Cleveland in exchange for four pitchers: Fritz Peterson, Tom Buskey, Fred Beene and Steve Kline. On this day in 1973, New York Yankees first baseman Ron Blomberg became the first designated hitter in MLB history.. Blomberg is a scout for the New York Yankees in the Atlanta area. When he bought the team, he did everything he could to make that team go. Yankee Stadium was shut down for two years as the ballpark underwent extensive renovations. After he overcame anti-Semitism in his hometown of Atlanta to become the number one overall pick by the New York Yankees in the free agent draft in 1967, his dream of playing in New York City, where there was a large Jewish population, was going to be fulfilled. Just coming out on the field in a uniform and having the fans yelling at me was. New York (80-82) finished in fourth place in the East, 17 games behind first-place Baltimore. Or so he says. Ron Blomberg - 1978 Ron Blomberg is someone that the White Sox should have avoided. I was really lucky growing up because the only baseball games on TV were the Yankees. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, The Captain & Me sharestalesof clubhouse hijinks during the infamous Bronx Zoo era,adventures on the road, and even rubbing shoulders with mobsters. Apr 17, 2022, 5:19 PM (GMT+3) baseball. [1] In1972, he hit a career-high 14 home runs and 22 doubles in 299 at bats.[1]. He was the first designated hitter in Major . On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Baseball Player. "[8][13] Hebecame a free agent at the end of the 1977 season. After some initial dawdling and tinkering with the rules of the new position, the AL put the DH in play for the 1973 season. Now in the AL East, it was Baltimore who ruled the roost, as the Orioles claimed the division title in five of the first six seasons of divisional play. Along with being the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball history, he . Ron Blomberg was baseball's overall No. I hope he does. On April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg took a swing at home plate that changed baseball history. 176 pages, Hardcover. 22 from. When Ron was 13 years of age, his older brother Alan passed away from an undisclosed illness on April 20, 1961.1 The family met a lot of anti-Semitism in the south. When I was healthy, I did well, but my career was about injuries unfortunately, so I dont feel like I fulfilled the potential that I had. Once he left the park, he was a different guy. 7 Able Goldblatt, Is Blomberg the Next Mantle? W. Taijuan Walker (1-0) L. Joan Adon (1-6) Along with being the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball history, he played for the New York Yankees (1969, 1971-76) and Chicago White . I am just so blessed that I was able to do something that I always wanted to do. He also ran a baseball day camp in Paramus, New Jersey in the 1970s. After his retirement from baseball in 1978, Blomberg worked with numerous charitable organizations, most recently the Israel Cancer Research Fund, where he serves as honorary chairman and spokesperson. If Ron would just go spend a month or two at Des Moines, getting his stroke back, who knows? said new Sox manager Don Kessinger. He might have eight or nine years in the major leagues. The shirt can be purchased autographed or unautographed. The Chicago White Sox signed Ron Blomberg in 1978 after he played for a decade in the New York Yankees . "I heard it. Nowadays, they scope it and youre ready to play in eight weeks. Can you talk about Thurman and the Baseball Hall of Fame? 4 Jim Ogle, Yanks Nab Top Pick Blomberg For $90,000, The Sporting News, July 8, 1967: 13. Blomberg, a Jewish superstar athlete from Georgia, and the gruff Munson were roommates for five years and were more family than they were friends. Ron along with many great fans will boost the charge and do whatever humanly possible to make this happen. In retirement, Blomberg has stayed close to the game he loved so much. What do you think of the way fans have been reacting to The Captain and Me? After youve been on an operating table and theyve taken half your body apart, youre just happy getting your white uniform dirty again.20. In addition, he does some high school and college scouting for the Yankees from his suburban Atlanta home. If Ralph thinks I can help most by being the DH, then its all right with me, he said. But before anyone in baseball heard of him, Blomberg signed a letter of intent to play college basketball for head coach John Wooden at UCLA. Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, NetWorth & Know More. I signed a letter of intent to play basketball for John Wooden at UCLA and when you put your name on it back then, it was like a contract. Help us build our profile of Ron Blomberg! On this day in 1973, New York Yankees first baseman Ron Blomberg became the first designated hitter in MLB history. . Hundreds of camera shutters clicked in unison. But Art and I became very good friends. Choose from Same Day Delivery, Drive Up or Order Pickup. The DH worked Boston starter Luis Tiant for a walk, driving in the first run of the season. 3 Bid - 2003 Upper Deck Yankees Signature Series Pride Of New York Ron Blomberg Auto $ 3.25. I want people to see that he loved his family and friends and that he did so much for charity. The restaurant offered a deal whereas if the customer ate a 72-ounce steak and all the trimmings within an hour, the meal was free. I knew when I was a senior in high school I was being heavily recruited by the New York Yankees. Select this result to view Ron W Blomberg's phone number, address, and more. He clubbed two home runs in a game at Minnesota on August 1 and again at Kansas City on August 28. RECEIVE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY AND ADD A PERSONAL INSCRIPTION WHEN CHECKING OUT. . He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. 10 Jack Lang, Wild-Card Hitter to Get Trial in Four Minors Majors Watch Closely, The Sporting News, February 15, 1969: 45. Ron Blomberg, former ball player for the Yankees, kept audience members enthralled with his stories. We are offering a discount with the Hall Of Fame package so you can have one shirt autographed to keep and one to love. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and I told Diana Munson I was going to do everything I can to get him into the Hall of Fame. Born: Aug. 23, 1948 One at-bat gave Ron Blomberg a unique distinction in baseball history. Its awesome to see you have so much pride in your career. In addition to the sources shown in the Notes, the author used Baseball-Reference.com. Blomberg was switched to first base for the 1972 season, where he split time with Felipe Alou, starting 90 games. I definitely want to get into your book and thoughts on Thurman Munson, but first lets start at the beginning. Could you see the pieces in place as they started to make progress? On July 12 against Minnesota at home, he tore a muscle in his right shoulder in the third inning, and was done for the year. Yes, we became very good friends. But nobody confronted Blomberg because he was often the best player on whatever team he played for. Many[who?] "I'm better off away from them," the. 0. Ronnie didnt eat that much, said his father. [8] He tore his knee in the 1977 exhibition season when he hit the outfield wall, and missed that season too. But for now, were making the case for Munson, so come along as we go Spitballin with Ron Blomberg. He played for the New York Yankees (1969, 19711976) and Chicago White Sox (1978), and was the manager of the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the Israel Baseball League (2007). I told my parents, if I got drafted by the Yankees number one, I was going to sign with them. 1. He touched thousands of people as a coach at Peshtigo . Their last postseason appearance had been in 1964, when they lost in the World Series to St. Louis. Thats what The Captain and Me is about and I hope people can see him different. Blomberg hit the free agent market and signed a four-year pact worth a reported $600,000 with the Chicago White Sox.19 Chicago was coming off a tremendous year in 1977. [15], Blomberg twice was voted the most popular person in New York. Thurman was like George. So Mara related how, two years ago, she had just re turned from her junior year at Syracuse University and she was at. also know about his Social media accounts i.e. Back then, we had one-year contracts. It inspired his nickname and the title of his biography, "Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story." The former Yankee is also. Free standard shipping with $35 orders. 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