HOVG: What was your fondest memory of your big league career?
BLASS: The fondest memory I have of my career in the Major Leagues was being part of a World Championship team with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971. Pitching that Game Seven, a complete game shutout, which I don’t think has been done since then in the National League, I had been dreaming about that, just like other kids, since I was eight-years-old. But I had a chance to live it. There are other things that mean a lot to me, but going through that with three Hall of Famers, you had Maz at second, Stargell at first and Clemente in right…how good is that? It was an honor to play with those guys. I feel like I could tell the batter “just hit the ball to side of the field…I’m going to go get a sandwich. I’ve got three Hall of Famers over there.”
HOVG: Tell me about those complete games. The ability to take the ball and go nine innings became your calling card, right?
BLASS: Back in the day, you were handed the ball and you were expected to nine innings if possible. Not to downplay what’s going on today, but if you train kids in the Minor Leagues to go five innings, there’s a chance that they’ll only be able to pitch five innings in the big leagues when they get there. We were trained and developed to pitch ballgames. And it was an honor to have a manager hand you the ball in the Major Leagues and say “this is your ballgame”. Yes, I’m very proud of being able to go nine innings every time I went out there. I’m extremely proud of that.
HOVG: Was there anyone in particular who you enjoyed facing the most during your career?
BLASS: When you get these opportunities where you have the chance to pitch against the very best in your league, you should not be worried, you should embrace it. I pitched in an era where they had Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, Billy Williams and Ron Santo…all those guys. They would just kill a ball. I pitched a lot against the Braves. I don’t know how many starts, but I had a ton. I threw five home runs against Henry Aaron, which, I thought, was pretty good work. And I loved that opportunity. You get to find out how good you are. I really enjoyed that. I really didn’t think I was good enough to get Aaron out on a regular basis…and I did. I pitched ten years and I bet I averaged four starts a years against the Braves. That’s a lot of starts. Aaron took me deep, maybe, five times. I don’t know if I embraced it totally, he was pretty intimidating, but when I got out there, I had the chance to find out if I was going to be better than Henry tonight. And there were a lot of nights where I did okay. If you’re good enough, you get to compete against the very best… Carlton, Seaver, Koufax, Don Drysdale and Bob Gibson. What an opportunity! You get a chance to find out if you’re good enough.
HOVG: Conversely, was there anyone in particular that you feared facing?
BLASS: Do you want that list alphabetically? There were a lot of guys who lit me up. Ron Santo had great numbers. I think I helped put Billy Williams in the Hall of Fame. I did my part at least. Pitching against teams like the Giants, who had Cepeda, Mays and McCovey…they were very difficult. Willie McCovey once sent a limo to the airport in San Francisco to make sure I got to the hotel safely. I know McCovey hit a home run at Candlestick one year that, just a year ago was still bobbing in the tide. (Laughs) So, yeah, there are guys on the list.
HOVG: Following your best season in 1972, you seemingly lost your ability to pitch. By March of 1975, at just 33 years old, you were done. Can you walk me through that difficult decision to leave the game?
BLASS: I tried everything. I had a great year in 1972 winning 19 games. I still don’t know what happened. I actually don’t know, but I made myself a promise that I wasn’t going to stop trying to get it back until I was totally convinced that it was gone and gone for good. I was like a circus sideshow in the minor leagues. I thought, if I tried everything, something might click. I didn’t want to sit on the back porch when I was 85-years-old thinking “I wish I tried that”. People call me when they experience something like (I did) and I don’t know the answer. I never did figure it out. I do give you them this bit of advice…try everything. Something might click and you might get it back. But, I exhausted every possibility. When I was finally convinced, it was a mutual decision with the Pirates. It was that kind of relationship. We shut it down, basically, together. I cherish that relationship to this day.
HOVG: Lastly, what does it mean, close to 40 years after you retired, to be inducted alongside Dale Murphy into The Hall of Very Good™?
BLASS: I am flattered to be mentioned in the same breath as Dale Murphy. I think he epitomizes everything a Major Leaguer should be. There are a lot of ball players, but Dale Murphy is a Major Leaguer. And there is a difference between ball players and Major Leaguers. I never competed against Dale, but I broadcast game where I saw how he handled himself, both during the course of the game and before and after and I’m very flattered to be involved with something that has Dale Murphy’s name on it.
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