NonSports Forum

Net54baseball.com
Welcome to Net54baseball.com. These forums are devoted to both Pre- and Post- war baseball cards and vintage memorabilia, as well as other sports. There is a separate section for Buying, Selling and Trading - the B/S/T area!! If you write anything concerning a person or company your full name needs to be in your post or obtainable from it. . Contact the moderator at leon@net54baseball.com should you have any questions or concerns. When you click on links to eBay on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Enjoy!
Net54baseball.com
Net54baseball.com
ebay GSB
T206s on eBay
Babe Ruth Cards on eBay
t206 Ty Cobb on eBay
Ty Cobb Cards on eBay
Lou Gehrig Cards on eBay
Baseball T201-T217 on eBay
Baseball E90-E107 on eBay
T205 Cards on eBay
Baseball Postcards on eBay
Goudey Cards on eBay
Baseball Memorabilia on eBay
Baseball Exhibit Cards on eBay
Baseball Strip Cards on eBay
Baseball Baking Cards on eBay
Sporting News Cards on eBay
Play Ball Cards on eBay
Joe DiMaggio Cards on eBay
Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
Bowman 1951-1955 on eBay
Football Cards on eBay

Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Main Forum - WWII & Older Baseball Cards > Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-26-2013, 10:33 PM
Brian Van Horn Brian Van Horn is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,028
Default Paul Blair has passed away.

I was watching the 1971 World Series game 7 this evening on Youtube and saw Merv Rettenmund in centerfield for the Orioles and thought of Paul Blair. Then within an hour of watching the game, I saw this on ESPN's website:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10...at-dies-age-69
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-26-2013, 10:37 PM
grainsley grainsley is offline
Grant Rainsley
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 303
Default

Damn good ballplayer. I would take him on my team any time.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-26-2013, 10:38 PM
Lgarza99's Avatar
Lgarza99 Lgarza99 is offline
Luis
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: CA
Posts: 236
Default

Great ball player. RIP Paul!
__________________
Regards,
Lu.i$ G@.rz@
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-26-2013, 11:25 PM
Sean's Avatar
Sean Sean is offline
Sean Costello
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Woodland, California
Posts: 3,814
Default

Blair was a great defensive centerfielder. He played very shallow, and could go back on a fly ball as well as any CF I've ever seen.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-27-2013, 03:33 AM
Bocabirdman's Avatar
Bocabirdman Bocabirdman is offline
Mike
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Rat Mouth
Posts: 3,158
Default

I remember seeing him hit a triple over the head of Amos Otis. After the game, Earl Weaver was asked if he thought Otis should have caught the ball to which Earl replied, "Only one man in Baseball could have caught it and he was busy sliding into third. I swear I saw him start to pick a route to do just that as he rounded second.".

Adam Jones is great but Paul was the best I ever saw...... R.I.P. Mr. Blair.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-27-2013, 03:35 AM
Rich Klein Rich Klein is offline
Rich Klein
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Plano Tx
Posts: 4,476
Default Been a bad week for ex-Yankees

Blair, Mike Hegan and Ed Herrmann

Rich
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-27-2013, 04:20 AM
djrhanover's Avatar
djrhanover djrhanover is offline
Dave Reese
member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Beautiful South Central Pennsylvania.
Posts: 126
Default

I always marveled at Blair's defensive abilities. On a fly ball deep to center, Blair would go to a spot, camp under the ball, and make the catch, while others would still be running to the ball. He was far and away one of the best ever.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-27-2013, 05:56 AM
iwantitiwinit's Avatar
iwantitiwinit iwantitiwinit is offline
rob.ert int.rieri
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NC
Posts: 2,445
Default

Super nice guy met him at a random game in Balt 3 years ago he was visiting all the suites for some promotion. Talked to him for a few minutes and told him my favorite card of his was his 1967 topps, he agreed.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-27-2013, 06:39 AM
Danny Smith Danny Smith is offline
Danny Smith
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: St. Louis, MO / Washington, DC
Posts: 526
Default

Great guy and ball player. Even greater loss. May he rest in peace.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-27-2013, 08:24 AM
LKeeler's Avatar
LKeeler LKeeler is offline
Luke Keeler
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 386
Default

I remember in the early 80's stumbling across a used Wilson glove with the name Paul Blair inscribed in it. At that time I hadn't even heard of Blair, but the mitt fit perfectly so that is what counted to a 6 year old! Shortly after that my dad educated me on the fielding excellence that was Paul Blair. That glove stayed with me for years until I out grew it and advanced to an adult Johnny Antonelli model. Babe Ruth and Paul Blair. The first two baseball players that became entrenched in my mind!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-27-2013, 01:55 PM
drmondobueno's Avatar
drmondobueno drmondobueno is offline
Keith
ke.ith tem.ple
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Eastern sierras, Calif
Posts: 885
Default

When I was a kid, I remember watching great defensive ballplayers, great gloves in the infield, speed and arms in the outfield. But nobody turned his back and blazed to the ball like Paul Blair. IMO, he beat the entire American League with his glove. It was the first time in my baseball life I remember thinking that a defensive ballplayer made a habit of breaking the other team. Palmer had to love this guy.
__________________
T206 154/518 second time around
R312 49/50
1962 Topps 598/598 super set 694/697
...whatever I want
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-27-2013, 01:57 PM
Bocabirdman's Avatar
Bocabirdman Bocabirdman is offline
Mike
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Rat Mouth
Posts: 3,158
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drmondobueno View Post
Palmer had to love this guy.
He did.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-27-2013, 03:52 PM
CMIZ5290 CMIZ5290 is offline
KEVIN MIZE
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VALDOSTA, GA.
Posts: 6,301
Default

Fantastic player, always heard good things about him personally as well..
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12-27-2013, 05:27 PM
kcohen's Avatar
kcohen kcohen is offline
Ke.n K0hen
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 750
Default

Best center fielder I ever saw. May he rest in peace.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12-27-2013, 07:04 PM
HRBAKER's Avatar
HRBAKER HRBAKER is offline
Jeff
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 5,255
Default

I always thought he and Curt Flood were incredibly gifted CFers in the post-Mays era. RIP Paul.

__________________
Check out my aging Sell/Trade Album on my Profile page

HOF Type Collector + Philly A's, E/M/W cards, M101-6, Exhibits, Postcards, 30's Premiums & HOF Photos

"Assembling an unfocused collection for nearly 50 years."

Last edited by HRBAKER; 12-27-2013 at 07:04 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 12-27-2013, 07:17 PM
oldjudge's Avatar
oldjudge oldjudge is offline
j'a'y mi.ll.e.r
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: The Bronx
Posts: 5,353
Default

Once shared a cab with him leaving an airport (don't remember which one). I do remember, however, that he was a very nice person. RIP Paul.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 12-27-2013, 07:31 PM
ethicsprof ethicsprof is offline
Barry Arnold
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pensacola,Florida
Posts: 2,733
Default paul blair

my condolences to family, friends, fans

Barry
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 12-27-2013, 09:10 PM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is online now
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by djrhanover View Post
I always marveled at Blair's defensive abilities. On a fly ball deep to center, Blair would go to a spot, camp under the ball, and make the catch, while others would still be running to the ball. He was far and away one of the best ever.
That's what distinguishes the great center fielders, the ability to judge the ball off the bat. If you read Mays' description of "The Catch," that's exactly what he did -- as soon as he saw the ball off the bat, he just turned and ran to where he knew it was going. He supposedly said to Irvin jogging in, "had it all the way," and it's portrayed as humor, but it probably wasn't.
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 12-28-2013, 07:43 AM
Tobacco&Gum's Avatar
Tobacco&Gum Tobacco&Gum is offline
Vin¢£nt J@m£s Mo®£tti
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NJ
Posts: 257
Default

Mr. Blair was a frequent guest instructor at the baseball camp I attended during the mid 1980's. He was a kind man. May he rest in peace!
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 12-30-2013, 07:41 AM
joeadcock's Avatar
joeadcock joeadcock is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: West Florida
Posts: 1,682
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethicsprof View Post
my condolences to family, friends, fans

Barry
Agreed.
I remember seeing him on TV as a kid. Remember the Orioles team from that time with Palmer, Belanger, etc.
Never anything negative I heard

I sincerely hope he walks on road paved by God.
__________________
Be ethical at all times.
Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
OT: Needing Help With Historical Docs. 1868 President Andrew Johnson - Blair Knights smokelessjoe Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used 25 02-05-2013 02:23 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:41 PM.


ebay GSB