No one knew where the name came from. It's a Spanish name, the word for life, but the family is African-American with no known Spanish ancestry. But it was a tradition, every generation a Vida. So when the left-handed pitcher barely out of his teens exploded into the Major Leagues in 1970, it was with an eye catching name. Vida Blue. In high school his first love was football. He was ambidextrous, throwing and catching the ball with either hand, flummoxing defenses. His segregated school had no baseball team until the coach saw him pitch and built a team around him. His first full season, 1971, Vida started the All Star game and won both the American League Cy Young and the MVP, youngest player to win either. The Oakland A's made the playoffs for the first time. 1972 started slow. He held out trying to get a raise from the A's notoriously stingy owner, Charlie Finley. Finley, who had given Vida a blue Cadillac, took it back, saying it was a loan. Vintage Finley. That was the year that began the run of three consecutive World Series champions. Blue was one third of the triumvirate of Hunter/Holtzman/Blue, or to fans, Catfish, Kenny, Vida. When he was "on", his Blue Blazer fastball was simply unhittable. The A's except for Reggie had no really feared hitters. Just the best pitching staff in baseball. After Finley broke up the team, Vida played two years in Kansas City and also did a stint with the team on the other side of the Bay. He was a six time All Star and three time World Champion. The A's held the 50 year reunion of the 1973 team early this year. Vida attended. There were rumors of health issues but he refused to discuss them, saying simply he was glad to be back in Oakland. To life. To Vida.
