Bert Blyleven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bert Blyleven |
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Blyleven with the Minnesota Twins in 1987
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: April 6, 1951 Zeist, Netherlands |
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| debut | |||
| June 5, 1970, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1992, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 287–250 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.31 | ||
| Strikeouts | 3,701 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2011 | ||
| Vote | 79.7% (14th ballot) | ||
Rik Aalbert Blyleven (born Blijleven, April 6, 1951) is a Dutch-American former professional baseball pitcher. He also worked as a television color analyst, which means he helped explain the game during broadcasts. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1970 to 1992. He spent most of his career with the Minnesota Twins.
Blyleven is known for his amazing curveball. He recorded 3,701 career strikeouts, which is the fifth-most in MLB history. He also won 287 games, ranking 27th all-time. He pitched 4,970 innings, placing him 14th all-time. He was a two-time All-Star and won two World Series championships. In 2011, Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the first Dutch-born player to achieve this honor.
Blyleven made his major league debut at age 19 with the Twins. He later played for the Texas Rangers, where he threw a no-hitter in 1977. He won his first World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979. After playing for the Cleveland Indians, he returned to the Twins and won his second World Series in 1987. During this time, he also became the tenth pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts. After playing for the California Angels, he retired in 1992. He has also served as the pitching coach for the Netherlands national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Rik Aalbert Blyleven was born in Zeist, a town in the Netherlands. His family moved to Canada when he was two years old. They later settled in Garden Grove, California, when he was five. His parents changed their names to Joe and Jenny, and Rik Aalbert became "Bert."
Bert became interested in baseball by watching Sandy Koufax pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also loved listening to the Dodgers' radio broadcasts. He once said that his dad built him a pitching mound in their backyard. He would practice throwing there until he perfected his famous curveball.
A Pitching Career Takes Off
Blyleven was a star player on his high school baseball team. He also ran cross country to build his strength. The Minnesota Twins drafted him in 1969. After only 21 minor league games, he was called up to the Major Leagues at age 19 in 1970.
In his first season, his sharp curveball helped him win ten games. The Sporting News named him the AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year. In 1973, he pitched nine shutouts, which was the most in the American League that season.
Moving Teams and Making History
Blyleven's early career with the Twins had some challenges. He disagreed with the Twins' owner about his salary. In 1976, he was traded to the Texas Rangers. He pitched very well for the Rangers.
On September 22, 1977, Blyleven threw a no-hitter against the California Angels. This means he didn't allow any of the opposing team's batters to get a hit during the entire game. This no-hitter was his last game as a Ranger. His career earned run average (ERA) with the Rangers is still the best in team history.
In 1977, Blyleven was part of a big four-team trade that involved 11 players. He moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the Pirates, he led the team in ERA, strikeouts, and complete games in 1978. He also helped them win the World Series in 1979.
Later Career Success
Blyleven later moved to the Cleveland Indians in 1980. He had some injury struggles in 1982 and 1983. But he bounced back in 1984 with one of his best seasons, finishing with a 19–7 record and a 2.87 ERA. In 1985, he led the American League in shutouts again. He pitched 293.2 innings and completed 24 games that year, a rare feat today.
Blyleven was not happy playing for the Indians and asked for a trade back to the Twins. He returned to Minnesota in 1985. In 1986, he reached a major milestone by recording his 3,000th career strikeout. He then helped the Twins win the 1987 World Series.
After his second time with the Twins, Blyleven joined the California Angels in 1989. He had a great first season with them, posting a 2.73 ERA and a 17–5 record. He also led the league in shutouts for the third and final time. He missed the 1991 season due to shoulder surgery. He returned in 1992 but retired after that season. He finished his career with 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts, and a 3.31 ERA. Only 16 other pitchers have ever reached 3,000 career strikeouts.
MLB Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson once said about Blyleven's curveball: "Enough to make your knees buckle. Bert was a terrific pitcher—a dominating pitcher."
Honors and Achievements
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| Bert Blyleven's number 28 was retired by the Minnesota Twins in 2011. |
After his playing career, it took many years for Bert Blyleven to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Many people thought he deserved to be in earlier. It wasn't until his 14th year of eligibility, in 2011, that he was finally elected. He received 79.7% of the votes, just over the 75% needed.
At the time of his election, he was the only pitcher with 50 or more shutouts not in the Hall of Fame. He was also the only eligible member of the 3,000 strikeout club not yet inducted. Some experts believe that new ways of analyzing baseball statistics, called "sabermetrics," helped show how great his career truly was.
Blyleven was the first player born in the Netherlands to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His Hall of Fame plaque shows him wearing a Minnesota Twins cap.
In 2002, Blyleven was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. The Twins also retired his number 28 jersey on July 16, 2011, meaning no other Twins player will wear that number. In 2020, The Athletic ranked Blyleven at number 71 on its "Baseball 100" list of the greatest players.
Broadcasting Career
In 1996, Blyleven became a television color analyst for the Twins. He would explain the game during broadcasts for WCCO-TV and Midwest Sports Channel (later Fox Sports North).
One of his fun trademarks was using a telestrator (a tool that lets you draw on the screen) to circle fans in the stands. Fans would even bring signs saying "Circle me Bert!" This led to a fundraising campaign for the Parkinson's Foundation.
Blyleven broadcast his final game for the Twins on September 2, 2020.
Personal Life
Bert Blyleven lives in Fort Myers, Florida.
He appeared as himself in the 1990 movie Taking Care of Business. During his playing days, Blyleven was known as a big prankster in the dugout. He earned the nickname "Frying Dutchman" because he often played a trick called a "hot foot" on his teammates, which involved lighting their shoelaces.
Blyleven discovered his correct birth name, Rik Aalbert Blijleven, when he was getting married. He had thought his name was "Rikaalbert" his whole life.
Career Statistics
| Category | W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | K | WP | HBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 287 | 250 | .534 | 3.31 | 692 | 685 | 242 | 60 | 0 | 4970 | 4632 | 1830 | 2029 | 430 | 1322 | 3701 | 114 | 155 |
See Also
- List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career shutout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
- List of World Series starting pitchers
Images for kids
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Bert Blyleven's retired number 28 with the Minnesota Twins.
