Drunken Goat (1996)- Vida Blue

[Alice Faber]

Laurence Horn wrote:
>>Larry writes:
>>>Vida Blue was 70's, not early 60's, although his best season was 1971, his
>>>rookie (of the year) year with the A's. His name (unlike our Vida's) was
>>>pronounce to rhyme with Ida, sweet as apple cida'.  He refused his owner's
>>>bribe to change his name officially to True Blue.  (This was the era of
>>>Catfish Hunter and
>>Mudcat Grant.)<
>>
>>Wasn't this owner Charlie O. Finley (Finlay?) and didn't he also make up
>>colorful biographical fictions about the players, not to mention
>>encouraging extravagant grooming styles?  Anything to get
>>attention....though the players were doing pretty well at that with the
>>excellence of their field performance, as I remember.
>>A. Murie
>
>Yup, Finley it was.  A true character.  The green and gold unis got
>attention too, not to mention the mustaches he had all his players
>wear at one point (to emulate relief pitcher Rollie Fingers, he of
>the great handlebar variety).
>

Didn't he do brightly colored baseballs too (matching the gold of the
uniforms)?  My recollection is that he tried, anyway, and the commish
vetoed them.

Alice

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Alice Faber                                             faber at haskins.yale.edu
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