But hes right, I didnt know anyone. Ron Blomberg was born in Atlanta, GA on August 23, 1948. Ron Blomberg was expected to carve a role in New York Yankees history when the franchise selected him with the No. Let me stop you there, he told you I didnt know any of the players names, didnt he? In 64 games, Blomberg batted .322, with seven home runs and 31 RBIs. Joe Pepitone was there. Against the left-handers, I know if I never get a hit, Im never going to see them again, and all that adds to pressure, he said. He told you I didnt know one guy on my team? Ron Blomberg Getty. He touched thousands of people as a coach at Peshtigo . Maddox started in center field for most of the games (108) during the 1974 season. The Yankees won the pennant again, and this time they topped the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, capturing their first world title since 1962. Helen Blomberg's familty tree; Badgeguy's Family (3680 KB) All of the family and everybody that's married in. But then in 1973, George Steinbrenner bought the team and youre talking about a 365-degree turnaround. Retired baseball player Ron Blomberg has a theory as to why he gets invited to speak at so many different organizations. He writes about baseball, music and pop culture for a variety of outlets, including Rolling Stone, Revolver and the Jewish Daily Forward. Drafted out of high school with the No. Oh, absolutely. 1992 The Wiz/American Express New York Yankees of the '60's - [Base] #_ROBL. It inspired his nickname and the title of his biography, "Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story." The former Yankee is also. Ron Blomberg, Dan Epstein. [16] He skippered his team to a league-leading 2912 (.707) regular season won-lost record, as well as to the IBL Championship. 9 Jim Ogle, Blombergs Wife Made Him Leave Slumps on Doorstep, The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), July 15, 1971: 48. }, Cronkite School at ASU Youre talking about three Hall of Famers right off the bat. You came up to the Yankees during a tough period, but they were building the team up to that late-70s success. Being a number one pick like myself, we became good friends. He attended DeKalb Junior College part-time, and later majored in psychology at Farleigh Dickinson University.[6]. On June 30, manager Bob Lemon was fired and replaced by Larry Doby. It was after 7 on Monday night July 20, and the aging ex ball player had every reason to. I also had a football scholarship with Bear Bryant at Alabama. Blomberg was a natural hitter who had a remarkably quick bat with tremendous power. They didnt accept that I was Jewish and didnt want me to get involved, even though the meetings were supposed to be non-denominational.22. Yankees Can Dream, Cant They? The Sporting News, May 11, 1968: 42. I had an opportunity to fulfill my dream. background-image:unset; Blomberg played in the minor leagues from 1967 to 1971. Cadet branches. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Youre basically pinch-hitting for the pitcher four times in the same game11, With two down in the top of the first inning, the Yankees loaded the bases to bring Blomberg to the plate. But some day, Ill be in the lineup every day. Through a quirk of fate the young Jewish Yankee became the first designated hitter to play an MLB game. . He played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter, first baseman, and right fielder. Rons income mostly comes from and basic source is being a successful American Athlete. In addition to the sources shown in the Notes, the author used Baseball-Reference.com. The league lasted one year, and my team was the champion and we beat Art for it. The Captain15Team is organized by retired Yankees Slugger and MLB's 1st Designated Hitter Ron "Boomer" Blomberg #12. I saw it. The Blombergs operated a jewelry store on Alabama Street in Atlanta. Blomberg is in high demand as a motivational speaker, telling his story of perseverance and his successes. A powerful lefty and hard-nosed player, Blomberg was very productive when healthy. Today the GHSA shows the 1987 title as "vacated." Bell, who died Tuesday at age 76, was one of Georgia's iconic basketball coaches. He also ran a baseball day camp in Paramus, New Jersey in the 1970s. 3 Peter Ephross with Martin Abramowitz, Jewish Major Leaguers: In Their Own Words, (Jefferson, NC: McFarland 2012), 156. Blomberg spoke to Palm Beach Post reporter Joe Capozzi before the annual Joe DiMaggio charity old-timers game in Fort Lauderdale. Blombergs new book, The Captain and Me, details his friendship with Munson and helps to shed light on what the Yankees legend was like off the field. As back-to-back No. There are a handful of players who most agree belong in the Hall of Fame who played during Blombergs era. Blombergs career statistics included a .293 batting average with 52 home runs and 224 RBIs. Im gonna lead you to be a good team. Thats why he became the captain. On March 23, New York purchased outfielder Elliott Maddox from Texas. 12 Jim Ogle, Blombergs First DH Bat Earns Cooperstown Niche, The Sporting News, April 28, 1973: 17. Mara was a senior at Syracuse University, and the next season, Blomberg was promoted to Syracuse in the AAA International League. Just as Blomberg was coming into his prime, he missed virtually two full seasons. 20 David Israel, Ron Blomberg Has a Blast, Chicago Tribune, April 8, 1978: 2-1. I was contacted by one of his representatives at Triumph Books and was told I would have about a half hour . He remains the only person to ever receive Parade All-American honors in baseball, football and basketball and naturally he gained a lot of attention from professional and college scouts. ! 33 talking about this. He was the second son born to Sol and Goldie Rae (nee Sisselman) Blomberg. (64 KB) Taken at Mallard Pointe, Cedar Falls, Iowa, in May 2002. Select this result to view Ron W Blomberg's phone number, address, and more. Could you see the pieces in place as they started to make progress? Blomberg, a member of the Jewish Baseball Hall of Fame, has authored two books: his autobiography, "The Designated Hebrew," and "The Captain and Me," about his friendship with Munson. 2 Bid - 1972 Topps Set-Break #203 Ron Blomberg NR-MINT *GMCARDS* $ 0.79. He told you I didnt know my players names, but did he tell you we won the championship too? But I was lucky. Unfortunately, I came up and was going good but I got injured a lot. Thurman was the same way. You better give 120% or he was gonna get rid of you. "[7] He also received 100 football scholarship offers. We didnt have any money, so that was my first time on a plane. They said, Well, you busted your knee. I asked how long I was gonna be out and they told me the whole year. Your book has already gained a lot of attention and it hasnt even been officially released yet. Im fine, dont put me on the disabled list. But he was not fine, and needed surgery to repair four broken bones in his kneecap and torn cartilage. Let me tell you, the book has some really incredible stories; its unreal and I am not just saying that because I wrote it. Thurman was like George. Learn How much net worth Ron is in this year and how he spend his expenses? I love to play, but I know Im a better hitter than anything else. He did his own thing. I dont know if Im supposed to say it, but theres even been some talk about making a documentary about it, thats how good it is. The Yankees made three personnel moves, and each had a direct bearing on the playing time of Blomberg. With Bobby Bonds in right field and three first basemen (Chambliss, Otto Velez, and Bob Oliver) I might as well donate my gloves to charity,16 said Blomberg. Yankee fans love you and you always get a great reception at Old Timers Day. People like to read about the Yankees and thats a big reason, but also, its about someone that didnt get the respect he deserved with the Hall of Fame. What he did for the organization, for the fans in New York and really fans across the country was incredible. All rights reserved. Ron Blomberg, former ball player for the Yankees, kept audience members enthralled with his stories. "I heard it. He played for the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox , and was the manager of the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the Israel Baseball League . "[8][13] Hebecame a free agent at the end of the 1977 season. How do you think Thurman stacked up against those guys? Virdon also employed a platoon system, using Bill Sudakis, Roy White, and Blomberg in the role of the DH. A lot of the writers didnt talk to him after games because he was tough. If somebody said something to me along those lines, it made me even stronger. [7], Blomberg managed the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the 2007 inaugural season of the Israel Baseball League. Cant beat it. I knew when I was a senior in high school I was being heavily recruited by the New York Yankees. We are team "Boomer" on a mission and if we work together we can make it happen. The home run wasnt the biggest thrill, said Blomberg. Even though he was Jewish, my relationship was not good with pitcher Steve Stone. On March 30, 1979, his career came to a screeching halt. But nobody confronted Blomberg because he was often the best player on whatever team he played for. Ron along with many great fans will boost the charge and do whatever humanly possible to make this happen. Though his career goals were eventually thwarted by injury, Blomberg still represented hope and pride to millions of Americans across the country. He runs the Ron Blomberg Baseball camp in association with Total Specialty Camps, offering instruction in all facets of the game from the camps location in Milford, Pennsylvania.23 He is a yearly participant at the Yankees fantasy camp and one of the more popular instructors. [14], In 2007 Blomberg received the city of Atlantas Phoenix Award from Mayor Shirley Franklin for his outstanding service and achievements, both as a professional athlete and citizen through his charitable works in Atlanta and throughout the country. Eventually, hell hit left-handed pitching, but now, he doesnt have the same swing against them that he does against right-handed pitching, said Houk. After the game, His bat and his number 12 jersey were sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Ron is on a mission to bring Thurman Munson into the halls of Cooperstown and be immortalizedamongst the greats. Despite receiving 125 college basketball scholarships including one from John Wooden at UCLA,. [9], Blomberg was selected by the Yankees with the first overall pick of the 1967 amateur draft, and signed for $75,000 ($610,000 today). Thats what The Captain and Me is about and I hope people can see him different. The book is a deeply personal story of a friendship between two teammates, and of a human bond which ultimately transcends the game itself. You can follow Ron Blomberg on Twitter @RonBlomberg1 and at www.RonBlombergYankees.com. Blomberg, a Jewish superstar athlete from Georgia, and the gruff Munson were roommates for five years and were more family than they were friends. The restaurant offered a deal whereas if the customer ate a 72-ounce steak and all the trimmings within an hour, the meal was free. [11][6] Blomberg finished 1973 with a healthy .329 average, .395 OBP, and .498 SLG in 301 at-bats;[1] he hit .351 with runners in scoring position. Every club in baseball had him high on their draft list, but since we got first choice, we got him.5, Signing with the Yankees was a dream come true for Blomberg. He likes early 20th century baseball nicknames, pullover polyester jerseys and Old Hoss Radbourn. Where he lives: Blomberg, 68, resides in Roswell and has been married to Beth for 34 years. We had crazy guys on that team, thats why they called it The Bronx Zoo. In 1969, four minor leagues were given permission to experiment with using a substitute hitter. I am just so blessed that I was able to do something that I always wanted to do. Upon being asked to do the interview, I was sent a copy of the book and immediately read it, and began preparing. They have also lived in Tacoma, WA and Puyallup, WA. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. 23 https://totalspecialtycamps.org/excel-in-sports/baseball/ Accessed March 21, 2021. He was batting .326 with six home runs and 20 RBIs when he was called up to the Yankees. And so, he wore his religion on his sleeve. We had the same friends and just basically did everything together. Through the end of May, he was batting .203 and, after hitting three homers in April, he went without a home run for 18 games until he hit his fourth on June 15. He wasnt this tough guy away from the field like he was in the locker room. On the day, he was 2-for-5 with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Yankees 12-2 victory. According to testimony given much later at the Nuremberg trials, information received by the Police Commissioner within days also . 18 Saga of Series Swag.$1,182 to $27,758, The Sporting News, December 3, 1977: 57. A 34-40 record at the end of June landed them in fifth place of the AL West, but just five games behind first-place Texas. The book is not even out yet and its already in the Top 25 baseball books. If he goes 0-for-40 or even 0-for-25, Ill get him out of there, said Virdon, I cant keep him in there if I think hes hurting the club. 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