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A second-round draft pick of the Kansas City Athletics in 1967, Vida Blue debuted two years later in Oakland. The following season the 20-year old left-hander threw a no-hitter against the first-place Minnesota Twins.

The Opening Day starter in 1971, Blue took the loss, then reeled off ten straight wins that included nine complete games. On May 31st, he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.

His outstanding performance continued. The All Star Game starter and winner, Vida captivated the attention of the baseball world. In August he was on the cover of Time Magazine. By the end of the regular season he had 301 strikeouts 24 wins, and league-leading totals in ERA (1.82), and shutouts (8). The southpaw’s performance earned him both the Cy Young and MVP awards.

Blue spearheaded Charlie Finley’s A’s to 101 wins and their first postseason appearance since 1931. The pitching staff included Catfish Hunter, Blue Moon Odom, and all star reliever Rollie Fingers. The hurlers were supported by Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Bert Campaneris, Joe Rudi, and Gene Tenace. It was the beginning of a dynasty.

The Athletics appeared in the ALCS five straight years and came away with three World Series titles. During that run Blue posted a 2.80 ERA and averaged 18 wins per season. He put together three 20-win seasons.

Owner Finley began dismantling his team after the loss in the ’75 ALCS. Despite the exodus of talent, Blue remained with the club through the ’77 season, his third All Star campaign.

In March, 1978 Blue was traded across the bay to the San Francisco Giants for 6 men, $300,000 and a player to be named later. He immediately became the team’s ace, winning 18 games and starting the All Star Game. The Sporting News named him their Pitcher of the Year. Vida’s four seasons in San Francisco included three All Star selections and 72 victories.

Before the start of the ’82 season, the Giants traded Blue to the Royals in a six-player deal. Vida was solid for 90-win Kansas City in ’82, leading the team in strikeouts and placing second on the staff in wins.

At the end of the season the 33-year old Blue had 191 career wins. If he stayed productive for a few more seasons, Cooperstown was in reach; instead he unraveled.

Blue started the season 0-5 with a 6.01 earned run average and was released on August 5. Four Royals including Vida were implicated in a cocaine scandal. He pled guilty to possession and served 81 days in prison. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended him for the entire ’84 season.

Blue returned to the Giants and won a combined 18 games in ’85 and ’86. A free agent at season’s end, he signed with the Athletics for ’87 but abruptly retired in spring training. Rumors of a failed drug test swirled.

Vida’s career statistics include a 209-161 record, a 3.27 ERA, 2,175 strikeouts, 143 complete games, and 37 shutouts. His WAR stands at 45.1.

In his 2011 autobiography, Blue alluded to his drug use that started in 1972. Though he falls just short of Cooperstown, it’s apparent that Vida Blue possessed Hall of Fame talent that was at times obscured by his cocaine use.

In the collection is this government postcard signed by Blue in 1973.

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Vida Blue put up numbers worthy of Cooperstown consideration. His 45.1 WAR is higher than many starting pitchers already enshrined. The list includes Herb Pennock (44.81), Dizzy Dean (43.91), Jack Morris (43.61), Lefty Gomez (43.18), Chief Bender (42.7), Jack Chesbro (42.47), teammate and contemporary Catfish Hunter (36.31), and others.

The 1971 Cy Young and MVP’s 209 wins equal Don Drysdale’s total and surpasses that of Hal Newhouser (207), Bob Lemon (207), Roy Halladay (203), Rube Marquard (201), and many other hurlers.

Blue’s 3.27 ERA matches Jim Bunning and is lower than Randy Johnson (3.29), Bert Blyleven (3.31), John Smoltz (3.33), Fergie Jenkins (3.34), Phil Niekro (3.35), Tom Glavine (3.54), Mike Mussina (3.68) and a host of others.

Only 14 pitchers since 1900 have recorded more strikeouts in a season than Blue’s 301 in 1971. Mix in his 6 All Star selections, the Cy Young and MVP award, and it’s clear he’s got a case for Cooperstown.

Shown here is the reverse of the government postcard. Notice the USPS postmark of August 29, 1973 from Martinez, California. On that day, Blue took the mound in Oakland against the Boston Red Sox.

In his shortest outing of the season, Vida gave up five runs on seven hits before exiting the game with two out in the second inning. Boston cleanup hitter and Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski did much of the damage. In two plate appearances, Yaz hit an RBI triple to center and a single to right. He also scored a run.

The ’73 season marked Blue’s second 20-win season in three years and the A’s second consecutive World Series triumph.

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When Jim “Mudcat” Grant won a league-leading 21 games in 1965, he became the American League’s first African-American 20-game winner. Later he published his autobiography under the title, The Black Aces: Baseball’s Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners.

The term, “Black Aces” came to represent 20-game winners of African-American descent. The first member of the club was Don Newcombe of the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers. A Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP, Newk’ had 20 or more wins on three occasions including a league-leading 27 in 1956.

Four years later Sam Jones of the San Francisco Giants posted an NL-best 21 victories to join Newcombe. First AL Black Ace Mudcat Grant earned his 20th win of 1965 on September 25; eight days later the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson became the club’s fourth member. Gibson reached the 20-win plateau again in 1966, ’68, ’69, and ’70.

In 1967 Fergie Jenkins and Earl Wilson gained membership by winning 20 and 22 games respectively. Jenkins proved to be the most prolific of the 20-game winners, reaching the mark in seven seasons.

Vida Blue had the first of his three 20-win seasons in 1971 when he was voted the American League Most Valuable Player. That same year Al Downing captured the NL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award by winning 20 contests.

Flamethrower JR Richard secured his spot with the Black Aces in 1976 with exactly 20 victories while Mike Norris joined him as a 22-game winner in 1980 with the A’s.

Dwight Gooden had perhaps the finest season of any of the aces in 1985. It was a Triple Crown campaign for Doc who led the NL in wins (24), ERA (1.53) and strikeouts (268). That same decade, Dave Stewart dominated AL hitters by winning 20+ in four consecutive seasons started in 1987.

Former Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis became the first Black Ace of the 21st century with 22 victories in 2005. Five years later CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees led the league with 21 triumphs to join his mates. The most recent addition to the exclusive club is David Price who won exactly 20 in his Cy Young campaign of 2012.

In the collection is this 1961 Topps card commemorating Newk’s MVP campaign of 1956. The pitcher has neatly signed his name across the front of the card. Newcombe and Vida Blue are the only two of the Black Aces to earn the Most Valuable Player Award.