cjclong
03-25-2009, 02:00 PM
Just received word that John Blanchard has died. I saw him play when I watched the televised Yankee games in 1961. He had a great year that year hitting 21 home runs including several big pinch hit home runs. In the World Series that year he may have gotten the biggest hit. With the series tied 1-1 and the Yankees behind 2-1 in the eighth Blanchard batted and hit the game tying home run. The Yankees went on to win in the ninth 3-2. Blanchard started off the fifth game of the series with a home run in the first inning batting in the fourth spot for the injured Mantle. The Yankees went on to win the game and the series. Several years ago I saw some of the 61 Yankees were signing autographs. They were my favorite team and I decided if I were ever going to get their autographs now was the time since they were all approaching 70 or older. I got Blanchard's autograph and he could not have been nicer. He was catching when Mazeroski hit the series winning home run for Pittsburg in 60. I told him I was a kid in junior high school then and was crushed when Mazeroski hit the home run and so it meant an awful lot to me for him to have the great 61 and the Yankees win the series. Blanchard said, "You think YOU were crushed when Mazeroski hit the home run!" He was a nice as could be to me and talked to me and posed for pictures. He had battled cancer in the past but seemed in good health at the time. I'm really gald I took the trip from Texas to New York and got to meet him.