Steve Blass

Steve Blass is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and current broadcast announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Blass signed with the Pirates in 1960 and made his major league debut in 1964 and joining the team permanently in 1966.

In the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, Blass pitched 2 complete game wins, allowing only 7 hits and 2 runs in 18 innings. He finished second in the voting for Series MVP behind teammate Roberto Clemente.

Besides his Series performance, Blass is best known for his sudden and inexplicable loss of control after the 1972 season. His lifetime ERA of 3.24 up to 1972 ballooned to 9.85 in 1973, he walked 84 batters in 88 innings, and struck out on 27. After spending the year attempting and failing to work through the problem, he retired in 1974. "Steve Blass Disease" has become, in sports jargon, a term for a psychological condition manifested when an athlete suddenly and inexplicably loses the ability to perform even basic functions in assignments he previously excelled in. Other baseball players who have suffered similar problems include Steve Sax, Chuck Knoblauch, Rick Ankiel, David Cone and Mark Wohlers.

After retiring Blass became a TV and radio broadcaster for the Pirates, known for his affable nature and knowledge of the game. After the 2004 season, he announced that he would only announce home games from the 2005 season onward so as to spend more time with his family.