In the summer of 1970, a 20-year-old kid from Mansfield, Louisiana with only one minor league season under his belt was called up by the Oakland Athletics at the end of the season. On Sept. 11, Vida Blue allowed one hit in a 3-0 victory over the Royals in Kansas City, just missing a no-hitter when, with two outs in the eighth inning, Royals outfielder Pat Kelly delivered a single.
Then, 10 days later on a Monday night, Sept. 21, Blue was matched against that season’s Cy Young winner – Jim Perry of Minnesota.