The yips. It can happen to anyone in any sport. A kicker misses chip shot field goals. A golfer suddenly can’t sink a four-footer. Jon Lester forgets how to throw to first base. In 1973, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass stopped throwing strikes.
Even though the wheels fell off the wagon for Blass in 1973, that is not what he is defined by. Both during and after his playing career he did a lot of good for the Pittsburgh Pirates. All of that good is what he should be defined and known for.
A Defining Career
To understand just how anomalous the 1973 campaign was for Blass, one must know how solid he was in the years before.