Bert Blyleven was born on Friday, April 6, 1951, in Zeist, Netherlands. Blyleven was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 5, 1970, with the Minnesota Twins. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Bert Blyleven baseball stats page.
"When I started to throw the ball back to the pitcher harder than he was throwing to me, we changed positions." - Bert Blyleven (on switching from catcher to pitcher) in The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations (Stewart, Wayne. Skyhorse Publishing. October 2007. Page 277.) [Bert Blyleven Quotes]
Bert Blyleven![]() Bert 'The Minnesota Gopher' Blyleven Autograph on a 1986 Topps Baseball Card (#445 | Checklist) |
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Bert BlylevenBert Blyleven Pitching Stats |
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| Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
| 1970 | 19 | Twins | 27 | 25 | 1 | 10 | 9 | .526 | 3.18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 164.0 | 675 | 143 | 58 | 66 | 17 | 47 | 6 | 135 | 2 | 2 | 3 | - |
| 1971 | 20 | Twins | 38 | 38 | 0 | 16 | 15 | .516 | 2.81 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 278.1 | 1,126 | 267 | 87 | 95 | 21 | 59 | 1 | 224 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | 21 | Twins | 39 | 38 | 1 | 17 | 17 | .500 | 2.73 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 287.1 | 1,158 | 247 | 87 | 93 | 22 | 69 | 7 | 228 | 7 | 10 | 1 | - |
| 1973 | 22 | Twins | 40 | 40 | 0 | 20 | 17 | .541 | 2.52 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 325.0 | 1,321 | 296 | 91 | 109 | 16 | 67 | 4 | 258 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 23 | Twins | 37 | 37 | 0 | 17 | 17 | .500 | 2.66 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 281.0 | 1,149 | 244 | 83 | 99 | 14 | 77 | 3 | 249 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | 24 | Twins | 35 | 35 | 0 | 15 | 10 | .600 | 3.00 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 275.2 | 1,104 | 219 | 92 | 104 | 24 | 84 | 2 | 233 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | 25 | Twins | 12 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 5 | .444 | 3.12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 95.1 | 406 | 101 | 33 | 39 | 3 | 35 | 5 | 75 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1976 | 25 | Rangers | 24 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 11 | .450 | 2.76 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 202.1 | 819 | 182 | 62 | 67 | 11 | 46 | 1 | 144 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | 26 | Rangers | 30 | 30 | 0 | 14 | 12 | .538 | 2.72 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 234.2 | 935 | 181 | 71 | 81 | 20 | 69 | 1 | 182 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | 27 | Pirates | 34 | 34 | 0 | 14 | 10 | .583 | 3.03 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 243.2 | 1,011 | 217 | 82 | 94 | 17 | 66 | 5 | 182 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | 28 | Pirates | 37 | 37 | 0 | 12 | 5 | .706 | 3.60 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 237.1 | 1,018 | 238 | 95 | 102 | 21 | 92 | 8 | 172 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | 29 | Pirates | 34 | 32 | 1 | 8 | 13 | .381 | 3.82 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 216.2 | 907 | 219 | 92 | 102 | 20 | 59 | 5 | 168 | 2 | 0 | 1 | - |
| 1981 | 30 | Indians | 20 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 7 | .611 | 2.88 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 159.1 | 644 | 145 | 51 | 52 | 9 | 40 | 1 | 107 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 31 | Indians | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 4.87 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.1 | 89 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | 32 | Indians | 24 | 24 | 0 | 7 | 10 | .412 | 3.91 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 156.1 | 660 | 160 | 68 | 74 | 8 | 44 | 4 | 123 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 33 | Indians | 33 | 32 | 0 | 19 | 7 | .731 | 2.87 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 245.0 | 1,004 | 204 | 78 | 86 | 19 | 74 | 4 | 170 | 6 | 6 | 0 | - |
| 1985 | 34 | Indians | 23 | 23 | 0 | 9 | 11 | .450 | 3.26 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 179.2 | 743 | 163 | 65 | 76 | 14 | 49 | 1 | 129 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 34 | Twins | 14 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 5 | .615 | 3.00 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 114.0 | 460 | 101 | 38 | 45 | 9 | 26 | 0 | 77 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 35 | Twins | 36 | 36 | 0 | 17 | 14 | .548 | 4.01 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 271.2 | 1,126 | 262 | 121 | 134 | 50 | 58 | 4 | 215 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 36 | Twins | 37 | 37 | 0 | 15 | 12 | .556 | 4.01 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 267.0 | 1,122 | 249 | 119 | 132 | 46 | 101 | 4 | 196 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 37 | Twins | 33 | 33 | 0 | 10 | 17 | .370 | 5.43 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 207.1 | 895 | 240 | 125 | 128 | 21 | 51 | 1 | 145 | 5 | 16 | 3 | 0 |
| 1989 | 38 | Angels | 33 | 33 | 0 | 17 | 5 | .773 | 2.73 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 241.0 | 973 | 225 | 73 | 76 | 14 | 44 | 2 | 131 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 39 | Angels | 23 | 23 | 0 | 8 | 7 | .533 | 5.24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 134.0 | 578 | 163 | 78 | 85 | 15 | 25 | 0 | 69 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 41 | Angels | 25 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 12 | .400 | 4.74 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 133.0 | 568 | 150 | 70 | 76 | 17 | 29 | 2 | 70 | 3 | 5 | 1 | - |
| Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD | ||
| 22 Years | 692 | 685 | 3 | 287 | 250 | .534 | 3.31 | 242 | 60 | 0 | 4,970.0 | 20,491 | 4,632 | 1,830 | 2,029 | 430 | 1,322 | 71 | 3,701 | 114 | 155 | 19 | 0 | ||
Bert BlylevenBert Blyleven Hitting Stats |
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| Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| 1970 | 19 | Twins | 27 | 50 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .140 | .157 | .140 |
| 1971 | 20 | Twins | 38 | 91 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .132 | .151 | .143 |
| 1972 | 21 | Twins | 39 | 94 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .160 | .177 | .181 |
| 1973 | 22 | Twins | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1974 | 23 | Twins | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1975 | 24 | Twins | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1976 | 25 | Twins | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1976 | 25 | Rangers | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1977 | 26 | Rangers | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1978 | 27 | Pirates | 37 | 85 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .129 | .140 | .153 |
| 1979 | 28 | Pirates | 38 | 70 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .129 | .129 | .143 |
| 1980 | 29 | Pirates | 37 | 61 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .082 | .097 | .098 |
| 1981 | 30 | Indians | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1982 | 31 | Indians | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1983 | 32 | Indians | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1984 | 33 | Indians | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1985 | 34 | Indians | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1985 | 34 | Twins | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1986 | 35 | Twins | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1987 | 36 | Twins | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1988 | 37 | Twins | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1989 | 38 | Angels | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1990 | 39 | Angels | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1992 | 41 | Angels | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
| 22 Years | 699 | 451 | 19 | 59 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 193 | 56 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .131 | .144 | .146 | ||
Bert BlylevenBert Blyleven Fielding Stats |
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| Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
| 1970 Twins | P | 27 | 25 | 492 | 22 | 0.8 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 1.15 |
| 1971 Twins | P | 38 | 38 | 835 | 59 | 1.6 | 57 | 19 | 38 | 2 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .966 | 1.84 |
| 1972 Twins | P | 39 | 38 | 862 | 66 | 1.7 | 63 | 18 | 45 | 3 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 1.97 |
| 1973 Twins | P | 40 | 40 | 975 | 56 | 1.4 | 55 | 21 | 34 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .982 | 1.52 |
| 1974 Twins | P | 37 | 37 | 843 | 56 | 1.5 | 53 | 19 | 34 | 3 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .946 | 1.70 |
| 1975 Twins | P | 35 | 35 | 827 | 70 | 2.0 | 64 | 16 | 48 | 6 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .914 | 2.09 |
| 1976 Twins | P | 12 | 12 | 286 | 18 | 1.5 | 18 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.70 |
| 1976 Rangers | P | 24 | 24 | 607 | 48 | 2.0 | 48 | 17 | 31 | 0 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.14 |
| 1977 Rangers | P | 30 | 30 | 704 | 46 | 1.5 | 45 | 10 | 35 | 1 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .978 | 1.73 |
| 1978 Pirates | P | 34 | 34 | 731 | 53 | 1.6 | 52 | 11 | 41 | 1 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .981 | 1.92 |
| 1979 Pirates | P | 37 | 37 | 712 | 34 | 0.9 | 34 | 14 | 20 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.29 |
| 1980 Pirates | P | 34 | 32 | 650 | 42 | 1.2 | 40 | 10 | 30 | 2 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 1.66 |
| 1981 Indians | P | 20 | 20 | 478 | 26 | 1.3 | 25 | 9 | 16 | 1 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .962 | 1.41 |
| 1982 Indians | P | 4 | 4 | 61 | 4 | 1.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.77 |
| 1983 Indians | P | 24 | 24 | 469 | 34 | 1.4 | 33 | 7 | 26 | 1 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .971 | 1.90 |
| 1984 Indians | P | 33 | 32 | 735 | 53 | 1.6 | 51 | 21 | 30 | 2 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .962 | 1.87 |
| 1985 Indians | P | 23 | 23 | 539 | 30 | 1.3 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.50 |
| 1985 Twins | P | 14 | 14 | 342 | 19 | 1.4 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.50 |
| 1986 Twins | P | 36 | 36 | 815 | 46 | 1.3 | 46 | 15 | 31 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.52 |
| 1987 Twins | P | 37 | 37 | 801 | 64 | 1.7 | 60 | 17 | 43 | 4 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .938 | 2.02 |
| 1988 Twins | P | 33 | 33 | 622 | 35 | 1.1 | 34 | 12 | 22 | 1 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .971 | 1.48 |
| 1989 Angels | P | 33 | 33 | 723 | 52 | 1.6 | 52 | 14 | 38 | 0 | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.94 |
| 1990 Angels | P | 23 | 23 | 402 | 28 | 1.2 | 27 | 3 | 24 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .964 | 1.81 |
| 1992 Angels | P | 25 | 24 | 399 | 18 | 0.7 | 18 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.22 |
| Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
| P Totals | 692 | 685 | 14,910 | 979 | 1.4 | 949 | 287 | 662 | 30 | 48 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .969 | 1.72 | |
| 22 Years | 692 | 685 | 14,910 | 979 | 1.4 | 949 | 287 | 662 | 30 | 48 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .969 | 1.72 | |
Bert BlylevenBert Blyleven Miscellaneous Stats |
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| Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
| Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 1970 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 50.0 | 2.87 | 7.41 | 2.58 |
| 1971 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.5 | 45.5 | 3.80 | 7.24 | 1.91 |
| 1972 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.6 | 15.7 | 3.30 | 7.14 | 2.16 |
| 1973 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.85 | 7.14 | 1.86 |
| 1974 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.23 | 7.98 | 2.47 |
| 1975 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.77 | 7.61 | 2.74 |
| 1976 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.14 | 7.08 | 3.30 |
| 1976 Rangers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.13 | 6.41 | 2.05 |
| 1977 Rangers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.64 | 6.98 | 2.65 |
| 1978 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 3 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.4 | 7.7 | 2.76 | 6.72 | 2.44 |
| 1979 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.1 | 23.3 | 1.87 | 6.52 | 3.49 |
| 1980 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 3 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.3 | 30.5 | 2.85 | 6.98 | 2.45 |
| 1981 Indians | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.68 | 6.04 | 2.26 |
| 1982 Indians | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.73 | 8.41 | 4.87 |
| 1983 Indians | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.80 | 7.08 | 2.53 |
| 1984 Indians | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.30 | 6.24 | 2.72 |
| 1985 Indians | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.63 | 6.46 | 2.45 |
| 1985 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.96 | 6.08 | 2.05 |
| 1986 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.71 | 7.12 | 1.92 |
| 1987 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.94 | 6.61 | 3.40 |
| 1988 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.84 | 6.29 | 2.21 |
| 1989 Angels | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.98 | 4.89 | 1.64 |
| 1990 Angels | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.76 | 4.63 | 1.68 |
| 1992 Angels | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.41 | 4.74 | 1.96 |
| Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 22 Years | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 18.0 | 2.80 | 6.70 | 2.39 |

Bert Blyleven, who was actually born Rik Aalbert Blijleven, was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Minnesota Twins (1970-1976), Texas Rangers (1976-1977), Pittsburgh Pirates (1978-1980), Cleveland Indians (1981-1985), Minnesota Twins (1985-1988), and California Angels (1989-1990, 1992). Did you know that when The Minnesota Gopher, his nickname, made it to the big leagues on June 5, 1970, he became the first Santiago High School graduate to play in the majors? Too easy?
Did you know that Bert Blyleven was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2002, the fan-elected "Wendy's - Minnesota Twins All-Metrodome Team" in 2009, the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 (his 14th year of eligibility), and later that same year, on July 16, 2011, the Minnesota Twins retired his number (#28)?

Bert Blyleven No Hitter (Box Score) | The Bridgeport Post | September 23, 1977
Bert Blyleven had a devastating curve ball which was easily one of the most difficult to hit in the history of Major League Baseball. So difficult that upon his retirement, The Dutch Master had 60 shutouts (9th highest total in history) and 3,701 strikeouts (3rd highest total in history). Baseball Almanac is honored to present this exclusive description of Blyleven's no-hitter researched and written by author Rich Westcott, original text from No-Hitters (McFarland Publishing. Bert Blyleven. 15 February 2000. Page 300.):
Bert Blyleven No Hitter (Box Score: 09-22-1977)
Bert Blyleven had been hampered by a pulled groin muscle for more than one month when he took the mound Thursday September 22 before 8,031 at Anaheim Stadium, which stood just a few miles from where he grew up. Blyleven hadn't pitched for 16 days, and he carried a 13-12 record against the California Angels, fifth in the AL West. Facing the AL West's second place Rangers was Paul Hartzell.
The 26-year-old Blyleven, who had already hurled four one hitters, handled the Angels with ease, striking out seven and walking one. Only two California batters reached base.
Mixing a sinking fastball with his notoriously sharp-breaking curve, Blyleven induced seven fly ball outs. He retired the first six batters he faced, starting off by getting Thad Bosley to strike out, Dave Chalk to line out to short and Ken Landreaux to fly out to center.
Two excellent defensive plays saved Blyleven in the second. Bobby Bonds hit a towering fly to start the inning, but Dave May gloved it against the wall in left. Don Baylor followed with a liner toward right, only to watch second baseman Bump Wills making a leaping catch.
The first man to reach base against Blyleven was Ron Jackson, who got to first when Bert Campaneris booted his sharp grounder leading off third. After Willie Aikens flew out to right, Jackson was erased as Andy Etchebarren grounded to Campaneris, who touched second and threw to first for a double play.
Blyleven had no trouble again until the fifth when with one out, Baylor hit a screaming liner to left. May made his second fine play of the game, charging in to snare the ball with a waist high catch.
Blyleven struck out the side in the seventh, fanning Bosley, Chalk and Landreaux, the latter on a called third strike. In the eighth, Bonds grounded out to third and Baylor hit another hard liner to left. Then, pitching to Mario Guerrero, Blyleven reinjured his ground. Manager Billy Hunter and trainer Bill Ziegler rushed to the mound, and after checking with the pitcher and having him throw a few warmup tosses, Blyleven stayed in the game. He got Guerrero to pop out on a 3-2 pitch.
As the ninth began, Blyleven had retired 17 Angels in a row, Jackson, the first batter, hit a wicked grounder to third that Toby Harrah stopped on his knees before making the throw to Mike Hargrove at first. Aikens then struck out.
Next up, pinch-hitter Carlos May, coaxed the only walk of the game off Blyleven. But that was all she wrote as Blyleven came back to strike out Bosley on four pitches.
The Rangers gave their pitcher plenty of offensive support. They scored three runs in the third with Jim Sundberg, doubling and scoring on Hargrove's one-out single. One out later, after an Angels error, Harrah laced a two-run single. A walk, Willie Horton's single and a force out at second on Bump Wills' grounder added another run in the fifth. Singles by Sundberg and Dave May and Hargrove's double play grounder scored a fifth run in the sixth. Claudell Washington doubled and scored on Horton's one-out single for the final run in the seventh.
Blyleven concluded the season with a 14-12 record in what was his last year in Texas. It was his eighth of what would turn into 10 consecutive seasons with wins in double figures.

Bert Blyleven | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 2011 (HOF)
The Dutchman, who is one of only eleven big leaguers born in the Netherlands, "baffled big-league batters with a cruel and knee-buckling breaking ball" (Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque, Image Above) that he developed himself as a kid after listening to descriptions of Sandy Koufax's curve on the radio, "I threw it and threw it and threw it against a block wall until I could get it over for strikes. My dad built me a mound in the backyard with a canvas backdrop over our horseshoe pits, and I would go back there and just throw and throw and throw until I developed it, and it became my curveball. And I could throw it over at any time, any count." A curve like Koufax and an admiration for two other legends were mentioned in the New York Times (Kepner, Tyler. Alomar and Blyleven Elected to Hall of Fame. 5 January 2011.), "I'm kind of a baseball geek as far as numbers. I always looked at numbers, even as a young kid coming up. I admired Walter Johnson and Cy Young. How could one guy pitch over 7,000 innings (Top 1,000), like Cy Young? I wanted to be like him."
Bert Blyleven Video | Bert Blyleven 3,000th Career Strikeout | 1 August 1986