Curt Blefary
Born: 7/5/1943 in Brooklyn, NY, USA
Died: 1/28/2001 in Pompano Beach, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1965-04-14 | Final Game: 1972-10-04
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Curtis Leroy Blefary
Biography
Curt Blefary was an American professional baseball player born in 1943, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1972. Over his career spanning seven seasons, Blefary participated in 974 games, amassing a total of 699 hits, including 112 home runs. He recorded 382 RBIs and finished his career with a batting average of .237. Known for his power at the plate, Blefary was a notable figure during the transformative years of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a period characterized by the emergence of more dynamic offensive players and the shifting strategies of the game.
Blefary's playing style reflected the era's growing emphasis on power hitting, as evidenced by his home run totals. In addition to his offensive contributions, he also demonstrated speed on the base paths, tallying 24 stolen bases throughout his career. While he may not have been a household name, Blefary's contributions to his teams and the game during an evolving baseball landscape solidified his place in the sport's history. His tenure in the majors came to a close on October 4, 1972, marking the end of a career that showcased the blend of power and athleticism that defined an important era in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 974 | 2947 | 394 | 699 | 104 | 20 | 112 | 382 | 24 | 456 | 444 | 0.237 | 0.342 | 0.400 | 0.743 | 6688.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | BAL | AL | 144 | 462 | 72 | 120 | 23 | 4 | 22 | 70 | 4 | 88 | 73 | 0.260 | 2497.1 |
| 1966 | BAL | AL | 131 | 419 | 73 | 107 | 14 | 3 | 23 | 64 | 1 | 73 | 56 | 0.255 | 2029.0 |
| 1967 | BAL | AL | 155 | 554 | 69 | 134 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 81 | 4 | 73 | 94 | 0.242 | 1528.9 |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 137 | 451 | 50 | 90 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 39 | 6 | 65 | 66 | 0.200 | -58.3 |
| 1969 | HOU | NL | 155 | 542 | 66 | 137 | 26 | 7 | 12 | 67 | 8 | 77 | 79 | 0.253 | 886.1 |
| 1970 | NYY | AL | 99 | 269 | 34 | 57 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 37 | 1 | 43 | 37 | 0.212 | -271.1 |
| 1971 | NYY | AL | 21 | 36 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.194 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | OAK | AL | 50 | 101 | 15 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 0.218 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | OAK | AL | 8 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.455 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | SDP | NL | 74 | 102 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 18 | 0.196 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.071 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | ALCS | OAK | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 1966 | WS | BAL | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.077 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 253 | 227 | 1972 | 177 | 25 | 182 |
| 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 8 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| C | 66 | 57 | 336 | 32 | 7 | 1 |
| OF | 544 | 510 | 831 | 40 | 25 | 9 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | BAL | OF | 136 | 131 | 227 | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| 1966 | BAL | 1B | 20 | 11 | 115 | 12 | 1 | 9 |
| 1966 | BAL | OF | 109 | 104 | 159 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 1967 | BAL | 1B | 52 | 48 | 413 | 50 | 5 | 34 |
| 1967 | BAL | OF | 103 | 99 | 170 | 13 | 6 | 5 |
| 1968 | BAL | C | 40 | 38 | 215 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| 1968 | BAL | 1B | 12 | 7 | 78 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 1968 | BAL | OF | 92 | 85 | 144 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| 1969 | HOU | 1B | 152 | 149 | 1235 | 103 | 17 | 117 |
| 1969 | HOU | OF | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | NYA | 1B | 6 | 4 | 56 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| 1970 | NYA | OF | 79 | 75 | 103 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 | NYA | 1B | 4 | 4 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1971 | NYA | OF | 6 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | OAK | C | 14 | 12 | 70 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 1971 | OAK | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | OAK | 3B | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | OAK | OF | 14 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | OAK | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | OAK | OF | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | SDN | C | 12 | 7 | 51 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | SDN | 1B | 6 | 4 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 1972 | SDN | 3B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | SDN | OF | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 69 |
| First Base | 253 |
| Second Base | 3 |
| Third Base | 8 |
| Left Field | 323 |
| Right Field | 232 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Rookie of the Year | |
| 1965 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner College | Staten Island | NY | 1962 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 1st | 12.0 | 20 | 12 |