Cy Blanton

Cy Blanton
Pitcher
Born: July 6, 1908(1908-07-06) Waurika, Oklahoma
Died: September 13, 1945(1945-09-13) (aged 37) Norman, Oklahoma
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 23, 1934 for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
May 6, 1942 for the Philadelphia Phillies
Career statistics
Pitching Record	68-71
Earned run average	3.55
Strikeouts	611
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1934-1939) Philadelphia Phillies (1940-1942)
Career highlights and awards
2-time National League All-Star National League ERA champion: 1934 2-time National League shutout leader

Darrell Elijah (Cy) Blanton (July 6, 1908 – September 13, 1945) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1934–39) and Philadelphia Phillies (1940–42). Blanton batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Waurika, Oklahoma. Blanton was a screwball pitcher.^[1]

Pitching career

Blanton was one of the mainstays of the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation in the mid 1930s. He pitched for the Albany Senators in 1934, being promoted to Pittsburgh to pitch one game. Earlier he pitched in the Piedmont League and the Western Association.^[2]

In his 1935 rookie season he recorded 18 wins with 142 strikeouts and led the National League in earned run average (2.58) and shutouts (4). He averaged 12.67 wins for the next three years, leading again the league in shutouts in 1936 (4) and starts in 1937 (34). A free agent before the 1940 season, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Although he made the National League All-Star team in 1937 and 1941, he never showed again the brilliance of his first season. He last pitched for the Phillies in 1942.^[2]

In a nine-season career, Blanton posted a 68-71 record with a 3.55 ERA and 611 strikeouts.

Death

He was suspended by the Hollywood Stars for failure to get in shape in March 1945.^[3] He returned to Oklahoma from California where he had been living just before he died. Blanton died in Norman, Oklahoma at the age of 37. His body was taken to Shawnee, Oklahoma for burial.^[2]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

References

1. ^ Blanton, Pirates, Stops Dodgers, 8-2, New York Times, May 19, 1935, pg. S5.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Darrell (Cy) Blanton, New York Times, September 14, 1945, pg. 23.
3. ^ Blanton Suspended By Hollywood Club; Hurler Fails to Get Into Condition, Los Angeles Times, March 28, 1945, pg. A8.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• The Deadball Era
• Retrosheet

Preceded by Carl Hubbell

National League ERA Champion 1935

Succeeded by Carl Hubbell

Persondata
Name	Blanton, Cy
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 6, 1908
Place of birth	Waurika, Oklahoma
Date of death	September 13, 1945
Place of death	Norman, Oklahoma