The bat he used as the first designated hitter is in Cooperstown, not far from the uniform Hank Aaron wore when he broke Babe Ruth’s home run record.
Yet many forget that Ron Blomberg, nicknamed “Boomer,’’ grew up and still lives in Atlanta.
He was a three-sport star at Druid Hills High School who said he had a 44-inch vertical leap and seemingly could hit a baseball over Stone Mountain.
Blomberg had to decide between baseball, basketball and football. He didn’t favor any of them, signing a letter of intent to play basketball for the Bruins, who were beginning their national championship run. He also took football trips to Alabama and Auburn.
But then came the major league draft, which was in its third year in 1967.
The Yankees desperately needed power, so they turned to Blomberg, who signed for $105,000.
After two-plus years in the minors, Blomberg made it to New York in 1971, hitting .322 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs in 64 games in right field. He hit a career-high 14 home runs in 1972.
Then came 1973 and the first year of the DH.
Bloomberg was expected to start in the field and the veteran Felipe Alou at DH, but Blomberg pulled his hamstring late in spring training.
His choice was either going on the disabled list or play through the pain. Blomberg chose to play.
On April 6, he started at DH at Fenway Park and drew a bases-loaded walk from Luis Tiant in the first inning.
He officially was baseball’s first designed hitter, securing Blomberg’s name in history.
Despite lingering injuries, he hit .329 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs in 109 games that season.
Blomberg remained with the Yankees until 1977, but played in only 400 games over seven seasons because of injuries. He tried to come back from knee surgery with the White Sox in ’78, but retired after hitting .231 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 61 games.
He finished with a .293 career average.
Being Jewish, Blomberg was extremely popular in New York, and in 2004, was inducted in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He also wrote a book called “Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story’’ and managed a team in the inaugural season of the Israeli Baseball League.
When he returned to the field, he played softball at the old Jewish Community Center across from the Amtrak Station on Peachtree Street, where there are stories of him hitting softballs more than 450 feet.
Where he lives: Blomberg, 68, resides in Roswell and has been married to Beth for 34 years. They have two children, daughter Chelsey who is a speech pathologist for Forsyth County Schools, and son Adam, chief anesthesiologist for a hospital in Miami. He has two grandchildren.
What he does: He continues to be involved with the Yankees, visiting New York frequently and is close with the Steinbrenner family. He also is a sought-after speaker for Jewish organizations around the country.
On being a three-sport star at Druid Hills: "Back then, if you were a good athlete, you played everything. I remember all the seasons overlapped, so during late in the football season, I didn't practice a lot when basketball started, but played in the games on Friday. There were so many good athletes back then in the area. I played against Walt Frazier in basketball and Rudy Kinard, who played at the University of Tennessee and was a high (baseball) draft pick twice, was on my team.''
On being drafted by the Yankees: "You have to understand, being Jewish and being picked by the Yankees to play in New York was big. The money was great too. I put it in an account with my bar mitzvah money. The first thing I bought was a green Oldsmobile 442. I did ask (Yankees general manager) Brian Cashman how much that bonus would be today, and he said around $9 million.''
On being the first DH: "I didn't really think about it until after it happened and all those reporters were all around my locker. I remember our PR person coming down and getting my bat and jersey for the Hall of Fame. Back then, we didn't have 400 bats, so I was kind of upset, because that was my favorite bat. But I can't tell you how many players have come up to me over the last few years and thanked me for it, saying how it extended their career. I didn't think the DH would last, but back then, the American League was struggling in attendance and needed something, and it helped. But you will never see it in the National League.''
On returning to New York: "I can't tell you how nice people are to me. They hear my name and ask me if I was either the first DH or related to (former New York) mayor (Michael) Bloomberg (he is not). It is great going to restaurants up there because they always take care of me. The thing is, that despite my injuries, I lived a fantasy. I played on some bad teams and some great ones, like the one in '77, when I was on the disabled list … the 'Bronx Zoo' group. There used to be fights in the clubhouse every day. My life is still baseball and I love going back up to New York. What it comes down to is I am blessed.''
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