A member of the Orioles Hall of Fame, the popular Paul Blair (nicknamed “Motormouth”) patrolled the O’s outfield from 1964 to 1976, playing key parts when Baltimore won its first two World Series crowns in 1966 and 1970. He won two more titles with the New York Yankees in 1977 and 1978, and also played for Cincinnati.
Former CF Paul Blair Dies at 69
By Associated Press
BALTIMORE — Paul Blair, the eight-time Gold Glove center fielder who helped the Baltimore Orioles win a pair of World Series while gliding to make catches that former teammates still marvel at more than four decades later, has died. He was 69.
Blair died Thursday night at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Blair’s wife, Gloria, told The Baltimore Sun that Blair played a round of golf with friends Thursday morning and later lost consciousness at a celebrity bowling tournament in Pikesville.
“Paul was honestly too tired, but he never says no,” Gloria Blair told the newspaper. “During a practice round, he threw two or three balls, then sat down and told a friend, ‘I feel funny’ and kind of collapsed. He lost consciousness and they called 911 and the ambulance took him to (Sinai), but the doctors there told me they never got a pulse.”
Continue reading the AP’s “Former CF Paul Blair Dies at 69” report at ESPN.go.com.
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