Johnny Blanchard, who played with Yankees, dies of heart attack

StarTribune ^ | 3/25/09 | Tim Harlow

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Johnny Blanchard could have stayed in his home town and played professional basketball with the Minneapolis Lakers, but his passion for baseball led him to play for the New York Yankees.

Blanchard, a 1951 graduate of Minneapolis Central High School, appeared in five World Series and claimed two championship rings as a member of the Bronx Bombers. A highlight of his career was hitting two home runs in the 1961 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Yankees won the series in five games.

Blanchard's professional career spanned 516 games in the major leagues. Besides the Yankees, he also played with the Kansas City Athletics, Milwaukee Braves and Atlanta Braves. He had a career batting average of .239 with 67 home runs and 285 hits. He played 694 games in the minor leagues where he had a batting average of .282 and 122 home runs.

"The biggest thrill was putting on that uniform and taking the field [at Yankee Stadium]," said his son, Tim of Chanhassen.

[bobby.223]

very competent and sturdy backup for berra and howard behind the dish and swinging the bat while with the bombers.

[Vigilanteman]

Blanchard was a part of that great 1961 Yankee’s team, probably the second best team they ever fielded (after the 1927 version). He was a great catcher, but often overlooked because there were so many superstars on that team. He was supposed to be a back-up to Yogi Berra, but he was so good as a regular, they often moved Berra to the outfield so Blanchard could play.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

And very popular with Minnesotans.....

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Vigilanteman]

I’d forgotten that Elston Howard was the regular catcher on that team. But, man, what a bench! Blanchard wasn’t a great outfielder, but he could play there when he was needed. If I recall, Yogi Berra was the regular left fielder when he wasn’t catching and, of course, with Mantle in center and Maris in right, there just weren’t enough places in the lineup to use talent like Johnny Blanchard regularly. I believe he hit over .300 in 1961. Can you imagine having a team so rich in talent that even a .300 hitting catcher-outfielder did not get to play every day?

[bobby.223]

the ‘61 team gets my vote (just ahead of the ‘69-’71 orioles) for best balanced in the last fifty years. go to MLB.com and check out that team’s stats in the ‘historical’ link.

[DManA]

Johnny use to call on my Father-in-law who was a purchasing agent at a railroad. They became pretty good friends

Imagine that. The guy had two World Series rings and when he left baseball he had to get a job to support himself and his family. How the world has changed.