Curt Blefary
A hard-nosed rookie who shocked the baseball world by winning top honors, only to see his promise fade as quickly as it arrived.
1943–2001 (age 58)·American baseball player·Birthday: July 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Curt Blefary burst onto the scene not with grace, but with brute force. The Brooklyn native, nicknamed 'Clank' for his less-than-sure hands in the outfield, made his mark with his bat. In his first full season with the Baltimore Orioles in 1965, he wasn't just good; he was the American League Rookie of the Year, clubbing 22 home runs and driving in 70 runs for a surprising Orioles team. He was a cornerstone of the 1966 World Series champions, playing left field and providing left-handed power. But the trajectory wasn't steady. His batting average dipped, his strikeouts rose, and his defensive limitations led to experiments at first base and even catcher. Traded to Houston in 1969, he became a journeyman, bouncing to four more teams in four years. Blefary's career is a classic baseball tale of explosive arrival, a moment of glory, and the difficult struggle to maintain that initial dazzling standard.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Curt was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Curt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Curt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2001Died at 58
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1965 with the Baltimore Orioles.
- Was a starting left fielder for the 1966 Baltimore Orioles, who won the World Series in a four-game sweep.
- Hit 112 career home runs over eight major league seasons.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Clank' was reportedly given by Orioles pitcher Steve Barber, mocking his defensive abilities.
He was traded from the Orioles to the Houston Astros in a multi-player deal that brought future Hall of Famer Mike Cuellar to Baltimore.
In a rare feat, he played every defensive position except shortstop and pitcher during his professional career.
After baseball, he worked as a liquor salesman and a deputy sheriff in Florida.
“I hit the ball hard, and the rest was just noise.”
