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Stephen Robert Blass (born April 18, 1942) is an American retired professional baseball pitcher and television sports color commentator. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in and then from through . Blass was one of the National League's top pitchers between 1968 and 1972, helping the Pirates win four National League Eastern Division titles in five years between and . He played a key role in the Pirates victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the 1971 World Series when he recorded two complete game victories. He remains the last National League pitcher to throw a complete game in Game Seven of a World Series. After his playing career ended, Blass had a 34-year career as a television sports commentator for Pittsburgh Pirates games.
In the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, Blass pitched two complete game wins, allowing only seven hits and two runs in 18 innings, and was the winning pitcher in the 7th and deciding game. He finished second in the voting for World Series MVP behind teammate Roberto Clemente.
In a ten-season major league career, Blass posted a 103–76 record with 896 and a 3.63 ERA in 1,597.1 innings pitched, including 16 and 57 .
A condition referred to as "Steve Blass disease" has become a part of baseball lexicon. The "diagnosis" is applied to talented players who inexplicably and permanently seem to lose their ability to throw a baseball accurately. Steve Blass, Cured | The BASEBALL Page The fielder's variant of "Steve Blass disease" is sometimes referred to in baseball terminology as "Steve Sax syndrome".
Notable victims of "Steve Blass disease" include Rick Ankiel, ESPN.com - Ankiel can't seem to conquer 'The Creature' ESPN.com, June 16, 2003 Mark Wohlers, Dontrelle Willis, Ricky Romero, and Daniel Bard.
In an interview years later, Blass stated that he was content with how his career panned out, mentioning that he had ten good years with the Pirates, won 100 games, and appeared in a World Series. He did mention that the sudden death of teammate and close friend Roberto Clemente in the offseason before he lost control – and the associated grief related to suddenly losing someone so close – was not a factor in him losing his control.
He was inducted into the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
He was inducted into the Charleston, West Virginia Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Blass' autobiography, A Pirate For Life (Triumph Books), was released on May 1, 2012. His memoirs, co-written with Erik Sherman, encompass his struggles with Steve Blass disease and his days as a color commentator for the Pirates.
Blass was announced as an inaugural member of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall Of Fame on August 7, 2022.
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