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It might not be as widespread as Gehrig’s ALS, but sadly, Steve Blass Disease has taken its fair share of victims. The disease, named after former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass, refers to an athlete’s sudden and inexplicable loss of ability. Blass got 
the unfortunate ignomy of having the disease bear his name after his career derailed when he lost the ability to pitch strikes. Until that point, he’d built quite a resume, acquiring 18- and 19-win seasons, making the All-Star team in 1972 and helping the Pirates win the 1971 World Series. Then, in 1973, the wheels came off. He tripled his ERA, walking 84 batters in 88 innings and striking out only 27. In short, he just couldn’t pitch. He was sent to the minors in 1974 and, after a failed attempt to make a return, retired before the 1975 season, becoming a sales representative for a ring company.
What’s remarkable about Blass’ downfall is that there’s no explanation. He didn’t have any injury, there was no event that shattered his confidence. he just…stopped. The dreaded Steve Blass disease has struck plenty of other athletes, all without reason. The reigning theory is that it’s all mental- one mistake leads the player to start overthinking a simple act, like kicking or throwing a ball. But can a simple brain fart stop an athlete’s performance? Well, Yogi Berra did once reportedly say “Ninety percent of this game is half mental.” However, baseball genius and sports psychology-non-believer Bill James would chalk up that explanation as a modern-day equivalent to witchcraft. There is, as of yet, no known cure, but I’m sure someone, somewhere, is trying to line up Jerry Lewis to host a telethon.
So, who else suffers from this tragic, tragic disease? More after the jump…
Other notable examples of Steve Blass disease:
Victim: Chuck Knoblauch
- Year of infliction: 1999
- Before Steve Blass: Star second-basemen for the Minnesota Twins before joining the Yankees. Noted for his defense, even getting the nickname “Fundamentally Sound” Chuck Knoblauch on ESPN (is it really a nickname if you double the number of words?).
- After Steve Blass: Started making errant throws to first, a routine 90-foot toss. Made an unprecedented 26 errors in 1999. Hit Keith Olbermann’s mother in the face when one throw sailed into the crowd. Changed positions a few times before retiring in 2003.
Victim: Ben Hogan
- Year of infliction: circa 1953, the date of his last majors win
- Before Steve Blass: The Tiger Woods of his day, gaining the reputation as the greatest golfer of his time. He was especially noted for his ability to drive the ball long distances.
- After Steve Blass: Developed a case of the “yips,” a condition that caused him to miss the easiest putts. Lost two US Open tournaments because he had to take an extra putt on the last hole. Lobbied to have the size of the golf cup to be increased to reduce the importance of putting. Presumably never played putt-putt with his kids.
Victim: Mackey Sasser
- Year of infliction: circa 1987
- Before Steve Blass: Backup catcher with a strong bat and lots of promise.
- After Steve Blass: Lost the ability to throw the ball back to the pitcher. Once gave up a stolen base when he hesitated and lobbed the ball at the pitcher. Retired in 1995 after failing to stop the problem. Inspired the character Rube Baker in Major League 2.
Victim: Mike Vanderjagt
- Year of infliction: Closing seconds of the 2005 AFC Championship
- Before Steve Blass: Surest kicking foot in the NFL. Posted a perfect kicking record in 2003, making 37 of 37 field goals and all 46 extra point attempts. Helped the Indianapolis Colts reach the 2005 AFC Championship game.
- After Steve Blass: Lost the 2005 AFC Championship game by missing a field goal in the final seconds. Dropped by the Colts and cut from the Dallas Cowboys after making only 72% of his attempts in ten games. Remains unsigned going into the 2007 season.
Victim: Steve Sax
- Year of infliction: 1983
- Before Steve Blass: Dependable second-baseman.
- After Steve Blass: Developed same problem as Knoblauch, losing the ability to throw to first base. Made 30 errors and inspired fans behind first base to start wearing helmets.
- After After Steve Blass: Somehow managed to cure the disease. Led the league in fielding percentage and double plays in 1989.
Victim: LeBron James
- Year of infliction: 2006
- Before Steve Blass: Emerged out of high school as an unstoppable force on the basketball courts. Finished second in MVP voting in his third NBA season. Noted for his ability to barrel through multiple defenders to get to the basket.
- After Steve Blass: Continued to be a good scorer, unless it was the easiest shot possible. Only made around 70% of his free throws, a shot that even fans competing in a half-time promotion hit regularly. Admitted he was in “strugglesville” at the free throw line.
Victim: Anna Kournikova
- Year of Infliction: 1998
- Before Steve Blass: One of the premiere female tennis players. No. 1 in doubles and two-time Grand Slam doubles champ with partner Martina Hingis. Knockout beauty.
- After Steve Blass; Lost control of serves. Had a string of 182 double-faults in ten straight matches. Retired from tennis, possibly from spinal injuries. Still a knockout.
Victim: Robin Williams (it even goes outside sports)
- Year of Infliction: circa 1997
- Before Steve Blass: Good Morning Vietnam, Aladdin, The Birdcage, Mrs. Doubtfire
- After Steve Blass: Flubber, Patch Adams, RV, License to Wed
Comments (14)
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I feel like we are being a slight bit unfair to Robin Williams with License to Wed. It’s not even out yet. Come on, it has John Krasinski. That fact alone makes up for any faults the movie may have.
posted by Lindsay D on 6-22-2007 at 8:23 am
Considering Williams’s performance on “The Tonight Show” the other night, he opened himself up to it.
Straight talk from Sid.
posted by Sid Morrison on 6-22-2007 at 8:55 am
More to the point would be the case of:
Victim: Richard Petty.
Year of Affliction: 1984
Before Steve Blass: All-time “King” of stock car racing, who won 200 races in what is now known as the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, a mark that will not likely ever be equalled.
After Steve Blass: Well, still “The King.” But, after winning his 200th race in dramatic fashion on July 4 (with President Ronald Reagan in attendance, no less), he never again visited Victory Lane in the 8-1/2 seasons hence.
posted by Mike on 6-22-2007 at 9:08 am
Another case of Steveblassitis: Daunte Culpepper.
Year of affliction: 2005
Before Steve Blass: Culpepper was a 3-time Pro Bowl quarterback for our Minnesota Vikings who peaked in 2004 when he threw for 4700 yards with 39 TD passes, and rushed for an average of 25 yards per game.
After Steve Blass: Following up his historic 2004 season, Culpepper started the first 7 games of the 2005 before blowing out his knee. In those 7 games, he threw 6 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and fumbled 5 times. Minnesota dumped him for a 2nd round pick from Miami, who is now looking to dump him themselves. Since Steve Blass struck Daunte, he he has consistently been either injured, dreadful, or both.
posted by Minnesotan on 6-22-2007 at 10:07 am
I’m surprised you didn’t mention Mark Wohlers. He was that pitcher for the Braves that started his downhill spiral during the 96 world series.
Bent talk from Jason!
posted by Jason! on 6-22-2007 at 10:17 am
Steve Blass is a color analyst for the Pittsburgh Pirates now. I don’t think it was intentional, but the post implies that Blass left baseball completely after his playing career ended.
The last athlete I remember hearing had Steve Blass disease was pitcher Rick Ankiel of the St Louis Cardinals.
I’d take LeBron James off of the list. His career hasn’t peaked yet and his play was a major factor in getting the Cavaliers to the finals of the NBA playoffs this year.
posted by Tom on 6-22-2007 at 12:48 pm
Ankiel is actually making a comeback now with the Cardinals as an outfielder. I remember he was supposed to be the best young phenom pitcher in quite some time, until all of the sudden his pitches started hitting the backstop more often than the catcher’s mitt. Then, as now, he could hit like an AL DH, so Saint Louis kept him around, and now he’s on his way back, just not as a pitcher.
posted by Minnesotan on 6-22-2007 at 2:47 pm
InternJason — Great post. Before long, you’ll just be “Jason” and I’ll need a new name. “The Other Jason” or “Jason2.” Or Kenneth.
posted by Jason on 6-22-2007 at 3:29 pm
I have interludes of Blassism. Sometimes I pick up my bass and… well, it’s just a damn shame.
posted by Bassman on 6-23-2007 at 10:16 am
It’s Mackey Sasser, not Mickey. And I agree with Tom – Rick Ankiel should be on this list.
posted by Dan on 6-23-2007 at 4:34 pm
The most obvious Steve Blass victim in my lifetime…OK, all this is from memory, but here goes:
Nick Anderson, SG, Orlando Magic, in the early-to-mid 90’s.
Before SB: One of the better three-point marksmen and free-throw shooters in basketball, with a decent variety of face-up moves. A high-percentage 17 ppg wing scorer that helped get Shaq and Penny to the 1995 NBA Finals.
SB Moment: With the Magic up by six points and under a minute left, Anderson missed the last four Magic free throws in regulation of Game One against the Rockets. After both pairs of missed free throws the Rockets got 3-pointers – first from Sam Cassell and then a deep bomb from Kenny Smith with virtually no time left, to send the game into overtime. Hakeem dominates in OT and the Rockets go on to sweep the series.
After SB: Couldn’t shoot straight again, especially at the stripe. IIRC, he went from at least a mid-eighties in free throw percentage to mid-fifties overnight, challenging Shaq for the worst free-throw percentage in the league. He never recovered his shot; was out of the NBA after a couple of nightmarishly bad years.
posted by Jimmytex on 6-24-2007 at 6:02 am
There is an old story in Pgh. that the reason Steve Blass crashed was Dave Cash, the Pirate second baseman was messing with his wife.
Check out how suddenly and totally by surprise Dave Cash was traded to the Phillies. Coincidence? I think not.
Get your head messed with like that, and you wouldn’t tell anyone either. You’d just suffer and finally quit.
posted by RIH on 2-23-2008 at 1:57 pm
Happy to update Minnesotan comment that Rick is doing really well considering his road back. He really uses his pitching arm as a cannon from the outfield.
posted by Marty on 8-20-2008 at 9:13 am
Victim: George W Bush
Year of infliction: 2000
Before Steve Blass: Relatively harmless, inept cowboy.
After Steve Blass: Virtually destroyed the free-est, most powerful nation on the face of the earth.
posted by mdeva on 9-23-2009 at 12:30 am