28 Facts About Bert Blyleven

Bert Blyleven won 287 games, 27th-most all-time and pitched 4,970 innings, 14th-most all-time.

Bert Blyleven made his major league debut at age 19 for the Twins.

Bert Blyleven won his first World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979.

Bert Blyleven played three seasons for the California Angels before retiring.

Bert Blyleven became the first Dutch-born player to earn induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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Bert Blyleven served as the pitching coach for the Netherlands national baseball team in the 2009,2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Rik Aalbert Blyleven was born in Zeist, a municipality in Utrecht, Netherlands, the son of Johannes Cornelius and Jannigje Blijleven.

Bert Blyleven's family moved to Melville, Saskatchewan, when Blyleven was two years old before ultimately settling in Garden Grove, California, in 1957 when Blyleven was five years old.

Bert Blyleven became interested in baseball as a young boy watching Sandy Koufax pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers and listening to Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett announce the Dodgers' radio broadcasts.

Bert Blyleven starred on the Santiago High School baseball team, running cross country to build up his stamina and leg strength.

Bert Blyleven was drafted straight out of high school by the Minnesota Twins in the third round in 1969.

Unhappy with his salary there, Bert Blyleven was traded to the Texas Rangers in a six-player deal on June 1,1976.

Bert Blyleven became disgruntled with the Pirates and threatened to retire during the 1980 season if he was not traded.

Bert Blyleven missed a second 20-win season that year when he was forced to miss a couple of starts after breaking his foot when joking around in the bullpen.

Bert Blyleven was unhappy playing for the lackluster Indians and forced a trade back to the Twins, where he passed the 3,000-strikeout mark and helped the Twins to a 1987 World Series victory.

Bert Blyleven went to the California Angels in 1989 and pitched a 2.

Bert Blyleven missed the entire 1991 season following rotator cuff surgery.

Bert Blyleven pitched for the MLB All-Stars in the 1993 World Port Tournament in Rotterdam.

Bert Blyleven was a pitching coach for the Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Bert Blyleven was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2011 after receiving 79.

Bert Blyleven was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2002 and was chosen to the fan-elected "Wendy's- Minnesota Twins All-Metrodome Team" on July 28,2009.

In 1996, Bert Blyleven became a television color analyst for the Twins, calling games for WCCO-TV and Midwest Sports Channel.

Bert Blyleven appeared as himself in the 1990 James Belushi film Taking Care of Business.

Bert Blyleven was one of baseball's most notorious dugout pranksters during his playing days.

Bert Blyleven earned the moniker "Frying Dutchman" by frequently setting fire to his teammates' shoelaces, a practical joke known as a "hot foot".

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Bert Blyleven did not know his correct name until he was about to get married.

Bert Blyleven had thought all his life his given name was "Rikaalbert".

Bert Blyleven learned that his name actually was Rik Aalbert Blijleven after obtaining a copy of his birth certificate in order to get married.