John Blanchard

John Edwin Blanchard (February 26, 1933 – March 25, 2009) was an American professional baseball outfielder and catcher who played for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, and Milwaukee Braves. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he attended Central High School before signing with the Yankees organization. After minor league seasons and two years of U.S. Army service, Blanchard reached the majors in 1955. He spent most of his career as a backup catcher with New York, appearing in 93 games during the Yankees' 1961 World Series championship season and hitting 21 home runs that year, including four home runs in consecutive at-bats.