Paul Blair

Paul L. D. Blair (February 1, 1944 – December 26, 2013) was an American professional baseball player and coach who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1964 through 1980. Born in Cushing, Oklahoma, Blair grew up in Los Angeles, where he attended Manual Arts High School and competed in basketball, baseball, and track, also working as a high jumper. In 1961 he was selected to the Helms All-Southern California League.

Blair spent the most notable portion of his career as the center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles, a club that won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1966 and 1971. He later played for the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds, retiring after the 1980 season. A two-time All-Star, he was regarded as one of the finest defensive outfielders of his era, with excellent range and skill at tracking fly balls. He played shallow to challenge hitters and ran down balls hit over his head. Blair won the Gold Glove Award eight times, including seven consecutive seasons from 1969 through 1975.

He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1984.