"The clutch-hitting hero of 1961, John Blanchard is determined to erase his disappointing 1962 season by returning to the form that made him the talk of baseball just two seasons ago. The personable Blanchard was scheduled to do a lot of catching this year, back of Ellie Howard, and to fill in as an outfielder and pinch-hitter for Manager Ralph Houk's Bombers.
In 1961, as Yankee fans will recall happily, the Minneapolis backstop hit a robust .305, including 21 home runs and 54 RBIs, with 149 total bases on his 74 hits. He tied a major league record by hitting four home runs on consecutive times at bat and two of these were as a pinch-hitter. He just missed the fifth homer in a row when a towering fly was collared a foot from the fence. A Chicago writer selected John's feat as the outstanding sports thrill of the year.
In three World Series, John has rapped out nine hits in 22 times at bat for a resounding .409 average, including three doubles and two homers.
To get back in the '61 groove this season, Blanchard adopted an off-season program designed to correct the 'slow hands' that plagued him a year ago. And he reported to spring training this year well under his weight of the previous spring. If determination is any criterion, 1963 will be a banner for the Yanks and Johnny Blanchard."
-The New York Yankees Official 1963 Yearbook
Signed by Yankee organization, July 2, 1951.
Tied major league record by hitting four home runs in four consecutive times at-bat, two as a pinch hitter, 1961.
Tied World Series record for most home runs hit in a five-game Series (2), 1961.
-1963 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"Following his outstanding slugging feats of 1961, Johnny Blanchard was looked upon as one of the Yankees' key men for 1962. But such was not the case.
From his '61 pace of .305, when 21 of his 74 hits were home runs, Blanchard slumped to .232 in '62 with only 13 homers. From 54 RBI, he fell to 39. John just was not the same clutch hitter.
The 30-year-old native of Minneapolis, Minn., began his career in the Yankee organization in July 1951. Until 1959, he appeared in only one game with the Bombers, that coming in 1955.
During that long period, Blanchard divided his time between Kansas City, Binghamton, Amsterdam, Joplin, Denver, Birmingham and military duty.
Blanchard showed what was in store for '61 when, in the 1960 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ripped Buc pitching for a .455 average in five contests.
Johnny tied a major league mark by clouting four home runs in four consecutive times at bat, two as a pinch-hitter, in 1961. He also tied the Series record for most homers by one player in a five-game Series, with two round trippers against the Cincinnati Reds in 1961.
Whether Blanchard can regain his touch of '61 will be one of the interesting things to watch for this season. In fact, the outcome of the American League pennant chase may depend on it."
-1963 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
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