Blyleven was born in Zeist, Netherlands, and moved to California with his family when he was a young child. He began his professional career in 1970 with the Minnesota Twins. Over the next decade, he established himself as one of the best pitchers in the game, leading the American League in strikeouts four times and earning two All-Star selections. In 1979, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he won two World Series titles in 1979 and 1981.
In 1985, Blyleven returned to the Twins and continued to be a dominant pitcher. He was named to his second All-Star team in 1986, and in 1989, he became the first pitcher in MLB history to record 3,000 strikeouts. He retired after the 1992 season with a career record of 287-250, 3,701 strikeouts, and a 3.31 ERA.
Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011, becoming the first Dutch-born player to earn the honor. He was also selected to the Twins Hall of Fame in 2002, and his number 28 was retired by the team in 2011. He is still heavily involved in the game, working as a color commentator for the Twins and appearing as a guest instructor during spring training.
Bert Blyleven is one of the most successful and respected pitchers in baseball history. His achievements on the field, as well as his commitment to the game, have earned him a place among the all-time greats.
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