Major League Baseball Player, Sports Broadcaster. Born Robert Garnett Blattner, he played at the second base, third base and shortstop positions for five seasons (1942, 1946 to 1949) with the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies. An exceptional multi-sport athlete during his high school years, he was partnered with Jimmy McClure and captured the World Men's Doubles Table Tennis title in 1936 and 1937. He made his Major League debut with the Cardinals on April 18, 1942 and appeared in 19 games that season before service in the United States Navy during World War II interrupted his career. Upon his return, he enjoyed his most successful season in 1946 while with the New York Giants, when he appeared in 126 games and recorded 107 hits, including 18 doubles and 11 home runs. In 272 career games, he had 176 hits with a .247 lifetime batting average. Following his playing days, Blattner found a second career beginning in 1950 as a broadcaster, first paired with Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean calling games of the St. Louis Browns and later national games with CBS from 1955 to 1959. Among his other baseball announcing assignments include the St. Louis Cardinals from 1962 to 1965, Los Angeles Angels from 1966 to 1968 and Kansas City Royals from 1969 until his retirement in 1975. In addition, Blattner was the longtime play-by-play man with the NBA's St. Louis Hawks. In 1962, he founded the Buddy Fund which is a charity that provides athletic equipment to underprivileged youths in the St. Louis-area. He was inducted into the USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. He died from cancer.
Major League Baseball Player, Sports Broadcaster. Born Robert Garnett Blattner, he played at the second base, third base and shortstop positions for five seasons (1942, 1946 to 1949) with the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies. An exceptional multi-sport athlete during his high school years, he was partnered with Jimmy McClure and captured the World Men's Doubles Table Tennis title in 1936 and 1937. He made his Major League debut with the Cardinals on April 18, 1942 and appeared in 19 games that season before service in the United States Navy during World War II interrupted his career. Upon his return, he enjoyed his most successful season in 1946 while with the New York Giants, when he appeared in 126 games and recorded 107 hits, including 18 doubles and 11 home runs. In 272 career games, he had 176 hits with a .247 lifetime batting average. Following his playing days, Blattner found a second career beginning in 1950 as a broadcaster, first paired with Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean calling games of the St. Louis Browns and later national games with CBS from 1955 to 1959. Among his other baseball announcing assignments include the St. Louis Cardinals from 1962 to 1965, Los Angeles Angels from 1966 to 1968 and Kansas City Royals from 1969 until his retirement in 1975. In addition, Blattner was the longtime play-by-play man with the NBA's St. Louis Hawks. In 1962, he founded the Buddy Fund which is a charity that provides athletic equipment to underprivileged youths in the St. Louis-area. He was inducted into the USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. He died from cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
Family Members
Advertisement
