SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Charlie Blackmon will never reach the top speed of a Blue Angel fighter jet on the basepaths, but as he continues to try and increase his stolen base numbers, that doesn’t mean he can’t have fun flying in one.
It was just another day in a busy offseason for the Rockies’ outfielder that included hunting elk in Idaho, deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and pulling seven Gs flying with the notorious fighter squadron.
All these activities happened over the course of a week in late October – part of a Sportsman’s Channel Show called “The Most Wanted List.”
He began hunting elk in Hells Canyon, Idaho. As the sun set on day one, Blackmon saw his opportunity. Using a short magazine .300 caliber rifle, he took the kill shot from 300 yards away. Blackmon plans on having the elk mounted.
“I really enjoyed it,” Blackmon said. “There were rocks and mountains everywhere. It was unforgiving terrain but it was a blast.”
Next it was on to Pensacola, Florida to fish. Although the keeper limit was two redfish, Blackmon caught and released many more.
“Our captain did a great job,” he said. “He put us right on this bay where the current was pushing a lot of bait fish in and we were able to catch quite a few in a short period of time.”
Then it was onto the Blue Angels, which also make Pensacola their home base. Blackmon passed out in the plane more than once as his pilot executed loops and barrel rolls.
“I was a little nervous,” he said. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to react. It’s intimidating getting in that jet; it’s a pretty impressive machine.”
While the television show was planned, the feat that got Blackmon the most attention happened on whim. He after the team pulled him aside and asked him if he wanted to try and sink one during a timeout.
Blackmon agreed and he stepped to center court and threw the ball back over his head.
Swish.
“The crowd reacted well and I kind of went nuts, too,” he said. “I got really nervous with sweaty palms and everything but I just wanted to not embarrass myself. That was my goal.”
Blackmon may have his fair share of fun, but don’t mistake that for a lack of work ethic.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss barely knows the goofy offseason hunter and fisherman.
“We rarely, if ever, see it once he shows up at the stadium,” Weiss said. “Once the season starts, he’s working from the time he shows up to the time he leaves. He’s doing something to try and get better in every aspect of his game.”
This offseason, Blackmon tried to get faster. After stealing 28 bases in his first season as the Rockies’ full-time outfielder, he increased that number to 43 last year, good for third in all of baseball.
He’s hoping the quick, demanding pace of his offseason equates to the same on the basepaths.
“I feel really good physically,” he said. “I feel a little better than I did last year at this time. I feel like my baseball skills are where they need to be. I feel good in the box, I feel good running but most important to me right now is my body feels good.”
