Table tennis Blattner played
table tennis in his youth, winning the
gold medal in the men's doubles with
James McClure at the
1936 World Table Tennis Championships. The following year he won double gold at the
1937 World Table Tennis Championships in the men's team event and in the men's doubles with McClure.
Baseball A graduate of
Beaumont High School in
St. Louis, Blattner started his
Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the
St. Louis Cardinals, making his big league debut in the 1942 season. Following a stint in the
United States Navy, Blattner played for the
New York Giants (1946–48) and
Philadelphia Phillies (1949); he played primarily as a
second baseman.
Broadcasting Blattner turned to broadcasting after his retirement as a player, teaming with
Dizzy Dean on
St. Louis Browns radio as well as nationally on the
Liberty and
Mutual networks, and on the televised baseball
Game of the Week on
ABC (1953–54) and
CBS (1955–59). He also called games for the
St. Louis Hawks of the
National Basketball Association in the '50s. Blattner was replaced on CBS by
Pee Wee Reese following a dispute with Dean. Blattner continued to broadcast baseball for the Cardinals (1960–61),
Los Angeles/California Angels (1962–68), and
Kansas City Royals (1969–75) as well as on
NBC's coverage of the 1964 and 1967
All-Star Games. ==Personal life==