Ron Blomberg (born August 23, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player who played primarily as a first baseman and designated hitter. He is best known for becoming the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, debuting in that role on April 6, 1973, for the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox. Blomberg played for the Yankees and Chicago White Sox from 1969 to 1978. Despite injuries limiting his career, he posted a .293 batting average and .382 on-base percentage. After retiring, he became an author and motivational speaker, writing his autobiography 'Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story.'