he was first officer on the ss "majestic" in 1913 when a coaler jumped overboard; the night before a fellow crewmember had succeeded in drowning himself. while a lifeboat was organised, blair jumped into the ocean waters and swam toward the man, who was now swimming for the ship. though the boat reached the man first, blair was commended for his action in "the new york times" and received money from the passengers and a medal from the royal humane society.