Ben Oglivie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben Oglivie |
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: February 11, 1949 Colón, Panama |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 4, 1971, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| NPB: April 14, 1987, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 5, 1986, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| NPB: October 19, 1988, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .273 | ||
| Home runs | 235 | ||
| Runs batted in | 901 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .306 | ||
| Home runs | 46 | ||
| Runs batted in | 139 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Benjamin Ambrosio Oglivie Palmer, born on February 11, 1949, is a former professional baseball player from Panama. He was a left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Ben played for the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also spent two seasons playing in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Ben was a left-handed batter and thrower.
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Ben Oglivie's Baseball Journey
Ben Oglivie started his MLB career on September 4, 1971, with the Boston Red Sox. His last game in the big leagues was on October 5, 1986, playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. He was known for hitting the ball with power.
Hitting Home Runs
In 1980, Ben hit 41 home runs. This tied him for the most home runs in the American League (AL) that year. He was the first player not born in the U.S. to lead the AL in home runs. Ben also hit three home runs in a single game three different times during his career.
Early Career and Trades
In his first full MLB season in 1972, Ben had a batting average of .241. He hit eight home runs and had 30 runs batted in (RBI). He was especially good as a pinch hitter, with a .375 average.
After playing 58 games in 1973, Ben was traded from the Red Sox to the Detroit Tigers. This trade happened on October 23, 1973. Later, on December 9, 1977, the Milwaukee Brewers got Ben from the Tigers.
Career Achievements and Stats
Ben Oglivie played in Major League Baseball for 16 years. He played in 1,754 games. His career batting average was .273.
Key Batting Stats
Ben hit 277 doubles and 235 home runs. He also had 901 runs batted in (RBI). He earned 560 bases on balls (walks).
He had 87 stolen bases and scored 784 runs. In total, Ben got 1,615 hits in 5,913 at bats.
Playing in Japan
After his MLB career, Ben continued playing professional baseball in Japan. He joined the Kintetsu Buffaloes. In two seasons (1987 and 1988), he hit 46 home runs.
He tried to return to American minor league baseball (MiLB) after playing in Japan. Even though he played well in two Double-A games, it was the end of his playing career.
Coaching and Recognition
After retiring as a player, Ben Oglivie became a coach. He coached for several different baseball teams. These teams included the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, and Detroit Tigers. In 2000, he worked on the Padres' MLB coaching staff for one season.
Ben Oglivie, who is from Colón, Panama, was honored in 2012. He was one of six players chosen for the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame. This special event took place in February 2012.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
