Bob Oliver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Oliver |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| First baseman / Outfielder / Third baseman | |||
| Born: February 8, 1943 Shreveport, Louisiana, US |
|||
| Died: April 19, 2020 (aged 77) Rio Linda, California, US |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 10, 1965, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 3, 1975, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .256 | ||
| Home runs | 94 | ||
| Runs batted in | 419 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Robert Lee Oliver (born February 8, 1943 – died April 19, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees. Bob Oliver was a first baseman and outfielder. He batted and threw with his right hand.
Contents
Playing Baseball
Starting Out in Baseball
Bob Oliver was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was a talented athlete at Highlands High School in North Highlands, California. He played both baseball and basketball there. After high school in 1961, he played college baseball at American River College. Many scouts noticed his skills.
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Bob Oliver in 1963. He spent four seasons playing in their farm system. This is where young players develop their skills. He got to play in a few major league games in 1965. Later, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins. He spent two more seasons playing in Minor League Baseball (MiLB).
Playing in the Major Leagues
Bob Oliver joined the big leagues for good in 1969. The Kansas City Royals picked him in a special draft in 1968. He joined a new team with other young players like Pat Kelly and Lou Piniella. Lou Piniella even won the Rookie of the Year award that season.
In 1969, Oliver hit for a .254 average. He also hit 13 home runs and had 43 runs batted in (RBI). He played in 118 games that year. Bob Oliver made history for the Royals twice in 1969. On May 4, he got six hits in one game. This was a first for the Royals. Only two other Royals have done this since. He also hit the team's first-ever grand slam. This happened on July 4 against the Seattle Pilots.
The year 1970 was a great one for Oliver. He hit a career-high 27 home runs and had 99 RBI. He also scored 83 runs. He continued to play well in 1972 and 1973. In 1972, he was traded to the California Angels. He hit .269 with 20 home runs and 76 RBI. In 1973, he hit .265 with 18 home runs and 89 RBI. He played many different positions as a utility player.
The Baltimore Orioles got him in 1974. He played in nine games for them. The New York Yankees then bought his contract in December 1974. He played only a few games for them in 1975. During his career, Bob Oliver played in 847 games. He had a .256 batting average, 94 home runs, and 419 RBI.
Life After Baseball
While playing for the California Angels, Bob Oliver also worked as a police officer. He worked for the Santa Ana Police Department. In the off-season, he was a school resource officer.
Later, Oliver managed a baseball team called the Solano Steelheads in 1999. He also taught baseball at two schools in Sacramento County. He ran his own Baseball Academy in Sacramento. He also worked as a hitting instructor at Dusty Baker's Baseball Camp. This camp was in Rancho Cordova.
Bob Oliver's son, Darren, also played in Major League Baseball. Darren played from 1993 to 2013. Both father and son played with famous pitcher Nolan Ryan. Bob played with Ryan from 1972 to 1974. Darren played with Ryan as a rookie in 1993. That was Ryan's last season.
Bob Oliver passed away on April 19, 2020. He was 77 years old. He died in Rio Linda, California.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
