Bobby Tolan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bobby Tolan |
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Bobby Tolan in 1972
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 19, 1945 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 3, 1965, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 19, 1979, for the San Diego Padres | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 86 | ||
| Runs batted in | 497 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Robert "Bobby" Tolan (born November 19, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder, playing mostly in center field and right field. Bobby played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played one season in Japan for the Nankai Hawks. Tolan was known for batting and throwing left-handed.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Early Days with the Cardinals
Bobby Tolan started his MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965. He was a reserve outfielder during his time there. In 1967, his team won the World Series, which is baseball's biggest championship! The Cardinals also reached the World Series in 1968 but lost. After that season, Tolan was traded to the Cincinnati Reds.
Becoming a Star with the Reds
When Bobby joined the Cincinnati Reds, he got to play every day. This helped him become a much better player. In 1969, he hit for a .305 batting average. He also achieved personal bests with 21 home runs and 93 runs batted in. The Reds team, known as the "Big Red Machine," was just starting to become famous. It included future Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench and Tony Pérez.
Leading the League in Stolen Bases
In 1970, Tolan had an amazing year. He hit for an even higher average of .316. He also led the entire National League in stolen bases with 57! This was a big deal because another famous player, Lou Brock, usually led the league in steals. The Reds won their division that year and made it to the 1970 World Series. Even though they lost the World Series, Bobby hit a home run in Game Two.
Injury and a Great Comeback
In 1971, Bobby Tolan unfortunately missed the entire season. He hurt his Achilles tendon while playing basketball. But he didn't give up! He came back strong in 1972. He won two special awards: the Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Hutch Award. He batted .283 and stole 42 bases that year.
Another World Series Appearance
The Reds made it to the 1972 World Series in 1972. They played against the Oakland Athletics. It was a very close series, going all seven games. The Reds lost the final game. Bobby Tolan apologized to his teammates after the game for some plays he felt he could have made better.
Later Career and Coaching
The 1973 season was tough for Tolan. His batting average dropped, and he had some disagreements with the team. He was suspended for part of the season. After that, he was traded to the San Diego Padres. He continued to play for a few more years with the Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies.
In 1978, Bobby Tolan played baseball in Japan. After his playing career, he became a coach for the San Diego Padres from 1980 to 1983. He even coached future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn when Gwynn was just starting out! Bobby also managed a team called the St. Petersburg Pelicans for two years.
Overall, in his major league career, Bobby Tolan played in 1,282 games. He had a .265 batting average, hit 86 home runs, and had 497 runs batted in.
Personal Life
Bobby Tolan is married to Marian Trahan. They have a son named Robert, who is often called Robbie. Robbie also played professional baseball for a while. In 2008, Robbie was injured in an incident that affected his baseball career.
Bobby Tolan also has a famous cousin, Eddie Tolan. Eddie was a sprinter who won two Gold Medals in the 1932 Summer Olympics!
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
