Bobby Tolan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bobby Tolan |
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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 played as a center fielder and right fielder. Bobby also worked as a coach.
He 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 batted and threw with his left hand.
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Playing Baseball: Bobby Tolan's Career
Bobby Tolan served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was part of the 478th Engineer Battalion. Some of his baseball teammates, like Johnny Bench and Pete Rose, were also in his unit.
Starting with the Cardinals
Tolan was a backup outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. He helped them win the World Series in 1967. In 1968, his team won the National League championship. However, they lost the World Series to the Detroit Tigers. The Cardinals then traded Tolan to the Cincinnati Reds. They wanted to make their offense stronger.
Becoming a Star with the Reds
With the Cincinnati Reds, Bobby Tolan finally got to play every day. He became their main center fielder. In 1969, he hit for a .305 average. He also hit 21 home runs and had 93 runs batted in (RBIs). The Reds were building their famous "Big Red Machine" team. This team included future Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench and Tony Pérez.
In 1970, Tolan had an even better year. He hit .316 with 16 home runs and 80 RBIs. He also led the National League in stolen bases with 57. The Reds won their division and made it to the postseason. They beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS. Tolan hit a home run in one of those games. But the Reds lost the World Series to the Baltimore Orioles.
Overcoming Injuries and Challenges
Tolan missed the entire 1971 season. He hurt his Achilles tendon while playing basketball. This was against his contract rules. He returned in 1972 and played very well. He won the Comeback Player of the Year award. He also won the Hutch Award. He hit .283 with 82 RBIs and 42 stolen bases.
The Reds won the pennant again in 1972. They beat the Pirates in the NLCS. But they lost the World Series to the Oakland Athletics in seven games. Tolan had some tough moments in the final game. He later apologized to his teammates.
The 1973 season was difficult for Tolan. His batting average dropped to .206. He also had some disagreements with the Reds' management. The team suspended him for part of the season. The Reds won their division again but lost the NLCS without him. After the season, the Reds traded Tolan to the San Diego Padres.
Later Career and Coaching
Tolan played for the San Diego Padres in 1974 and 1975. He then joined the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976. The Phillies won their division that year. But they lost to Tolan's former team, the Reds, in the NLCS.
In 1978, Tolan played professional baseball in Japan. After his playing career, he became a coach for the Padres. He coached from 1980 to 1983. He also managed a team called the St. Petersburg Pelicans in 1989 and 1990.
Throughout his major league career, Bobby Tolan played in 1,282 games. He had a .265 batting average. He hit 86 home runs and had 497 runs batted in.
Bobby Tolan's Family Life
Bobby Tolan is married to Marian Trahan. They have a son named Robert, also known as Robbie. Robbie Tolan also played professional baseball. He was part of the Washington Nationals organization. An injury later affected his baseball career.
Bobby Tolan's cousin, Eddie Tolan, was a famous runner. Eddie 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
