Nate Oliver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nate Oliver |
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Oliver in 1988
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: December 13, 1940 St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. |
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| Died: April 5, 2025 (aged 84) Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1963, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 1969, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .226 | ||
| Home runs | 2 | ||
| Runs batted in | 45 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Nathaniel Oliver was an American baseball player. He was born on December 13, 1940, and passed away on April 5, 2025. He played professional baseball for seven years in the 1960s. He spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Playing Baseball
Nate Oliver joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959. He played in minor league teams for four seasons. In 1963, he made his big league debut. He was the Dodgers' starting second baseman on opening day. He got a hit in his first two times at bat.
During 1963, Oliver played in 65 games. He hit for a .239 batting average and hit one home run. That year, the Dodgers won the World Series. Oliver also spent part of that season playing in a minor league team called Spokane.
In 1964, Oliver played in 99 games. This was his busiest season in the major leagues. He had 321 chances to bat. He hit for a .243 average, with 9 doubles and 7 stolen bases. He continued to split his time between the major and minor leagues.
Oliver played in only 8 games for the Dodgers in 1965. In 1966, he played in 80 games. He also appeared in Game 4 of the 1966 World Series. He entered the game as a pinch-runner. In 1967, his batting average improved to .237 in 77 games.
After the 1967 season, Oliver was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He played in 36 games for the Giants in 1968. He hit for a .178 average that year.
In December 1968, Oliver was traded again. He joined the New York Yankees. He played only one game for the Yankees in 1969. Then, in April, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He finished his playing career with the Cubs. He hit his second and final major league home run with them.
Oliver played two more seasons in the minor leagues. He retired from baseball after the 1971 season. He was 30 years old when he stopped playing.
Coaching and Instructing
After his playing career, Nate Oliver became a baseball manager. In 1988, he managed the Reno Silver Sox. He even had one chance to bat as a player for that team. The next year, he managed the Arizona League Angels. From 1990 to 1991, he led the Palm Springs Angels.
Oliver also worked as a hitting coach. In 1992, he coached for the AA Midland Angels. In 1993, he coached for the AAA Albuquerque Dukes. Later, in 1998, he managed the Arizona League Cubs. In 1999, he managed the Daytona Cubs. In 2000, he became an instructor for infield players in the Cubs organization.
In 2003, Oliver took over as manager for the Saskatoon Legends. This team was part of the Canadian Baseball League. In 2006, he worked as a bunting instructor. He taught players how to bunt for the Chicago White Sox organization.
Family and Interests
Nate Oliver's father, Jim Oliver, Sr., was also a baseball player. He played in the Negro leagues. A baseball field in St. Petersburg, Florida was named after his father. This field was the first to be improved by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays Field Renovation Programs. Nate's brother, Jim, also played professional baseball.
Nate Oliver was known by the nickname "Pee Wee."
Oliver had a great singing voice. After he retired from baseball, he often sang the National Anthem at baseball games. In 1990, he was invited to play in a Dodgers old-timer's game. The famous singer Ella Fitzgerald was supposed to sing the National Anthem. But she canceled, so Nate Oliver sang it instead.
