Tony Oliva

Baseball Player

Tony Oliva was born in Pinar del Río Province, Cuba on July 20th, 1938 and is the Baseball Player. At the age of 85, Tony Oliva biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.

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Date of Birth
July 20, 1938
Nationality
Cuba
Place of Birth
Pinar del Río Province, Cuba
Age
85 years old
Zodiac Sign
Cancer
Profession
Baseball Player
Tony Oliva Height, Weight, Eye Color and Hair Color

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Tony Oliva Religion, Education, and Hobbies
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Tony Oliva Life

Tony Pedro Oliva (born Antonio Oliva Lopez Hernandes Javique on July 20, 1938) is a Cuban former professional baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and mentor who spent his entire 15-year MLB (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins from 1962 to 1976. Oliva, who immigrated to the United States in 1961, played in minor leagues before transferring to the United States to become a major league regular in 1964.

He was one of the game's best hitters and an All-Star during his first eight seasons, and he was active in baseball's "second deadball era."

Oliva was the 1964 American League Rookie of the Year, an AL batting champion for three seasons, an AL hit leader five seasons, and a Gold Glove winner one season.

Oliva's career was hampered by a string of serious knee injuries, prompting him to become a designated hitter in his final four years in baseball.

He is regarded as one of the finest players not inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Early life

Born in Pinar del Ro Province, Cuba, in 1938, he played baseball with his father, brothers, and neighbors in a vacant lot next to his house. Oliva's father, who worked in a tobacco plant and was known for rolling the best cigars, was also a former semi-professional player who instructed Tony and helped him become "the best hitter in Pinar del Ro." The youth were noticed by a Minnesota Twins Scout who had taken him to the United States to compete competitively. He was reluctant to leave his parents and nine siblings, but his father encouraged him to become "rich and popular" in America.

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Tony Oliva Career

Professional baseball career

In the spring of 1961, Oliva arrived in the United States. He appeared in the Twins' final three games this year, collecting seven hits in ten at bats. However, the Twins had already filled their minor league rosters and fired Oliva, with some blaming his poor outfield play. Oliva and a friend who played for the Minnesota Twins Class A farm team had no where else to go. Charlotte general manager Phil Howser, who placed a call and advised the Twins to re-sign the aspiring star, was impressed by his quick wrists, long frame, and "unharnessed power."

Many newspapers announced Tony's younger brother Pedro Jr. (born 1941) as his younger brother Pedro Jr. (born 1941) in order to appear younger to major league scouts. The name stuck, and Oliva officially changed his name to Tony Pedro Oliva in the late 1990s.

Oliva was sent by the Twins to the Class-D Wytheville Twins in the Appalachian League, where he appeared in 64 games and led the league with a.410 batting average, but had a low fielding percentage of.854. Oliva was sent to single-A Charlotte in the South Atlantic League, where he finished second in the Puerto Rico leagues in winter baseball, where he batted.350 with 17 home runs and 93 RBIs. He was called up to the major leagues with nine games remaining and made his Twins debut on September 9, 1962, hitting a record-breaking.444 in 12 plate appearances.

He was invited to spring training with the Twins in 1963, and the Twins' leadership hoped that the lefty Oliva would balance their right-handed sluggers Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew. While there, he became acquainted with fellow Cuban shortstop Zoilo Versalles, who quickly became convinced that Oliva was "the new Ty Cobb," blaming their similarities in striking ability, speed, and arm strength. Oliva, however, was unable to make the Twins' major league team and was assigned to the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers, the club's Class AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. Oliva's season started slowly, with a.235 average in his first two months. He recovered, however, and finished the minor league season with a.304 batting average and 74 RBIs. This earned him a call up for the final few games of the 1963 major league season. He responded with a soaring bat, going for.429 in just 7 at-bats.

Oliva was named as a near-unanimous 1964 American League (AL) Rookie of the Year, winning 19 of 20 first-place votes, marking one of the best rookie years in baseball history. Oliva was selected to his first All-Star game in his rookie year, but the plate was 0-for-4. His AL-leading.323 batting average made him the first player to win both the Rookie of the Year Award and the AL batting championship. Runs (139), runs created (133), and runs paced the AL in hits (217), doubles (43), extra base hits (84), and runs created (133). Oliva's 374 total bases tied for a rookie record. In MVP voting, Oliva came in fourth place.

Oliva won his second straight AL batting title with a.321 average in 1965, his back-to-back victories again a baseball first. His results were all the more noteworthy for falling right at the start of baseball's "second deathless season," with only two other AL hitters making the.300 mark this season (Carl Yastrzemski (.312) and Vic Davalillo (.301). Oliva's home runs total, 98 runs batted in, and 107 runs. He led the AL in hits (185), runs earned (108), sacrifice flies (101) and batting average (3.21), good for a second-place finish in MVP voting to teammate and Twins spark plug Versalles. Oliva played in his second All-Star game, replacing game starter Rocky Colavito, and had a double in the ninth inning after pinching hitting in the seventh inning and grounding out.

Oliva was leading the league with a.328 average through July. However, between August 21 and September 21, he collapsed badly, with three wickets in 29 at bats and four hits in 34 at bats, costing him his third straight batting title. Oliva finished with a.307 batting average and was runner-up to Triple Crown champion and AL MVP Frank Robinson, who hit.316. Oliva led the AL in hits for the third year in a row (191). In addition, he received his first Gold Glove award and came in fifth place in MVP voting. In the seventh inning of a game against the Kansas City Athletics, where Oliva joined Harmon Killebrew, Don Mincher, Rich Rollins, and Versalles to score five home runs in a single inning, one of the season's highlights was on June 9, 1966. These five home runs, along with starter Catfish Hunter (three) and reliever Paul Lindblad (two), are now 2021, tying a record for the most home runs in a single inning in MLB history.

Oliva's rebound in 1968 was stifled by injury after a brief stint in 1967, when he led the AL with 37 doubles and finished in the top ten in batting average, total bases, RBIs, runs, additional base hits, and intentional walks. He was down for second in the AL by a single point, but it wasn't bad for third place by a single point, with only batting champ Yastrzemski hitting.300 by a single point as well. He returned to form in 1969 with a.309 batting average, 24 home runs, 101 RBIs, and league leads in hits (197) and doubles (39). With 23 home runs and 107 RBIs, he came in third in batting average in the American League in 1970. For the fourth time, he led the AL in hits (204) for the fifth time, in doubles (36) for the fourth time, and finished second in MVP voting, this time to Baltimore's Boog Powell.

Oliva claimed his third AL batting title with a.337 average and led the league in slugging percentage (.54%) in 1971. These performances came at the end of an eight-in-a-row streak, beginning his rookie season, as ankle, leg, and shoulder injuries hampered his remaining playing days. Oliva's constant companion, Rod Carew, heard Oliva "moaning and groaning" and waking up to obtain ice for his sore knees during the night. Before undergoing season-ending surgery, he played only 10 games in 1972. He was the Twins' designated hitter that spring and remained in that role for the next four seasons due to injuries and a 1973 American League constitution change establishing a new position. On April 6, 1973, Oliva would reach its first home run by a DH in league play.

After retiring as a player, Oliva was a mentor for the Twins. As such, he holds the distinction of being the only on-field team member to play with all three Minnesota Twins' World Series franchises: as an outfielder in 1965, hitting coach in 1989, and bench coach in 1991.

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