Bob Oliver

Born: 2/8/1943 in Shreveport, LA, USA

Died: 4/19/2020 in Rio Linda, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1965-09-10 | Final Game: 1975-07-03

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 205 lbs

Full name: Robert Lee Oliver

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Bob Oliver, born in 1943, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1975. A versatile position player, Oliver played in a total of 847 games throughout his career, during which he recorded 745 hits and hit 94 home runs, contributing significantly to his teams’ offensive efforts. His career batting average stood at .256, and he drove in 419 runs while adding 17 stolen bases. Oliver was known for his power at the plate, especially during a time when the game was transitioning from the more pitcher-friendly eras of the 1960s to a more offense-oriented style in the 1970s. Oliver's career path included stints with several teams, where he showcased a combination of skill and determination. He emerged as a reliable player who could provide necessary depth and offensive support, making him a valuable asset during his time in the league. Although he may not be as widely recognized as some contemporaries, Oliver’s contributions to the game during his decade-long career reflect the evolution of baseball in the 1960s and 70s, an era marked by the rise of power hitters and the changing dynamics of the game. His legacy endures through the numbers he posted and the impact he had on his teams.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
847	2914	293	745	102	19	94	419	17	156	562	0.256	0.295	0.400	0.696	7.4

Career AVG .256 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .295 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — 7.8% below league average.

Career SLG .400 vs. league average .371 across their career seasons — +7.9% above league average.

Career OPS 0.696 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1965	PIT	NL	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1969	KCR	AL	118	394	43	100	8	4	13	43	5	21	74	0.254	.248 (+2%)	.320 (-8%)	.369 (+7%)	.689 (avg)	-153.4
1970	KCR	AL	160	612	83	159	24	6	27	99	3	42	126	0.260	.253 (+2%)	.325 (-5%)	.385 (+17%)	.711 (+7%)	622.4
1971	KCR	AL	128	373	35	91	12	2	8	52	0	14	88	0.244	.249 (-2%)	.316 (-13%)	.365 (-4%)	.682 (-8%)	-678.1
1972	KCR	AL	16	63	7	17	2	1	1	6	1	2	12	0.270	.243 (+11%)	.310 (-6%)	.353 (+8%)	.664 (+1%)	-9.0
1972	LAA	AL	134	509	47	137	20	4	19	70	4	27	97	0.269	.243 (+10%)	.310 (-1%)	.353 (+23%)	.664 (+12%)	-9.0
1973	LAA	AL	151	544	51	144	24	1	18	89	1	33	100	0.265	.256 (+3%)	.325 (-4%)	.378 (+9%)	.703 (+3%)	147.5
1974	LAA	AL	110	359	22	89	9	1	8	55	2	16	51	0.248	.256 (-3%)	.324 (-14%)	.369 (-6%)	.693 (-10%)	-801.8
1974	BAL	AL	9	20	1	3	2	0	0	4	1	0	5	0.150	—	—	—	—	-801.8
1975	NYY	AL	18	38	3	5	1	0	0	1	0	1	9	0.132	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	423	368	3367	195	32	323
3B	152	140	128	261	23	22
OF	224	205	436	21	10	4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1965	PIT	OF	3	0	3	0	0	0
1969	KCA	1B	12	8	72	6	0	6
1969	KCA	3B	8	5	5	8	3	0
1969	KCA	OF	98	89	199	11	5	4
1970	KCA	1B	115	110	1020	65	8	100
1970	KCA	3B	46	46	57	80	6	11
1971	KCA	1B	68	44	470	31	6	53
1971	KCA	3B	2	0	2	3	1	0
1971	KCA	OF	48	44	94	3	1	0
1972	KCA	OF	16	16	45	1	1	0
1972	CAL	1B	127	124	1079	54	7	93
1972	CAL	OF	8	8	12	0	2	0
1973	CAL	1B	32	31	282	14	4	21
1973	CAL	3B	49	48	37	103	7	5
1973	CAL	OF	47	46	77	4	0	0
1974	CAL	1B	57	44	373	18	6	40
1974	CAL	3B	46	40	27	65	6	6
1974	CAL	OF	4	2	6	2	1	0
1974	BAL	1B	4	3	32	5	1	1
1975	NYA	1B	8	4	39	2	0	9
1975	NYA	3B	1	1	0	2	0	0