“There’s no such thing as bragging. You’re either lying, or telling the truth.” – Al Oliver
It occurred to me the other day that every baseball card I’d ever seen of Al Oliver showed him scowling like, well, a pirate, often with a menacing piece of lumber in his hands. Maybe not scowling exactly, but he is seriously stone-faced. In fact, the first nine cards from an 18 year career have his countenance looking remarkably similar:
Al finally let his guard down around 1976 – maybe he was just jazzed about the Bicentennial (not!) or finally being recognized as a top tier player by Kellogg’s and Burger King in the late 70’s.
But generally Al stuck to his old ways, looking stoic and pensive, particularly in his last card with Pittsburgh (Topps, 1978).
Something must have shifted for Al around 1982 – he enjoyed his best season at the age of 35 with the Expos, leading the league in hits (204), doubles (43), RBI (109), batting average (.331), total bases (317), winning the third (and final) Silver Slugger award of his career, and finishing third in the MLP voting. For the most part his cards projected happiness for the next couple of seasons.
Al got back to his somber roots in the mid-1980’s, probably realizing that time was short and he had more work to do.
By 1985 he had earned a gorgeous Donruss Diamond Kings card, and was shown looking like a champ – relaxed and accomplished, content even.
There were three final cards of Al in 1986, though controversially the Blue Jays did not bring him back for that season. For another sliver of time he was smiling effortlessly, maybe finally able to unwind after all those years bearing down on pitchers. Well done, Mr. Oliver.
I’ve always been a fan of Al “Scoop” Oliver and thought he didn’t get the recognition he deserved – not in Pittsburgh, where he spent the first half of his career, nor as the journeyman he became over the second half. His cards always had heft, though he never was the best player on those Pirate teams, always overshadowed by iconic players like Clemente and Mazeroski, and sluggers like Willie Stargell and Dave Parker, though he ended up with more hits (2,743) and a higher career average (.303) than all of those guys, save The Great One.
He collected more extra base hits (825) than Orlando Cepeda, Johnny Bench, Cap Anson, Ron Santo, Tony Gwynn, Yogi Berra, Gary Carter, and Gil Hodges. He also tallied more total bases (4,083) than Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Rod Carew, Joe Morgan, Joe DiMaggio, Larry Walker, Duke Snider, and Mike Piazza. He was a 7-time All-Star and received MVP votes in 10 seasons from ages 25 to 36. Isn’t that something? Maybe he lacked power (219 HR)…but he did have more doubles (529) than Frank Robinson, Willie Mays, and Ted Williams. And maybe he wasn’t a spectacular gloveman (.980 Fld% as OF, .990 Fld% as 1B, 0 GG), but that cool nickname says he was no slouch in the field.
Over time Al probably buried most of the bitterness from slights, lack of recognition, and targeted collusion – I sure hope so. It was proven in court in 1996 that owners had chilled him out of baseball before he was ready to go, robbing him of twilight years that could have seen him reach 3,000 hits and probable acceptance into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He received a puny-sounding $680,031 settlement for the lost 1986 season…though he had intended to play a few more years at DH. And that was not an unreasonable goal considering he had hit .301 as a 37 year old…though his average did decline to .252 the following year, his last. Darn it.
Oliver’s Hall of Fame Expos teammate Andre Dawson may have said it best: “Al, as a lifetime .300 hitter after 18 seasons, I feel is deserving of induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. There is no question in my mind had he not been forced out of the game by collusion, had he been given an all-out honest attempt to achieve 3,000 hits, he would have done it. He was pushed out of the game when he was still a .300 hitter. I feel he deserves a place in baseball today.”
Later in life Al became an ordained Baptist deacon and motivational speaker, intent on helping people overcome obstacles, realize their full potential, and tune in productively with others. He’s still giving back today and doing the most work important there is.
While many may have forgotten what Al Oliver accomplished on the diamond, he, his dedicated fans, and the history books all recall what he did out there. In 2025 the Pittsburgh Pirates seemed to remember too when they finally (and rightfully) accepted him into their Hall of Fame along with Kiki Cuyler and Vern Law.
Al was all business as a player, but he has every right to sit back now and smile. Somehow he turns 79 this October 14th (2025), so go on now – it’s high time – give it up for Mr. Albert Oliver Jr.!
