Up on the blog today, from my recent 1963 Fleer "extension" set (round 2), a "missing" 1963 card for hitting great Tony Oliva:
He burst onto the Major League scene in 1964 when he easily won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
In that year, all he did was lead the league in batting, hitting .323, while slamming 32 homers with 94 runs batted in.
He also lead the league in runs scored with 109, hits with 217, doubles with 43 and total bases with 374!
Those numbers also got him a fourth place finish in M.V.P. voting as well.
The following year there was no sign of a sophomore jinx, as he
once again led the lead in batting, this time hitting .321, with 16
homers, 98 R.B.I.'s, 40 doubles and 107 runs scored.
He also led the league in total hits again, this time with 185.
All told in his career, Oliva would win three batting titles (the
third coming in 1971 when he hit .337), and would lead the league in
hits five times, slugging once (1971), get named to eight straight
all-star teams, and have two second-place finishes
for M.V.P., in 1965 and 1970.
When you really take a look, he only had 11 full seasons in the
Majors, with the half-season in 1976 and three pretty much non-existent
years in 1962, 1963 and 1972.
So his numbers carry a bit more weight in that light.
And wow, what a great hitting combo he and Rod Carew made for the Twins, huh?!
Nice 1-2 punch right there.
