I think the HoM will say no to another right fielder from the Swingin' Sixties, but he rightfully will be on the radar screens of peak voters.

Anyone know how old he is? Various sources are saying 1938, 1940 or 1941.

I remember a left-handed batter notorious for frequently losing his grip on his bat during follow-through and flinging down the first base line, sometimes into the seats. I'm thinking that the batter was Tony Oliva - can anyone confirm that? I remember one occasion - likely an All-Star game - in which the POTUS was sitting in a box on the first base side and (Oliva?) let loose with one of these thrown bats. Didn't the Secret Service have a dossier on him?

Vote for Pedro!

Anyone know how old he is? Various sources are saying 1938, 1940 or 1941.

I don't know, but I would sure tend to believe the earliest date.

I am just back from 10 days of mountain climbing in Montana and what do I see but a thread for my old idol Tony.

Yes, he was the notorious bat-thrower, but only for about a year or so. He had a bad middle finger (don't remember which hand) which causedthe bat throwing, and it pretty much ceased when the finger healed up.

Not a HoMer, won't make my ballot. Sorry, Tony. But a great hitter for a few years. As a peak voter, however, the peak was not quite high enough and the career not quite long enough. Dick Allen was a rookie the same year if I recall and has the kind of peak you need with their respective length of career.

Using his brother's papers probably didn't help clear up his age. The Twins website says July 20, 1941.

I remember a left-handed batter notorious for frequently losing his grip on his bat during follow-through and flinging down the first base line, sometimes into the seats. I'm thinking that the batter was Tony Oliva - can anyone confirm that?

Wearing a white glove, I think.
Were they "golf gloves" in that day?

I don't remember the glove or gloves, I do remember that his middle knuckle was taped up. It was quite a sight.

Anyone know how old he is? Various sources are saying 1938, 1940 or 1941.

B-R.com says 1938. If that's the case, is there a case for MLE credit for him?

Tony's web page gives 1938 also.

http://www.tonyoliva.com/bio.html

1962 would be Tony's "look at me" season in AA. Tony had a shot at making the team in 1963 but didn't out of spring training and he was bad the first couple months in AAA. He hit the snot out of the ball the rest of the year in AAA. There might be an argument for 1/2 season of minor league credit but I doubt it gets him any closer to my ballot.

Thanks, DL.

Tony Oliva and Rico Carty were very similar in that when healthy they were awesome and if partially healthy they could still contribute positively. But geez, it was always something getting in the way.

Which one of those two contracted tuberculosis? That was Carty, wasn't it?