Gene Oliver
| Gene Oliver | |||
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| Catcher / First baseman / Outfielder | |||
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Born: March 22, 1935 Moline, Illinois |
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Died: March 3, 2007 (aged 71) Rock Island, Illinois |
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| MLB debut | |||
| June 6, 1959, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| August 24, 1969, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .246 | ||
| Home runs | 93 | ||
| Runs batted in | 320 | ||
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Eugene George Oliver (March 22, 1935 – March 3, 2007) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a catcher and first baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1959 through 1969, Oliver played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959, 1961–63), Milwaukee & Atlanta Braves (1963–67), Philadelphia Phillies (1967), Boston Red Sox (1968) and Chicago Cubs (1968–69). He batted and threw right-handed.
Oliver was from Moline, Illinois. He was a regular catcher for the Cardinals in 1962 and the Phillies in 1967, but most of his career he served as a back-up. Oliver had a strong arm and was good at blocking the plate. As a batter, he had some power and decent speed for a catcher.
In 1965, Oliver reached a high-career mark of 21 home runs with the Milwaukee Braves, enabling the team to set a National League record with six 20-HR hitters in one season. On June 8 of that year, Torre, Mathews, Aaron and Oliver hit 10th-inning home runs in a Braves victory over the Cubs, setting a major league record for most home runs in an extra-inning game.
The Phillies and Braves switched catchers in 1967, with Bob Uecker going to Atlanta. After the trade, Oliver suffered a severe knee injury that shortened his career.
In a 10-season career, Oliver hit .246 with 93 home runs, 320 runs batted in, 268 runs scored, 111 doubles, five triples, and 24 stolen bases in 786 games.
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