Rangers History Today: Two Represent Texas In A Late All-Star Game

On this date in Texas Rangers history, two Rangers took to the field in one of the latest All-Star games ever played.

Buddy Bell and Al Oliver represented the Rangers for the second straight season in the All-Star game, which was held in Cleveland, on August 9, 1981. The game was held in August due to a player work stoppage earlier in the season.

Bell made two plate appearances in the game, going 0-for-1 but managed to drive in a run. Oliver, meanwhile, made a pinch-hitting appearance and went 0-for-1.

This gives us a chance to explore Oliver’s short, but productive career as a Ranger. Oliver was an integral part of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1968-77, during which he helped the Pirates to a World Series title in 1971 and he reached the All-Star Game three times.

After the 1977 season, Oliver was part of the first four-team trade in Major League Baseball history. That trade eventually brought him to Texas, where he ended up playing for the Rangers from 1978-81. He was an immediate hit at the plate for the Rangers, as he finished second in the American League with a .324 batting average in 1978. Oliver followed that up with a .323 average in 1979, which was good for fifth in the American League.

By the time Oliver's Rangers career was over, he had become the first player to win the Silver Slugger award at two different positions and left as the team's leading hitter with a .319 batting average.

The Rangers traded Oliver to Montreal before the 1982 season, as they received Larry Parrish and Dave Hostetler in return. Oliver was the National League batting champion in 1982.

Oliver ended up playing 2,368 games in the majors, with 2,743 hits. Those are among the best totals in Major League Baseball history. He also finished in the Top 10 in batting average nine different times. He is an odd footnote in Pirates history, as he hit the last home run at Forbes Field, the former home of the Pirates, and drove in the first run at their next home, Three Rivers Stadium.

Also on this date …

Aug. 9, 1990: Kevin Brown became the fourth Rangers pitcher to hit in an American League game in the designated hitter era. Brown took to the plate as a pinch hitter against Cleveland and grounded out.

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