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Al Oliver hit .285 with 17 homers and 70 RBI in 1969 to finish second in Rookie of the Year balloting. A model of consistency, Oliver average 167 hits per season from 1969-1984. Each season during that time he had at least 130 hits.

A seven-time All Star Oliver earned 3 Silver Sluggers. In 1982 he led the league in hits, doubles, RBI, total bases, and batting average. He finished two spots behind Atlanta’s Dale Murphy in MVP voting.

In the collection is this quadruple-signed contract with the Autoball company, producers of souvenir baseballs with stamped facsimile signatures. Oliver had all of 8 big league at bats when he signed the contract. The terms of the deal? Oliver received one cent per ball sold. “Scoop” signed this contract on March 20, 1969 with all of four big league games under his belt.

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Al Oliver and the Pirates were postseason mainstays in the early 70s. In the first year of the decade they dropped to Sparky Anderson’s Reds in the NLCS. The following season they returned to the championship series and beat the Giants for the NL flag. Pittsburgh then squeaked past the mighty Baltimore Orioles in a thrilling 7-game World Series. Though they returned to the postseason in ’72, ’74, and ’75 they fell in the NLCS each time.

As one of the great teams of their era, the Pirates were loaded with talent. Oliver played center between Hall of Fame outfielders Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente. On the bench was sure-handed second baseman and Cooperstown man Bill Mazeroski. The pitching staff boasted 19-game winner Dock Ellis and right-hander Steve Blass.

Shown here is a 1970 Al Oliver baseball card complete with the Topps Rookie All Star trophy. Oliver signed his name across the bottom half of the card.

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Al Oliver helped the Pirates become champions of the baseball world in 1971. As Pittsburgh’s starting centerfielder, he was flanked by Hall of Famer Willie Stargell in left, and ’71 World Series MVP Roberto Clemente in right.

Under skipper Danny Murtaugh the Pirates won 97 regular-season games in ’71 before pushing aside the Giants in the NLCS. The World Series was a 7-game thriller against Earl Weaver and the Baltimore Orioles.

Shown here is a letter from baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn. The head man of baseball writes about the sport’s headline event.

“The World Series is the premier event of American Sports.

“No other event has been able to capture it’s special appeal or match its magnificent history.”

Baseball’s chief then references the Pirates victory that earned Oliver his World Series ring.

“Never in the previous 68 Series has its penchant for dramatics been better displayed than in the superb 1971 encounter between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles.”

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A World Series champion with the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, Al Oliver was a seven-time All Star who appeared on MVP ballots in ten different seasons. Largely overlooked today, Oliver was the 1982 National League batting champ and earned three Silver Slugger Awards.

Shown here is an autographed wire photo of Oliver slugging a homer in Game 1 of the 1972 National League Championship Series. Oliver was the star in the game 2-for-4 with a triple, a homer, two runs scored and three RBI. Pittsburgh won the game but dropped three of the next four games to the Cincinnati Reds.

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The runner up in 1969 Rookie of the Year balloting, Oliver completed his career with 2,743 hits and a .303 lifetime average. His finest season came in 1982 when he paced the NL in hits, doubled, batting average, runs batted in, and total bases.

Oliver was a 7-time All Star with three Silver Sluggers and a batting crown.

Three-thousand hits ensures a plaque in Cooperstown for players who don’t bet on the game or take PEDs. Among eligible hitters below the threshold, only Barry Bonds, Omar Vizquel, Johnny Damon, and Vada Pinson have more hits than Oliver.

Shown here is a 1983 Topps “Super Veteran” card of Oliver. He is pictured early in his career with the Pirates and late in his career with the Expos. Oliver has signed it boldly across the center of the card.