Bobby Bolin

Position: Pitcher Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right 6-4, 185lb (193cm, 83kg) Born: January 29, 1939  in Hickory Grove, SC us Debut: April 18, 1961 (11,834th in major league history) vs. CIN 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER Last Game: September 30, 1973 vs. MIL 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER, Sv Full Name: Bobby Donald Bolin View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1961

Carl Yastrzemski
Lou Brock
Boog Powell
Jim Fregosi
Sam McDowell
Dean Chance
Al Downing
Bill Freehan
Eddie Brinkman

All-Time Teammate Team

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Notable Events and Chronology

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July 24, 1961

A home run derby featuring Bronx Bombers Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle vs. Giants sluggers Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda planned to take place before tonight’s exhibition game between the two teams is postponed due to the inclement conditions at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle will be the only scheduled participant to homer in the actual contest, when his second inning round-tripper, a 450-foot blast off Bob Bolin that lands in the bleachers, accounts for New York’s only run.

July 21, 1963

Ex-Giant backup 1B/OF Jim Marshall comes off the bench to deliver a particularly gratifying game-ending blow giving the Pirates an extra-inning, walk-off win over San Francisco. 2 for 14 in his previous pinch-hitting assignments for the Bucs, Marshall is sent up to face reliever Bobby Bolin in the bottom of the 11th with the bases filled, one out and the score tied, 6 – 6. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press reports: “Marshall fouled the first pitch, swung and missed the second, but sent the third toss to deep left. Matty Alou, playing close to make a throw home in case of a short fly, took a few steps backward and then glumly watched the ball fall safely as the fans whooped it up.” Willie Mays’s tape-measure triple in the top of that frame is considerably longer than Marshall’s game-ending blow. Les Biederman again: “The wind changed suddenly in the 11th inning but at the right time for the Pirates. Mays hit a tremendous shot against the right-center wall for a 440-foot triple in the top of the 11th with two out but was stranded. At the time, the wind was blowing to left field. When Mays went to centerfield, he looked up and the wind had shifted to right field. If that happened when he was at bat, Mays’ drive would have cleared the wall.” Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente, collects a double and single and scores two, bringing his hitting streak to 18. Not content with that, he inaugurates another streak, gunning down Willie McCovey at home plate for the second consecutive game.

September 16, 1965

Bobby Bolin’s 5 – 1 win at Houston gives the Giants 14 straight wins, the longest National League streak since 1951.

August 26, 1966

Against the Dodgers, Giants fireballer Bobby Bolin ties a major-league record by fanning the first five batters in the game. But the Dodgers win the game, 4 – 0.

June 15, 1967

Jimmy Wynn becomes the first Astro to hit three homers in one game, becoming the first of only two Houston players to have accomplished the feat in the 34-year history of the Astrodome. In 1994, ‘Toy Cannon’s’ performance will be matched by future Hall of Fame first baseman Jeff Bagwell.

August 19, 1968

In the top of the seventeenth inning at Shea Stadium, Ron Hunt’s two out single scores Hal Lanier for the game’s only run as the Giants beat New York, 1-0. Bobby Bolin throws the first 11 shutout innings, with reliever Frank Linzy getting the victory and Mike McCormick picking up a save.

August 13, 1969

In stark contrast to his career-best but famously wasted performance of May 15, 1967, Roberto Clemente’s second career three-home run game brings the desired result, a lightly contested 10 – 5 decision over San Francisco. This time around, Clemente provides power-hitting of both the long-range and up-close-and-personal variety, terrorizing bleacher creature and opposing pitcher alike. Pittsburgh Press writer Phil Musick: “Clemente revealed that he had used four different bats to pound out three home runs and a single that nearly defrocked Giant reliever Frank Linzy.” A summary of the three blasts is provided by Giants beat writer Bob Stevens: “A resumé of the way he hit the homers proves how difficult it is to pitch to this man. He hit one high and away off Mike McCormick over the right field screen in the 1st, he hit one low and inside over the right field screen in the 3rd, also off McCormick, and then when Bobby Bolin challenged him with a high hard pitch down the middle, Roberto crashed it off the flagpole beyond the center field screen to come within one of tying the all-time record of home runs in a single game.”

Biography

The sidearming Bolin pitched two no-hitters in the minors and had a top ML mark of 14-6 in 1965. The next year he tied a then-ML record by striking out the first five Dodger batters he faced. He was the winning pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers’ first victory.

Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts

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