Life Is a Hit; Don't Strike Out

Book excerpt: Al Oliver is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his eighteen year career, he has been blessed to be able to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1968-77), Texas Rangers (1978-81), Montreal Expos (1982-83), San Francisco Giants (1984), Philadelphia Phillies (1984), Los Angeles Dodgers (1985) and Toronto Blue Jays (1985). From 1970 to 1976, he played for five Pirates division champions, including the team that defeated the Orioles in the 1971 World Series. Al Oliver was a career .303 hitter with 219 home runs and 1326 RBI's in 2368 games. He batted .300 or more eleven times and retired with 2,743 hits (45th on the all-time list). He is ranked among the all-time top 50 in games played (2368), total bases (4083), RBI (1326) and extra-base hits (825). Oliver was among the league's top ten in doubles nine times and among the league's top ten in hits nine times as well and finished in the top ten in batting average nine times. During his career, five times he was among the league's top ten in total bases and four times he was in the top ten in RBIs. Oliver is a seven time All Star player, a three time Sliver Slugger Award winner, and has won the 1982 National League Batting Title. Oliver's autobiography covers his faith and determination on both on and off the diamond. It also discuss Olivers life from overcoming hardships as a child to his eventual triumph of becoming a Major League Baseball player. His inspiring story will touch the hearts of many.