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E-mailQ&A with Al Oliver
Q: Did you think, during your playing days, that motivational speaking was something you could do after your career was over?
A: I thought that way very early. I was always a positive individual. I firmly believe that everybody has something positive about them. I've always looked at people that way as far as I can remember. That was the first sign that I recognized in myself that motivational speaking was something I could do later on.
Q: You have said that Pirates fans still call you by the nickname "Scoops." Where did that nickname come from?
A: That was a name I picked up in 1965 playing in Gastonia, N.C., for my defensive ability at first base, scooping the ball up in the dirt. The key to keeping a nickname is having players come up the ladder with you. That name stuck. Then, when I came to Pittsburgh, the Gunner, Bob Prince, he took over from there.
Q: What were Clemente and Stargell like as teammates?
A: As a younger player, I could not have asked to have had better teammates for a few reasons. No. 1, and foremost to me, they were super people with great hearts. They were talented baseball players, as we all know, and when I had to make the transition from first base to center field, having those guys on my wings made things so much easier. Those guys on each side were like a security blanket. I look back sometimes and wonder, if you put us together, was there a better outfield? Those guys made me a good center fielder. It was great playing between those guys. They were both true leaders in their own way. They had different ways of leading, but both lead by example. Roberto Clemente was a type of guy, personality wise, who was similar to me in some ways. Roberto Clemente was the type of guy that, if you sat down and talked, you might as well pull up a chair and get comfortable because you were going to be there for awhile. He enjoyed talking about life and people getting along. I felt the same way as he did about that. Willie Stargell always knew when to have a team party, if we lost three or four games in a row, which was rare back in the early 1970s.
Q: You had arguably your greatest offensive season in 1982 in Montreal, winning the batting title and finishing third in the MVP voting. You played for two seasons with the Expos ('82-'83), during a time when the team drew over two million fans a year and was successful on the field. What was that time like for you?
A: It was a great experience for me. When I went there (in 1982), we were suppose to win it. The prior year, they had an outstanding year, and I came in and was supposed to be the added piece to the puzzle. We were in contention all year, but unfortunately, things didn't work out. To play in Montreal, the fans were outstanding. I can't say enough about the fans. They were so appreciative. I heard so many roars from the crowd there. And I had the opportunity to play in the All-Star Game that first year in my home city. That year, everything fell in place for me, except winning it. That hurt more than anything else. We had an outstanding team, All-Star caliber players at each position. We just couldn't put it together on a consistent basis.
Q: Are there any players today that remind you of yourself?
A: That might be one of the toughest questions anybody's asked me. One player where there are some similarities in one area is Barry Bonds with his short, quick stroke. But it stops there. I was a line-drive hitter like Barry was earlier in his career. Barry has more of an upper-cut swing than I did. I was more level. But his short, quick stroke, our swings there are very similar. Another that comes to mind is Gary Sheffield as far as his aggressiveness. I was very aggressive as a hitter.
Q: Does missing out on 3,000 hits bother you?
A: No. The reason why it hasn't bothered me is because it wasn't due to anything I did. It was because that was what baseball handed me. What I mean is, in my last two years, I was platooned. Prior to me going to San Francisco (in 1984), I was still an everyday player. I was still hitting .300. I could still run. The bottom line is, I never slowed up, but my playing time did. At the end of the 1985 season, collusion came into play, and I was part of that. That definitely put an end to my career. If I had not ever been platooned in 1984 and '85, I would have gotten 3,000 hits.
Q: Do you ever think about the Hall of Fame? (Oliver is eligible for election through the Veterans' Committee in 2007).
A: All my friends and fans tell me, there's no doubt in their minds that I am going. I can only say this, if that day comes, the curtain can really be drawn on my career. If that day doesn't come, then it'll be something I won't have a problem living with, just I like I have thus far.
