Bobby Bolin, former Giants pitcher, dead at 84
Former Giants pitcher Bobby Bolin, who was one of the original inductees into the team’s Wall of Fame, passed away on June 2 at the age of 84, according to an online obituary. The cause of his death has not been given. Bolin was a right-handed starter and reliever in the Major Leagues for 13 seasons, playing for the Giants, Brewers, and Red Sox. Known for his reliability, Bolin finished in the top 10 of the National League three times for ERA, and twice for both shutouts and winning percentage. He once said, “I was never classified as a starter or as a reliever, so I mostly sat on a tarp between the bullpen and the dugout because I didn’t know which one I’d be doing.”
In 1968, a season known as The Year of the Pitcher, Bolin went 10-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 34 appearances, including 19 starts, with six complete games and three shutouts. That same season, Cardinals ace Bob Gibson famously pitched to a microscopic 1.12 ERA, but on September 6, Bolin outdueled the St. Louis star in a 3-2 win. Bolin grew up in South Carolina and pitched four no-hitters in one season at Hickory Grove High School. Although he was a Dodgers fan growing up, he signed with the Giants after being told by scout Tim Murchison that he would have a better chance of making the big leagues with the Giants.
Bolin made his MLB debut in 1961 and was a part of the 1962 pennant-winning Giants, appearing in two games in the World Series against the Yankees. San Francisco would lose the series in seven games. Bolin’s best season, however, came in 1965 when he went 14-6. The following season, he set career-highs with 10 complete games and four shutouts despite a pedestrian 11-10 record. Bolin pitched for the Giants through the 1969 season and finished his career in the American League with the Brewers and Red Sox. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Irene White Bolin, as well as two children, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
FAQs:
Who is Bobby Bolin?
Bobby Bolin was a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Giants, Brewers, and Red Sox during his 13-year career. He was one of the original inductees into the Giants’ Wall of Fame.
When did Bobby Bolin pass away?
Bobby Bolin passed away on June 2, 2021.
What were Bobby Bolin’s notable achievements?
Bobby Bolin finished in the top 10 of the National League three times for ERA, and twice for both shutouts and winning percentage. In 1968, he went 10-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 34 appearances, including 19 starts, with six complete games and three shutouts.
What team did Bobby Bolin play for?
Bobby Bolin played for the Giants, Brewers, and Red Sox during his 13-year career.
Did Bobby Bolin win any World Series?
Although he was a member of the 1962 Giants team that won the National League pennant, they lost the World Series to the Yankees in seven games, and Bolin appeared in only two games in the series.
Former Giants pitcher, Bobby Bolin, passes away at the age of 84.
Former Giants pitcher Bobby Bolin, who was one of the original inductees to the team’s Wall of Fame, has died at the age of 84, according to an online obituary that was released recently. Bobby Bolin, a right-handed starter and reliever in the majors with the Giants, Brewers, and Red Sox for 13 seasons, was known for his reliable pitching performance throughout his career. Bolin finished in the top 10 in the National League three times for ERA and twice for shutouts and winning percentage. He once said, “I was never classified as a starter or as a reliever, so I mostly sat on a tarp between the bullpen and the dugout because I didn’t know which one I’d be doing.”
In 1968, Bolin had an exceptional performance as he went 10-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 34 appearances, including 19 starts, with six complete games and three shutouts. Although the season is known as The Year of the Pitcher due to the performance of ace Bob Gibson, Bolin outshined Gibson on September 6 in a 3-2 win by the St. Louis star. Bolin, who grew up in South Carolina, signed with the Giants when Giants scout Tim Murchison suggested he would have a better chance of making the big leagues with the Giants instead of the Dodgers.
Bolin made his MLB debut in 1961 and was on the 1962 pennant-winning Giants, appearing in two games in the World Series against the Yankees, a series San Francisco would lose in seven games. The sidearmer went a career-best 14-6 in 1965. In the following season, he set career highs with 10 complete games and four shutouts despite a pedestrian 11-10 record. Bolin pitched for the Giants through the 1969 season and finished his career in the American League with the Brewers and Red Sox.
Bolin is survived by his wife of 64 years, Irene White Bolin, as well as two children, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.