Al Oliver Bio
After playing twenty-one years in professional baseball and eighteen of those in the Major League, Al Oliver continues his passion for helping others through his keynote speaking career.
Through both his speaking and his organization, Al Oliver Enterprises, Inc., Al strives to spread his message of swinging hard to accomplish your dreams, even when life pitches you curveballs.
In his book, Life is a Hit; Don’t Strike Out, Al weaves his profound storytelling and shares how anyone can achieve success.
Growing up, Al learned the meaning of self-reliance and maturity when his mother died when he was only eleven years old, leaving him to share the responsibility of caring for his two siblings with his father.
In the minor leagues, anytime a ball hit the dirt Al cleverly scooped it up when it was near first base, earning him the affectionate name “SCOOP”.
Getting to the major leagues had its challenges but Al never let these obstacles slow him down and at the young age of twenty, he was called up to the Major League by the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 14, 1968.
On that same day, Al’s father also passed away.
Juggling the care of his young siblings and the pressure of the major league, he managed to have an incredible official rookie season, batting .285 with 17 home runs and drove in 70 runs, placing second in the 1969 National League Rookie of the Year voting.
As their regular center fielder in 1971, Al played an integral role in the Pirates’ World Series win against the Baltimore Orioles. Nicknamed “SCOOP”, Oliver went on to play on 7 All-Star teams and win 3 Silver Slugger Awards.
Throughout his baseball career, Al consistently thrived in a highly competitive environment, using the lessons of self-esteem and motivation learned from his parents.
After retiring in 1986, he now shares his experiences both on and off the field to help others achieve their own goals and maximize their success.
