Tony Oliva was famous for digging in at home plate. He started every at bat digging a hole nearly ankle deep right on top of the back line of the batter's box.
I remember this irritating opposing catchers because his bat was swinging too close to their heads, and pitchers because it increased the length of time he had to to see the pitch, being in the deepest part of the batter's box. Opponents also felt his digging was providing him more leverage on pitches he hit.
It was an interesting memory because of the length of time he held that left hand out to the umpire, asking for time, while digging away with his left foot at that hole he always dug for himself.
» Calvin Calhoun was a 12-year-old baseball fan in Minneapolis, Minnesota
when Tony Oliva broke into the big leagues. Tony was his favorite player and he
watched him play until he left Minneapolis in 1967 and lost track of him.
During baseball talk with his wife, he found she had never heard of him, and "looked him up" on the internet, landing at this site.
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Posted October 17, 2005.
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