Former MLB pitcher Al Holland, best known for serving as the closer for the 1983 NL champion Philadelphia Phillies, passed away on the Fourth of July at the age of 73.
Born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia, Holland attended North Carolina A&T State University, a historically black college, where he played both baseball and football. While attending North Carolina A&T State University, Holland was drafted twice. First by the Texas Rangers in the 30th round of the 1974 MLB draft and then the following year by the San Diego Padres in the 5th round of the MLB draft. However, Holland declined in order to complete his college education.
Holland would sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the summer of 1975 as an amateur free agent at the behest of Branch Rickey III. He would briefly pitch with the Bucs as a September callup during the 1977 season.
After spending all of the 1978 season with the Pirates Triple-AAA affiliate in Columbus, Holland was sent to the San Francisco Giants in the middle of the following season along with fellow pitchers Fred Breining and Ed Whitson in exchange for then two-time NL batting champion Bill Madlock, journeyman Lenny Randle and pitcher Dave Roberts. The trade would help the Pirates win the 1979 World Series.
As for Holland, it would give him an opportunity to pitch which he earned during the 1980 season after posting a 1.75 ERA in 54 appearances out of the bullpen. Holland would finish 7th in NL Rookie of the Year balloting.
After two more seasons mainly out of the bullpen with the occasional spot start, the Giants sent Holland along with future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan to the Philadelphia Phillies for future NL Cy Young Award winner Mark Davis and future 20-game winner and Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow. Holland was an integral part of the Wheeze Kids which would win the NL pennant earning 25 saves and a career high 100 strikeouts. Holland would finish 6th in NL Cy Young balloting and 9th in NL MVP balloting.
In 1984, Holland would save a career high 29 games and earn his only All-Star Team selection as the Phillies would regress to being a .500 team. Early in the 1985 season, the Phillies would send Holland back to the Pirates in exchange for fellow reliever Kent Tekulve. Holland's second tenure in Pittsburgh was marred by his involvement in the Pittsburgh drug trials. By August, the Bucs sent Holland along with fellow southpaw John Candelaria and veteran hitter George Hendrick to the California Angels.
After accepting a suspension, community service and wage garnishment, Holland would finish his career with the New York Yankees pitching with the Bronx Bombers in the 1986 and 1987 seasons. In 384 career appearances (373 out of the bullpen) over parts of 11 seasons, Holland went 34-30 with a 2.98 ERA saving 78 career games striking out 513 while walking only 232 over 646 innings pitched.
In a 1985 interview with Baseball Digest, Holland said, “I’ve always said that when I die, I want to have engraved on my tombstone the words: ‘Give me the ball,’”
I have no doubt that Al Holland's family will grant him this wish. R.I.P.
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