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| Rollie Fingers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rollie Fingers |
| Position | Pitcher |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Birth date | May 25, 1946 |
| Birth place | Steubenville, Ohio |
| Debutleague | MLB |
| Debutdate | September 15 |
| Debutyear | 1968 |
| Debutsteam | Oakland Athletics |
| Finalleague | MLB |
| Finaldate | September 27 |
| Finalyear | 1985 |
| Finalteam | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Statleague | MLB |
| Stat1label | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value | 114–118 |
| Stat2label | Earned run average |
| Stat2value | 2.90 |
| Stat3label | Saves |
| Stat3value | 341 |
| Hofdate | 1992 |
| Hofmethod | Veterans Committee |
Rollie Fingers
Rollie Fingers is a former American professional baseball pitcher noted for his role as a premier relief pitcher and closer in Major League Baseball during the 1970s and early 1980s. He rose to prominence with the Oakland Athletics under manager Dick Williams and later played for the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, earning multiple All-Star selections and a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Fingers was born in Steubenville, Ohio and raised in Lyndora, Pennsylvania near Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he attended Lyndora High School and excelled in baseball, football, and basketball. He played collegiate baseball at University of South Carolina before being signed by the Kansas City Royals organization, and he developed in the minor league system with stops such as the Wichita Aeros and Reno Silver Sox under the tutelage of minor league managers and coaches connected to the American League and Pacific Coast League. During his amateur years he faced future major leaguers from programs like Ohio State University, University of Michigan, UCLA, and University of Southern California in collegiate and summer league play.
Fingers broke into the majors with the Oakland Athletics in 1968 and became a fixture in their bullpen under executives like owner Charlie Finley and general manager Frank Lane. As part of Oakland's championship teams, he contributed to three consecutive World Series titles in 1972, 1973, and 1974 alongside teammates such as Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Gene Tenace, and Sal Bando. After a contract dispute and trade orchestrated by front offices involving the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, he continued as a dominant closer, recording high save totals during seasons against rivals from the National League and American League including matchups with pitchers like Rollie Fingers' contemporaries and hitters such as Pete Rose and Hank Aaron. Fingers’ tenure with the Brewers culminated in an appearance in the 1982 American League Championship Series where he worked in critical late-inning situations against teams including the New York Yankees and California Angels.
Fingers was known for a hard fastball complemented by a slider, splitter, and deceptive changeup taught in instructional leagues associated with Major League Baseball. His delivery, use of the bullpen in the late innings, and situational appearances reflected evolving relief strategies promoted by managers like Billy Martin and Sparky Anderson. He famously wore a long, handlebar mustache cultivated with barbering influences from popular culture figures and maintained specialized equipment including custom gloves from manufacturers such as Rawlings and Wilson Sporting Goods, and he adopted protective gear standards influenced by Major League Baseball Players Association guidelines.
Fingers earned multiple selections to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and won the American League Most Valuable Player Award and Cy Young Award in 1981 while with the Milwaukee Brewers, joining a small group of relief pitchers honored in both award categories alongside players from lists maintained by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He led the league in saves in multiple seasons and was named to All-Pro-level honorifics within baseball such as The Sporting News end-of-season teams. Fingers was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 by the Veterans Committee and has been inducted into several team and state halls of fame, including honors associated with Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers alumni gatherings.
Fingers has been associated with charitable activities and alumni events connected to organizations like the Baseball Assistance Team and community programs in cities such as Oakland, California, San Diego, California, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He married and has family ties in Pennsylvania and has appeared at public ceremonies involving figures from the Major League Baseball Players Association and former teammates such as Reggie Jackson and Dennis Eckersley. Outside of baseball, he has participated in endorsements and media appearances on broadcasts for networks like ESPN and regional sports networks covering the American League and National League.
Fingers helped define the modern role of the closer and influenced relief usage adopted by managers and front offices in franchises across MLB including the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals. His Hall of Fame induction and statistical benchmarks for saves informed debates within the Baseball Writers' Association of America and statistical communities such as proponents of Sabermetrics and analysts from institutions like Society for American Baseball Research. Younger closers and bullpen specialists have cited him during coaching clinics hosted by organizations like Major League Baseball and retired-player seminars run by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Category:Baseball players