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Bob AllisonAmerican baseball player, outfielder and batter
Date of Birth: 11.07.1934
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Bob Allison
Bob Allison was an American baseball player, outfielder, and batter. He played in the American League for the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins from 1958 to 1970.
Early Career
At the age of 20, Allison left the University of Kansas and joined the Washington Senators as a free-agent amateur. He started his professional career with the Hagerstown Packets, a team in the Class B Piedmont League. In his first season, Allison had a batting average of .256 in 122 games.
A year later, he moved to the Charlotte Hornets, a team in the Class A South Atlantic League. Allison had a better season, hitting 12 home runs and 6 triples, although his batting average dropped to .233.
In 1957 and 1958, Allison played for the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Southern League. His batting averages decreased during this time.
Major League Career
On September 16, 1958, Allison made his debut in the Major League against the Cleveland Indians. Although the game ended in a 5-1 loss for his team, Allison earned a single in that game.
In 1959, Allison's batting average improved to .261, and he hit 30 home runs. He led the league in triples and was selected to the All-Star team. He also competed for the Most Valuable Player award, although he received very few votes. However, he was named the Rookie of the Year.
In 1960, Allison had a disappointing season, but he made a comeback in 1961, hitting 29 home runs despite his batting average dropping to .245. In the same year, the Washington Senators relocated to Minnesota, and Allison became a fan favorite. He was recognized as one of the country's most dangerous baseball players alongside Harmon Killebrew.
In 1963, Allison had an outstanding season, hitting 35 home runs and leading the league in runs scored. He was selected to the All-Star team for the second time and was the league leader in the WAR (Wins Above Replacement) statistic, which measures a player's overall performance on and off the field.
Allison was the first of the four Minnesota Twins players to receive this distinction and the only one who did not become the league's Most Valuable Player.
In 1964, Allison was selected to the All-Star team for the third and final time. However, in the following year, he broke his left arm, causing him to miss 91 games. He returned to the field at the end of the season and played a crucial role in the Minnesota Twins defeating the New York Yankees.
Although 1965 and 1966 were not particularly successful for Allison, he had a strong comeback in 1967.
Retirement and later life
Allison retired in 1970. During his professional career, he worked for the Coca-Cola Bottling Midwest Co during the offseason. After retiring, Allison continued to work at the company and eventually became a plant manager.
Thirteen years after his retirement, Allison noticed a decline in his coordination. After numerous visits to doctors, he received a diagnosis of progressive spastic ataxia. He passed away on April 9, 1995, due to complications from this neurological disorder.
