Ollie Pickering

Oliver Daniel Pickering

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut August 9, 1896
• Final Game October 8, 1908
• Born April 9, 1870 in Olney, IL USA
• Died January 20, 1952 in Vincennes, IN USA

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Biographical Information

". . . the two new men, Dolan and Pickering, have played fast ball since they have joined the team, and seem to have had a wonderful effect in steadying its playing strength. . . Pickering is as fine a fielder as one would care to see and so far has held his own with the stick . . ." - Sporting Life, Aug. 22, 1896

Ollie Pickering, who played eight seasons in the majors, is remembered as the very first batter in the American League in 1901, its first year as a major league. He also played for the 1905 Columbus Senators who went 100-52, and was their hitting star with a .326 batting average and 37 stolen bases.

The Baseball Digest of February 1977 remembered a 1901 game when the 1901 Cleveland Blues scored nine runs when there were two outs in the ninth. Pickering hit a single in that rally and came around to score, as the Blues won 14-13 on May 23.

His minor league career stretched from 1892-1922, although his last couple years of appearances were when he was also the manager of his teams.

"Ollie Pickering . . . sometimes referred to as the 'blind bull' on the bases . . ." - Sporting Life, Jan. 23, 1915

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