Milt Bolling

From BR Bullpen

Milton Joseph Bolling

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.
School Spring Hill College
Debut September 10, 1952
Final Game July 28, 1958
Born August 9, 1930 in Mississippi City, MS USA

[edit] Biographical Information

The Boston Red Sox signed Milt Bolling as an amateur free agent before the 1948 season and assigned him to the class B Roanoke Red Sox. The 17-year-old rookie shortstop got off to a rough beginning, hitting only .184 in 85 games.

Milt would ply his trade with several teams in the minors until September 10, 1952 when he made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Following his eleven-game trial in '52 Milt earned the 1953 Red Sox starting shortstop job the following season. He responded by hitting a career high .263. His OPS+ of 77 was just barely above his career average as he did not have a high OBP (.318) or slugging percentage (.353) However, he suffered an ankle injury that hampered him the rest of his career.

In spring training in 1955 the snake-bitten infielder dislocated his left arm during a play at second base in which a collision with Del Rice almost destroyed him. Milt was traded to the Washington Senators in 1957 and he concluded his seven-year American League career with the Detroit Tigers in 1958 with a .241 lifetime average.

With Detroit, Milt joined his younger brother, Frank, in the middle infield. Their brief union enabled them to become one of four brother double play combinations in baseball history (through 2008), joining the 1945 Phillies' Garvin and Granny Hamner, the Pittsburgh Pirates' Eddie and Johnny O'Brien (early 50's) and the Baltimore Orioles' Cal and Billy Ripken in the late 80's.

Bolling had spent eleven seasons in professional baseball from 1948 through 1958. Altogether he appeared in 940 games with 3,081 at bats and 734 base hits, including 49 home runs, for a .238 batting average.

He had an uncle, Jack Bolling, who was in pro ball from 1936 through 1946. Jack was with the 1939 Phillies and the 1944 Dodgers.

Milt, who like his brother Frank, was a graduate of Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, remained in baseball as a longtime scout for the Red Sox from 1965 until retiring in 1994.