Batting average .254 Role Baseball player Name Frank Bolling | Runs batted in 556 Home runs 106 Siblings Milt Bolling | |
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Nephews Rick Bolling, Cary Bolling Nieces Angie Bolling, Val Bolling Similar People Bill Bruton, Frank Lary, Charlie Maxwell | ||
Frank Elmore Bolling (born November 16, 1931) is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1954 through 1966 for the Detroit Tigers (1954, 1956–1960) and the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1961–66). He hit and threw right-handed, and is the younger brother of shortstop Milt Bolling (now deceased).
In a 12-season career, he hit .254 with 106 home runs and 556 runs batted in (RBIs) in 1540 games played.
He reached the majors in 1954 with the Detroit Tigers, playing six seasons with them before moving to the Milwaukee Braves in 1961. He was on the Braves roster when the team moved to Atlanta in 1966.
A fine defensive second baseman, Bolling also averaged 14 home runs from 1957 to 1959, with a career-high 15 in 1957. His most productive season was 1958, when he posted career numbers in hits (164), doubles (27), runs and RBIs (75), and won the Gold Glove Award after leading the American League second basemen in fielding percentage. When his brother Milt was traded to Detroit during the same season, the Bollings became one of only four brother combinations in major league history to play second base / shortstop on the same club. The others are Garvin and Granny Hamner (for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945), the twins Eddie and Johnny O'Brien with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the mid-1950s, and Cal and Billy Ripken for the Baltimore Orioles during the 1980s.
Traded to the Braves for Bill Bruton after the 1960 season, Bolling led National League second basemen in fielding in 1961, 1962 and 1964. He made the National League All-Star team in 1961 and 1962, and also was named on The Sporting News NL All-Star Team in 1961. He never played an inning at any position other than second base, ending with a career fielding mark of .982.
