Ray Oyler
Encyclopedia
Raymond Francis Oyler was an American
Major League Baseball
shortstop
. He played for the Detroit Tigers
(1965–1968), Seattle Pilots
(1969), and California Angels
(1970). He is best remembered as the slick-fielding, no-hit shortstop
for the 1968 World Series
champion Tigers and as the subject of the endearing "Ray Oyler Fan Club" organized by Seattle radio personality Robert E. Lee Hardwick (of the Pilot's flagship radio station KVI) in Seattle
.
, Oyler graduated from Cathedral High School
in Indianapolis in 1956 and served in Marine Corps
before playing in the major leagues.
made his major league debut with Detroit on April 18, 1965.
During his first two seasons, Oyler was a backup shortstop
for Dick McAuliffe
.
In 1965
, Oyler debuted with a .186 average, but he did hit five home run
s and six doubles
in 82 games. More importantly, he proved himself to be a smooth-fielding shortstop
.
In 1966
, Oyler's average
dropped to .171 in 71 games, and the glimmer of power he displayed in 1965 disappeared, as Oyler hit only one home run
in 210 at bats.
In 1967
, the Tigers moved Dick McAuliffe
from shortstop
to second base
, opening a spot for Oyler as the Tigers' starting shortstop. Oyler played a career-high 147 games at shortstop in 1967 and had career-highs with 185 putout
s, 374 assists
, and 61 double play
s. As an every day player in 1967, Oyler also increased his batting average
to .207—the only year in which he hit above .200. He was also No. 3 in the American League
with 15 sacrifice hit
s in 1967—the only leaderboard appearance in Oyler's career.
In 1968
, Oyler's bat cooled to its lowest point yet. In 111 games, Oyler managed only 29 hits (21 of them singles) for a career-low batting average
of .135. However, his glove remained valuable as he had a .977 fielding percentage
(15 points above the league average for shortstops)
to the shortstop position for the last 9 games of the regular season and for all 7 games of the 1968 World Series
. Oyler's batting average had dropped to an abysmal .135, and Smith had four quality outfielders in Willie Horton
, Jim Northrup, Al Kaline
, and Mickey Stanley
. Stanley had not played the shortstop position before the 1968 season, but was a talented athlete with a good glove. Though Stanley made 2 errors in the 1968 World Series
, neither error led to a run being scored.
Oyler did not have an official at bat in the 1968 World Series
, but he did appear in all four Detroit victories as a defensive replacement and had a sacrifice bunt.
In its "The End of the Century" series, ESPN
rated Mayo Smith
's decision to move Stanley to shortstop for the 1968 World Series
as one of the 10 greatest coaching decisions of the century. (The decision to move Babe Ruth from pitcher to the outfield ranks 3 notches higher.)
Stanley returned to play 59 games at shortstop the next year, while Oyler was allowed to be drafted by the expansion Seattle Pilots
.
after the 1968 season and was the third player drafted by the Seattle Pilots
. Before the Pilots even played their first game in 1969
, Seattle radio disc jockey Robert E. Lee "Bob" Hardwick looked over the list of players drafted by the Pilots, discovered Oyler's batting average and created the "Ray Oyler Fan Club," initially as a radio bit on his radio show. (Fred Cavinder, "More Amazing Tales from Indiana" (Indiana Univ. Press 2003) p. 188)
Grabbing onto the popularity of the late-60s Laugh-In TV show's "Sock it to Me" catchphrase, the fan club was called the Ray Oyler "S.O.C. I.T. T.O. M.E. .300" Club, meaning "Slugger Oyler Can, In Time, Top Our Manager's Estimate" and hit .300. Some 15,000 baseball-starved fans signed up, and former Pilots' relief pitcher, Jack Aker
recalled that the Ray Oyler Fan Club was out in great number at Sicks Stadium on the Pilots' Opening Day. The fan club even gave Oyler a car to use and an apartment too. When Oyler came to bat for the first time on Opening Day, the Oyler Fan Club went wild. "He got cheers, horns blew, confetti filled the air in his first time at bat." (Fred Cavinder, "More Amazing Tales from Indiana" p. 188) Oyler rewarded his fan club by hitting a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.
In April 1969, Jim Campanis
of the Kansas City Royals
punched Oyler during a game. The Ray Oyler Fan Club sent a telegram to Royals general manager Cedric Tallis
, protesting Campanis' actions and saying: "Please do not misinterpret our motto 'Sock it to Ray Oyler,' as this is an expression of encouragement." (Fred Cavinder, "More Amazing Tales from Indiana" p. 188) The Oyler Fan Club also developed and sang songs, such as "Hey Ray Oyler yer Bat's Too Small." Former fan club members still boast that Oyler holds the all-time Pilots records for assists, putouts, and home runs by a shortstop. (The Pilots played only one year, and Oyler was their shortstop.)
In Ball Four
, Seattle teammate Jim Bouton
wrote that Oyler's nickname was "Oil Can Harry" because "he always looks as though he had just changed a set of rings."
Oyler loved Seattle, hitting seven home runs for the Pilots and increased his batting average by 30 points to .165, just 10 points below his lifetime average.
for infielder Ted Kubiak
and pitcher George Lauzerique
. Oyler was sold by Oakland in April, 1970
and played his final 24 games with the California Angels, managing a perfect fielding percentage
but only a .083 average
at the plate. After his major league career ended, Oyler was a player-coach for the Hawaii Islanders
and Salt Lake City
teams of the Pacific Coast League
before retiring in 1973.
After Oyler retired from baseball, he settled in the Seattle area, working for the Safeway supermarket chain, managing a bowling
alley in Bellevue, Washington
and working at Boeing. ("Seattle Pilots
... Where are they now?" The Seattle Times
, July 9, 2006) Oyler played slowpitch softball
in Seattle from 1973-1980 and also occasionally pitched batting practice for the Tigers when they were in Seattle playing the Mariners
. He suffered a heart attack
at his Redmond, Washington
home on January 26, 1981, and died at the age of 42. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Sunset Hills Memorial Park, Bellevue, Washington
(Gethsemane Section, Grave 85).
In a May 2007 article titled "Baseball, Partying, and Alcohol Abuse," Oyler's former Detroit roommate, Denny McLain
claimed that Oyler was "an alcoholic
" who "died prematurely." One of the authoritative histories of the team also reports that many of the 1968 Tigers drank "a lot," that Oyler was "later in AA
" and that "alcohol may have adversely affected (Oyler's) career." (Patrick Harrigan, "The Detroit Tigers: Club and Community 1945-1995" (Univ. Toronto Press 1997), p. 145.)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. He played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1965–1968), Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
(1969), and California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(1970). He is best remembered as the slick-fielding, no-hit shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the 1968 World Series
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
champion Tigers and as the subject of the endearing "Ray Oyler Fan Club" organized by Seattle radio personality Robert E. Lee Hardwick (of the Pilot's flagship radio station KVI) in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Early years
Born in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Oyler graduated from Cathedral High School
Cathedral High School (Indianapolis)
Cathedral High School is a private, Catholic institution in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. There are over 1,200 students in grades 9 to 12. It once was located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and was run independently by the Brothers of Holy Cross...
in Indianapolis in 1956 and served in Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
before playing in the major leagues.
Detroit Tigers (1965–1968)
Oyler was signed by the Tigers in 1960 as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
made his major league debut with Detroit on April 18, 1965.
During his first two seasons, Oyler was a backup shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for Dick McAuliffe
Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop and second baseman for the Detroit Tigers from to and for the Boston Red Sox from to . He was a part of the Tigers' 1968 World Series championship, and was known for his...
.
In 1965
1965 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Minnesota Twins ; Sandy Koufax, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Metropolitan Stadium: National League, 6-5; Juan Marichal, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
, Oyler debuted with a .186 average, but he did hit five home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and six doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in 82 games. More importantly, he proved himself to be a smooth-fielding shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
.
In 1966
1966 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Frank Robinson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 12 at Busch Stadium: National League, 2–1 ; Brooks Robinson, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Ohio State...
, Oyler's average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
dropped to .171 in 71 games, and the glimmer of power he displayed in 1965 disappeared, as Oyler hit only one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in 210 at bats.
In 1967
1967 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 11 at Anaheim Stadium: National League, 2-1 ; Tony Pérez, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
, the Tigers moved Dick McAuliffe
Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop and second baseman for the Detroit Tigers from to and for the Boston Red Sox from to . He was a part of the Tigers' 1968 World Series championship, and was known for his...
from shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
to second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, opening a spot for Oyler as the Tigers' starting shortstop. Oyler played a career-high 147 games at shortstop in 1967 and had career-highs with 185 putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, 374 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
, and 61 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s. As an every day player in 1967, Oyler also increased his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
to .207—the only year in which he hit above .200. He was also No. 3 in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 15 sacrifice hit
Sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s in 1967—the only leaderboard appearance in Oyler's career.
In 1968
1968 in baseball
-The Year of the Pitcher:In Major League Baseball, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance, caused by enforcing a larger strike zone beginning in 1963...
, Oyler's bat cooled to its lowest point yet. In 111 games, Oyler managed only 29 hits (21 of them singles) for a career-low batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .135. However, his glove remained valuable as he had a .977 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(15 points above the league average for shortstops)
The 1968 World Series: Mayo Smith's Shortstop Gamble
When Oyler, always a light hitter, famously went "0 for August," Smith made one of the boldest and most talked-about managerial moves in baseball history, moving outfielder Mickey StanleyMickey Stanley
Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley was a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers from 1964-1978. Stanley was known as a superb defensive outfielder over his 15-year career, though he is best remembered for the last few weeks of the 1968 season.-Early life:Stanley prepped at Ottawa Hills High School in...
to the shortstop position for the last 9 games of the regular season and for all 7 games of the 1968 World Series
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
. Oyler's batting average had dropped to an abysmal .135, and Smith had four quality outfielders in Willie Horton
Willie Horton (baseball player)
Willie Wattison Horton is a former left fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for six American League teams, primarily the Detroit Tigers. He hit 20 or more home runs seven times, and his 325 career home runs ranked sixth among AL right-handed hitters when he retired...
, Jim Northrup, Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, and Mickey Stanley
Mickey Stanley
Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley was a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers from 1964-1978. Stanley was known as a superb defensive outfielder over his 15-year career, though he is best remembered for the last few weeks of the 1968 season.-Early life:Stanley prepped at Ottawa Hills High School in...
. Stanley had not played the shortstop position before the 1968 season, but was a talented athlete with a good glove. Though Stanley made 2 errors in the 1968 World Series
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
, neither error led to a run being scored.
Oyler did not have an official at bat in the 1968 World Series
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
, but he did appear in all four Detroit victories as a defensive replacement and had a sacrifice bunt.
In its "The End of the Century" series, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
rated Mayo Smith
Mayo Smith
Edward Mayo Smith was an American player, manager, and scout in Major League Baseball.Smith was born in New London, Missouri, but grew up in Florida. A left-handed batter who threw right-handed, Smith was a career minor league outfielder who spent many seasons in the International League with the...
's decision to move Stanley to shortstop for the 1968 World Series
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
as one of the 10 greatest coaching decisions of the century. (The decision to move Babe Ruth from pitcher to the outfield ranks 3 notches higher.)
Stanley returned to play 59 games at shortstop the next year, while Oyler was allowed to be drafted by the expansion Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
.
The Ray Oyler "S.O.C. I.T. T.O. M.E. .300 Club" in Seattle (1969)
Oyler was left unprotected in the expansion draftExpansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
after the 1968 season and was the third player drafted by the Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
. Before the Pilots even played their first game in 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
, Seattle radio disc jockey Robert E. Lee "Bob" Hardwick looked over the list of players drafted by the Pilots, discovered Oyler's batting average and created the "Ray Oyler Fan Club," initially as a radio bit on his radio show. (Fred Cavinder, "More Amazing Tales from Indiana" (Indiana Univ. Press 2003) p. 188)
Grabbing onto the popularity of the late-60s Laugh-In TV show's "Sock it to Me" catchphrase, the fan club was called the Ray Oyler "S.O.C. I.T. T.O. M.E. .300" Club, meaning "Slugger Oyler Can, In Time, Top Our Manager's Estimate" and hit .300. Some 15,000 baseball-starved fans signed up, and former Pilots' relief pitcher, Jack Aker
Jack Aker
Jackie Delane Aker is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. Aker was used exclusively in relief. He appeared in 495 games, none as a starter, and was one of the American League's best closers of his era. He is of Potawatomi Indian ancestry...
recalled that the Ray Oyler Fan Club was out in great number at Sicks Stadium on the Pilots' Opening Day. The fan club even gave Oyler a car to use and an apartment too. When Oyler came to bat for the first time on Opening Day, the Oyler Fan Club went wild. "He got cheers, horns blew, confetti filled the air in his first time at bat." (Fred Cavinder, "More Amazing Tales from Indiana" p. 188) Oyler rewarded his fan club by hitting a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.
In April 1969, Jim Campanis
Jim Campanis
James Alexander Campanis , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as a catcher from 1966–1970 and 1973...
of the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
punched Oyler during a game. The Ray Oyler Fan Club sent a telegram to Royals general manager Cedric Tallis
Cedric Tallis
Cedric Tallis was an American executive in Major League Baseball who served as the first general manager of the expansion Kansas City Royals and later played an important role in the New York Yankees' dynasty of the late 1970s....
, protesting Campanis' actions and saying: "Please do not misinterpret our motto 'Sock it to Ray Oyler,' as this is an expression of encouragement." (Fred Cavinder, "More Amazing Tales from Indiana" p. 188) The Oyler Fan Club also developed and sang songs, such as "Hey Ray Oyler yer Bat's Too Small." Former fan club members still boast that Oyler holds the all-time Pilots records for assists, putouts, and home runs by a shortstop. (The Pilots played only one year, and Oyler was their shortstop.)
In Ball Four
Ball Four
Ball Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
, Seattle teammate Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
wrote that Oyler's nickname was "Oil Can Harry" because "he always looks as though he had just changed a set of rings."
Oyler loved Seattle, hitting seven home runs for the Pilots and increased his batting average by 30 points to .165, just 10 points below his lifetime average.
Later years
In December, 1969, Oyler was traded to the Oakland A's with pitcher Diego SeguiDiego Seguí
Diego Pablo Seguí González is a Cuban former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was known for his forkball.During a 16-year baseball career, Seguí played for the Kansas City Athletics , Washington Senators , Oakland Athletics , Seattle Pilots , Boston Red Sox , and Seattle Mariners . He batted and...
for infielder Ted Kubiak
Ted Kubiak
Theodore Rodger Kubiak is a former switch-hitting infielder for the Kansas City Athletics, the Oakland Athletics, the Milwaukee Brewers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Texas Rangers, and the San Diego Padres. He was a member of the Oakland Athletics teams that won three World Series in a row...
and pitcher George Lauzerique
George Lauzerique
George Albert Lauzerique is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for four years from 1967 to 1970 for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics and the Milwaukee Brewers.-1967:...
. Oyler was sold by Oakland in April, 1970
1970 in baseball
-Major Leagues:*World Series MVP: Brooks Robinson*All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium: National League, 5-4 ; Carl Yastrzemski, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Navegantes del Magallanes *College World Series: USC...
and played his final 24 games with the California Angels, managing a perfect fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
but only a .083 average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
at the plate. After his major league career ended, Oyler was a player-coach for the Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
and Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
teams of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
before retiring in 1973.
After Oyler retired from baseball, he settled in the Seattle area, working for the Safeway supermarket chain, managing a bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
alley in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
and working at Boeing. ("Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
... Where are they now?" The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
, July 9, 2006) Oyler played slowpitch softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
in Seattle from 1973-1980 and also occasionally pitched batting practice for the Tigers when they were in Seattle playing the Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at his Redmond, Washington
Redmond, Washington
Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
home on January 26, 1981, and died at the age of 42. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Sunset Hills Memorial Park, Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
(Gethsemane Section, Grave 85).
In a May 2007 article titled "Baseball, Partying, and Alcohol Abuse," Oyler's former Detroit roommate, Denny McLain
Denny McLain
Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
claimed that Oyler was "an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
" who "died prematurely." One of the authoritative histories of the team also reports that many of the 1968 Tigers drank "a lot," that Oyler was "later in AA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
" and that "alcohol may have adversely affected (Oyler's) career." (Patrick Harrigan, "The Detroit Tigers: Club and Community 1945-1995" (Univ. Toronto Press 1997), p. 145.)