Today would be the 93rd birthday of Alva “Bobo” Holloman, who pitched a no-hitter for the St. Louis Browns in 1953.
Holloman, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound hurler who liked to refer to himself in the third person as “Bobo,” no-hit the Philadelphia Athletics 6-0 at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, May 6 of that year. The game was the pinnacle of Holloman’s brief major league career, which ended after two seasons with a 3–7 record and a 5.23 ERA.
Holloman died in 1987 at the age of 64.
Bobo was my grandfather. A strong-willed and courageous man. I’m proud of his achievements, but moreso in the way he conquered adversities post-baseball. He passed away a sober man.
Bobo Holloman had a magnificent 1952-53 winter season for Santurce Crabbers, in Puerto Rico–15-game winner. Then, won a game in semi-finals; one in the finals; plus two Caribbean Series wins in Havana, Cuba. I was a student at U. of Georgia, 1975-77, and wish I had met Mr. Holloman, who (I think) had a business in Athens, at the time. I wrote a 1999 book titled: The Santurce Crabbers, having grown up in Puerto Rico.
Interesting. He developed severe arm soreness after that game and played some minor-league ball in ’54 but was apparently done with baseball by the end of the season.