Bob Duliba, a veteran relief pitcher who appeared in parts of seven Major League Baseball seasons across four franchises, passed away on April 4 at the age of 91.
Throughout his big-league journey, Duliba suited up for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959 to 1962, the Los Angeles Angels in 1963 and 1964, the Boston Red Sox in 1965, and the Kansas City Athletics in 1967. He compiled a 17-12 record with a 3.47 earned run average over his career.
Notably, all 176 of his MLB outings came in relief, and he retired with 14 saves to his name.
Duliba’s path to professional baseball began with a remarkable high school performance that caught the attention of scouts in an unexpected way. He once struck out 18 of the 21 batters he faced in a single game while playing for Newport Township High School in Pennsylvania.
Two Cardinals scouts were present that day, primarily to evaluate one of his teammates, but Duliba approached them afterward and ultimately earned a contract with St. Louis.
“It was the most fortunate thing to ever have happened to me,” he said in a 2012.
Before reaching the majors, Duliba spent four seasons in the Cardinals’ minor league system from 1952 to 1955. His progress was then halted by military obligations, as he served three years in the United States Marines between 1956 and 1958. Upon completing his service, he returned to baseball with renewed determination.
The 1959 campaign marked a pivotal turning point for Duliba. He started the year with the Cardinals’ Triple-A club in Omaha and transitioned from starting pitcher to reliever at the recommendation of his coaches. By August of that season, he had earned a promotion to the major leagues, where he made 11 relief appearances as a rookie, posting a 0-1 record and a 2.78 ERA.
After three seasons with St. Louis, Duliba found himself back in the minors and requested a change of scenery. In March 1963, the Cardinals accommodated him by trading the right-hander to the Angels in exchange for pitcher Bob Botz. Two years later, another transaction sent him to Boston, where the Red Sox acquired him from the Angels in April 1965 in return for pitcher Hal Kolstad.
Duliba enjoyed a solid campaign during his lone season in Boston, finishing 4-2 with a 3.78 ERA. That 1965 season also held historical significance for the franchise, as it proved to be the final year in which the Red Sox endured a 100-loss campaign. His contributions provided stability out of the bullpen during a challenging period for the team.
In May 1966, Duliba changed teams for the last time when he was dealt to the Athletics. He wrapped up that year in the minors with Triple-A Vancouver before receiving a brief seven-game return to the majors with Kansas City in 1967.
Even after his MLB days concluded, Duliba remained active in baseball, logging four additional seasons in the minor leagues from 1968 through 1971.
