Baltimore Orioles Top 5 Stolen Base Leaders of All-Time
By Nate Wardle
3. Al Bumbry, 252 Stolen Bases
The player with the third-most steals in Orioles’ history is the one who replaced Blair in center field for the Orioles.
Bumbry also played 13 seasons in an Orioles’ uniform, from 1972 through 1984. The outfielder broke into the league as a Rookie of the Year in 1973 and was an All-Star in 1980. Lastly, Bumbry had double digits in steals ten times for the Birds.
However, in two of those seasons, 1976 and 1980, Bumbry exceed 40 steals for the Orioles. Bumbry was a successful hitter for the Orioles, with a career .283/.345/.380 line with 53 home runs, 52 triples, 220 doubles, 1422 hits, 778 runs scored and 402 runs batted in during his time in Baltimore.
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His best year came in his All-Star year, where he hit .318/.392/.433 with nine home runs (tied a career high), nine triples, 29 doubles, 205 hits, 118 runs scored and 53 RBIs for the Orioles. Bumbry had the opportunity to play in the World Series twice as a member of the Orioles and struggled both times.
In 1979, he hit .143 for the Orioles with three hits in 25 plate appearances as the Orioles lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games.
A few years later, Bumbry and the Orioles won a World Series, the last the team has won, over the Philadelphia Phillies. However, Bumbry hit .091 in that World Series, with just one hit in 12 plate appearances.
Bumbry played one more season, 1984 with the Orioles before becoming a free agent. He played one last year with the San Diego Padres before hanging it up.
A few years after Bumbry left Baltimore, the Orioles would bring in another center fielder who was fleet of foot and would stay with the team for a long time, following in the path of Blair and Bumbry.