Al Holland

Alfred Willis Holland was born on August 16, 1952, in Roanoke, Virginia, the oldest of four sons in a working-class family. From the earliest days of his childhood, Al found his identity on the athletic fields of his neighborhood — a big, sturdy kid with a fastball that seemed to arrive before anyone expected it. After thriving as a multi-sport athlete at Lucy Addison High School, he enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University in 1971, where he would become one of the most dominant collegiate pitchers the country had ever seen. At A&T, Holland was almost otherworldly on the mound. As a freshman alone, he led the nation with 143 strikeouts and a 0.54 ERA. He threw a no-hitter in each of his four college seasons — including one legendary gem against North Carolina Central in which he struck out 25 batters with only one ball hit in fair territory — and never posted an ERA above 1.03. Twice named an NAIA All-American, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1974 and the San Diego Padres in 1975, but Holland chose to stay in school and earn his degree in Recreation before turning professional. He made his Major League debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 5, 1977, becoming the first North Carolina A&T alumnus to reach the big leagues. After developing his game in Pittsburgh and San Francisco, Holland arrived in Philadelphia in 1983 and became the heart of the Phillies bullpen. That season was the defining chapter of his career: he went 8-4 with 25 saves, won the National League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award and The Sporting News Fireman of the Year, finished in the top ten of both the Cy Young and MVP votes, and clinched the National League pennant with a save in Game 4 of the NLCS. His teammates called him Mr. T — a nickname coined by fellow reliever Ed Farmer, inspired by Al's gold chains and the unmistakable confidence with which he strolled in from the bullpen, never running, always unhurried, smoothing the dirt on the mound before sending hitters back to the dugout. In 1984, he earned his lone All-Star selection and set a new career high with 29 saves. After his playing days ended in 1987 following a serious elbow injury, Holland never left the game. He coached at William Fleming High School in his hometown of Roanoke and served as a minor league pitching coach in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, giving back to the sport that had given him so much. He was inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame in 1993, the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame in 1994, and the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2020, A&T retired his No. 17 jersey — one of only three ever retired in the university's history. Al Holland passed away on August 4, 2026, just days before what would have been his 74th birthday. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their children. He leaves behind a legacy of toughness, competitive fire, and quiet generosity — a man who, whether on the mound or coaching the next generation, always wanted the ball.