Crowley retired sixth all-time in both pinch hits (108) and pinch at-bats (419), with a .258 lifetime pinch average. The highlight of his career was a 9th-inning pinch grand slam against the Royals on August 8, 1982, giving the Orioles a 10-6 victory.
The lefthanded-hitting Crowley bounced between Baltimore and Rochester (International League) for his first five seasons, pinch-hitting and filling in in the outfield. He moved increasingly to pinch-hitting with the Reds in 1974. Back in Baltimore in 1977, Crowley hit .364 down the stretch. He pinch-hit .342 in 1978 and hit .317 in 1979. Crowley’s best year, however, was 1980: 12 HR, 50 RBI, and a .288 average in 233 at-bats, including a .338 average with men in scoring position and a league-leading .297 pinch-hitting average. Crowley has worked as a major and minor league batting instructor.