Preacher Roe
Encyclopedia
Elwin Charles Roe (February 26, 1916 – November 9, 2008) was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the St. Louis Cardinals
(1938), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1944–1947), and Brooklyn Dodgers (1948–1954).
and grew up in Viola, Arkansas
. The nickname "Preacher" came at age 3 when an uncle asked his name and Roe responded "preacher" because of a minister who would take him on horse-and-buggy rides. Roe attended Harding College (now University)
. At Harding, in a thirteen-inning game in
1937, Roe gained national attention by striking out twenty-six batters.
, then general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals
. Roe pitched in one game for the team that season, giving up six hits, two walks and four runs in 2⅔ innings. He spent the next five seasons in the Cardinals' minor league system before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
on September 30, 1943 in exchange for pitcher Johnny Podgajny
, outfielder Johnny Wyrostek
and cash.
in 1944 and a 14-13 record with a 2.87 ERA in 1945. His 148 strikeouts in the 1945 season led the National League
and he was selected for (but did not play in) the 1945 All-Star Game
. While coaching high school basketball after the 1945 season, Roe fractured his skull in a fight with a referee. His pitching suffered in the following seasons, with Roe's record falling to 3-8 and an ERA of 5.14 in 1946 and deteriorated further in 1947, as he finished the season with a record of 4-15 and an ERA of 5.25.
Ralph Kiner
, he said, stood in a hole in the outfield. He caught balls hit to his hole but otherwise did not field. One can get a great flavor of 'Ole Preach', as he was called, by reading Roger Kahn's book The Boys of Summer.
, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, remembered Roe from Rickey's time in the Cardinals' management and engineered a trade. On December 8, 1947, the Dodgers got Roe, and infielders Billy Cox and Gene Mauch
in exchange for pitchers Hal Gregg
and Vic Lombardi
and outfielder Dixie Walker
.
With his health improving and with the spitball now in his repertoire, Roe had much success with the Dodgers, including winning records in his first six seasons with the team. Roe finished the 1948 season with a record of 12-8 and an ERA of 2.63.
Selected to play in the 1949 All-Star Game
, Roe pitched in the ninth inning, retiring all three batters he faced. He improved further in the 1949 season, finishing with a 15-6 record and a 2.79 ERA. He pitched for the first time in the postseason in the 1949 World Series
, winning Game 2 with a six-hit complete game shutout against the New York Yankees
that the Dodgers won 1-0, their only win in the five game series.
He posted an exceptional 22-3 won-loss record for the Dodgers in 1951.
Roe was an exceptional pitcher, but notorious as a poor hitter, finishing his career with a .110 batting average. In 1953, he hit a home run at Forbes Field
in Pittsburgh, the only one of his career, causing fans to roar in surprise and delight. Dodger broadcaster Red Barber
told his radio
audience, "Well, old Number 28 has hit a home run, and we'll never hear the end of it, folks!"
Preacher was still pitching in the majors at age 39, unusual at the time, and was the third-oldest player in the National League in the 1954 season, his last in the majors. When asked to explain his longevity, he replied "Clean livin' and the spitball
." He described his methodology in a 1955 article in Sports Illustrated
, "The Outlawed Spitball Was My Money Pitch", published a year after he retired.
Roe's overall career statistics were hurt by the fact that he was away from baseball during World War II
and that for two of the years he pitched for the Pirates they were among the worst teams in the National League
. Contrasting the fielding of the Dodgers and the Pirates, he once said that a pitcher should pay to pitch for the Dodgers, whereas the Pirates' second baseman and shortstop were like goalposts with the ball bouncing between them. After being taken out of a game in the second inning, Roe commented that, "Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you."
, where for many years he operated a small grocery store and also has a street named after him (Preacher Roe Boulevard), which included US 160 north of the US 63 bypass until the city rerouted US 160 and Route 17 around 2000. US 160 still runs as Preacher Roe Boulevard south of US 63.
A community ball field in Salem, Fulton County, Arkansas
, 18 miles from Roe's birthplace of Ash Flat, is known as Preacher Roe Park.
The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
(2004) includes short stories from former Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine
. Roe is prominent in many of these stories.
Roe died on November 9, 2008, from colon cancer. DOB-age
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1938), Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1944–1947), and Brooklyn Dodgers (1948–1954).
Early years
Roe was born on February 26, 1916, in Ash Flat, ArkansasAsh Flat, Arkansas
Ash Flat is a city in Fulton and Sharp counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 977 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Sharp County.-Geography:Ash Flat is located at ....
and grew up in Viola, Arkansas
Viola, Arkansas
Viola is a town in Fulton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 381 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Viola is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
. The nickname "Preacher" came at age 3 when an uncle asked his name and Roe responded "preacher" because of a minister who would take him on horse-and-buggy rides. Roe attended Harding College (now University)
Harding University
Harding University is located in Searcy, Arkansas, in the United States, about north-east of Little Rock. It is a private liberal arts Christian university associated with the Churches of Christ. The university takes its name from James A...
. At Harding, in a thirteen-inning game in
1937, Roe gained national attention by striking out twenty-six batters.
St. Louis Cardinals
In the summer of 1938, Roe was signed by Branch RickeyBranch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
, then general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Roe pitched in one game for the team that season, giving up six hits, two walks and four runs in 2⅔ innings. He spent the next five seasons in the Cardinals' minor league system before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on September 30, 1943 in exchange for pitcher Johnny Podgajny
Johnny Podgajny
John Sigmund Podgajny was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for five seasons. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1940 to 1943, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1943, and the Cleveland Indians in 1946....
, outfielder Johnny Wyrostek
Johnny Wyrostek
John Barney Wyrostek was a center fielder and right fielder mostly, who played in the MLB from 1942 through 1954. He was born in Fairmont City, Illinois and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school...
and cash.
Pittsburgh Pirates
As a fastball pitcher with the Pirates, Roe had a record of 13-11 with a 3.11 earned run averageEarned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 1944 and a 14-13 record with a 2.87 ERA in 1945. His 148 strikeouts in the 1945 season led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
and he was selected for (but did not play in) the 1945 All-Star Game
1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was to have been the 13th annual playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League, the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
. While coaching high school basketball after the 1945 season, Roe fractured his skull in a fight with a referee. His pitching suffered in the following seasons, with Roe's record falling to 3-8 and an ERA of 5.14 in 1946 and deteriorated further in 1947, as he finished the season with a record of 4-15 and an ERA of 5.25.
Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner
Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...
, he said, stood in a hole in the outfield. He caught balls hit to his hole but otherwise did not field. One can get a great flavor of 'Ole Preach', as he was called, by reading Roger Kahn's book The Boys of Summer.
Brooklyn Dodgers
Branch RickeyBranch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, remembered Roe from Rickey's time in the Cardinals' management and engineered a trade. On December 8, 1947, the Dodgers got Roe, and infielders Billy Cox and Gene Mauch
Gene Mauch
Gene William Mauch was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , Boston Braves , St...
in exchange for pitchers Hal Gregg
Hal Gregg
Harold Dana Gregg was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Giants . Greeg batted and threw right-handed...
and Vic Lombardi
Vic Lombardi
Victor Alvin Lombardi was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched from 1945-1950 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the starting pitcher in two games of the 1947 World Series for the Dodgers.-External links:**** at Find a Grave...
and outfielder Dixie Walker
Dixie Walker
Fred E. "Dixie" Walker was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Chicago White Sox , Detroit Tigers , Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates...
.
With his health improving and with the spitball now in his repertoire, Roe had much success with the Dodgers, including winning records in his first six seasons with the team. Roe finished the 1948 season with a record of 12-8 and an ERA of 2.63.
Selected to play in the 1949 All-Star Game
1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 16th annual midseason exhibition game between the all-stars of Major League Baseball's American and National Leagues. The American League continued its early dominance of the Midsummer Classic with an 11-7 win at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The...
, Roe pitched in the ninth inning, retiring all three batters he faced. He improved further in the 1949 season, finishing with a 15-6 record and a 2.79 ERA. He pitched for the first time in the postseason in the 1949 World Series
1949 World Series
The 1949 World Series featured the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games for their second defeat of the Dodgers in three years, and the twelfth championship in team history...
, winning Game 2 with a six-hit complete game shutout against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
that the Dodgers won 1-0, their only win in the five game series.
He posted an exceptional 22-3 won-loss record for the Dodgers in 1951.
Roe was an exceptional pitcher, but notorious as a poor hitter, finishing his career with a .110 batting average. In 1953, he hit a home run at Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
in Pittsburgh, the only one of his career, causing fans to roar in surprise and delight. Dodger broadcaster Red Barber
Red Barber
Walter Lanier "Red" Barber was an American sportscaster.Barber, nicknamed "The Ol' Redhead", was primarily identified with radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball, calling play-by-play across four decades with the Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Dodgers , and New York Yankees...
told his radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
audience, "Well, old Number 28 has hit a home run, and we'll never hear the end of it, folks!"
Preacher was still pitching in the majors at age 39, unusual at the time, and was the third-oldest player in the National League in the 1954 season, his last in the majors. When asked to explain his longevity, he replied "Clean livin' and the spitball
Spitball
A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of saliva, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance....
." He described his methodology in a 1955 article in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, "The Outlawed Spitball Was My Money Pitch", published a year after he retired.
Roe's overall career statistics were hurt by the fact that he was away from baseball during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and that for two of the years he pitched for the Pirates they were among the worst teams in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. Contrasting the fielding of the Dodgers and the Pirates, he once said that a pitcher should pay to pitch for the Dodgers, whereas the Pirates' second baseman and shortstop were like goalposts with the ball bouncing between them. After being taken out of a game in the second inning, Roe commented that, "Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you."
After baseball
Preacher Roe lived in West Plains, MissouriWest Plains, Missouri
West Plains is a city in Howell County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,866 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howell County. The West Plains Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Howell County.-Geography:...
, where for many years he operated a small grocery store and also has a street named after him (Preacher Roe Boulevard), which included US 160 north of the US 63 bypass until the city rerouted US 160 and Route 17 around 2000. US 160 still runs as Preacher Roe Boulevard south of US 63.
A community ball field in Salem, Fulton County, Arkansas
Salem, Fulton County, Arkansas
Salem is a city in Fulton County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2000 census the population stood at 1,591. Salem was first incorporated in 1900.-Geography:Salem is located at ....
, 18 miles from Roe's birthplace of Ash Flat, is known as Preacher Roe Park.
The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings is a book by former Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher Carl Erskine. It is a compilation of short stories about life in the glory days of Major League Baseball. The forward was penned by Hall of Fame announcer Vin...
(2004) includes short stories from former Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine
Carl Erskine
Carl Daniel Erskine is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959...
. Roe is prominent in many of these stories.
Roe died on November 9, 2008, from colon cancer. DOB-age
See also
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
External links
- Official Website
- Preacher Roe at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Preacher Roe at Baseball Reference
- Preacher Roe at Baseball Mogul
- AP Obit in the LA Times