Rich Rollins
Encyclopedia
Richard John Rollins is an American
former Major League Baseball
third baseman
. He played with the Minnesota Twins
(1961–68), Seattle Pilots
(1969), Milwaukee Brewers
(1970) and Cleveland Indians
(1970). During a 10-year baseball career, Rollins hit
.269, 77 home run
s, and 399 runs batted in
.
from 1958–1960, and hitting .358 in his senior year, Rollins was signed for $6,000 as an undrafted free agent by the then Washington Senators prior to the start of the 1960 season and assigned to the Wilson Tobs
in the class-B Carolina League
. After hitting .341 in 62 games, Rollins was promoted to the single-A Charlotte Hornets
in the South Atlantic League
to start the 1961 season. His personal worst play in baseball came during his season in Charlotte. On first base when was saw a hit-and-run sign and ran for second, heard the bat, and saw the shortstop move over to cover the bag. Rollins slid, then figured the shortstop had been faking and assumed the ball had gone through for a hit. He got up, dashed for third and slid in again. Only then did he figure out that the batter had popped out to first.
Although he hit only .270 in 36 early-season games at Charlotte, he was promoted to AAA Syracuse in the International League
for three games and made his major league debut on June 16 and spent the rest of the season with the Twins as a little-used bench player.
Surprisingly given the Twins' thirdbase job out of spring training in 1962, Rollins responded by
hitting .486 over the Twins' first 10 games and never looked back, finishing with arguably his career year. Playing in 159 games, Rollins would finish the season hitting .298 with 16 homeruns and 96 RBI - production that would earn him the nickname, at least among his teammates, of Pie after Pittsburg Pirates Hall of Fame third baseman, Pie Traynor
. Rollins would finish eighth in the American League
MVP voting and would also received the most All-Star Game votes of any American League player, starting both games that year. Rollins would represent the Twins well in the games, reaching base three times in six plate appearances and scoring the AL's only run in their 3-1 loss in the July 10 game. Supporting his MVP candidacy and All-Star appearances, Rollins would finish in the Top 10 in the league in and singles (2nd), plate appearances (3rd), sacrifice flies (3rd), hits (6th), at-bats (6th), runs (7th), on-base percentage (7th), runs batted in (9th), and batting average (10th).
While he would finish third in assists by third basemen, his 28 errors were the most by any AL third baseman and second most in the league behind Detroit Tigers
' infielder Dick McAuliffe
. While Rollins' glove work would never be as bad, his errors would decrease from 28 to 8 over the next four seasons, his results at the plate would also decrease and despite an almost-as-good 1963 season (.307/16/61) despite an early-season broken jaw.
On June 9, 1966, in the seventh inning of a game against the Kansas City Athletics
, Rollins was one of five Twins players to hit home runs. The others were Harmon Killebrew
, Don Mincher
, Tony Oliva
and Zoilo Versalles
. These five home runs still stand as a Major League record for the most home runs batted in a single inning, and were hit off starter Catfish Hunter
(three) and reliever Paul Lindblad
(two). In that season he would be platooning at third base with Killebrew and César Tovar
, among others.
Left exposed to the 1968 Expansion Draft, Rollins would be the 26th pick of the Seattle Pilots
on October 15. After backing up Tommy Harper
at third, he was released by the infant Milwaukee Brewers
on May 13, 1970 after starting the season hitting only .200. Rollins was immediately signed by the Cleveland Indians
for which he would finish the season before retiring.
Rollins lives with his family in Akron, Ohio.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Major League Baseball
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...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. He played with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1961–68), Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
(1969), Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1970) and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1970). During a 10-year baseball career, Rollins hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.269, 77 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, and 399 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
Playing career
After playing collegiate baseball at Kent State UniversityKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
from 1958–1960, and hitting .358 in his senior year, Rollins was signed for $6,000 as an undrafted free agent by the then Washington Senators prior to the start of the 1960 season and assigned to the Wilson Tobs
Wilson Tobs
The Wilson Tobs are an amateur baseball team playing in the Coastal Plain League, an NCAA-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at Historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina. The Tobs were one of the original teams in the Coastal Plain League when the...
in the class-B Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. After hitting .341 in 62 games, Rollins was promoted to the single-A Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (baseball)
The Charlotte Hornets was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The club was originally founded in 1901, and lasted in some form until 1973, capturing 11 league titles during its history...
in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
to start the 1961 season. His personal worst play in baseball came during his season in Charlotte. On first base when was saw a hit-and-run sign and ran for second, heard the bat, and saw the shortstop move over to cover the bag. Rollins slid, then figured the shortstop had been faking and assumed the ball had gone through for a hit. He got up, dashed for third and slid in again. Only then did he figure out that the batter had popped out to first.
Although he hit only .270 in 36 early-season games at Charlotte, he was promoted to AAA Syracuse in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
for three games and made his major league debut on June 16 and spent the rest of the season with the Twins as a little-used bench player.
Surprisingly given the Twins' thirdbase job out of spring training in 1962, Rollins responded by
hitting .486 over the Twins' first 10 games and never looked back, finishing with arguably his career year. Playing in 159 games, Rollins would finish the season hitting .298 with 16 homeruns and 96 RBI - production that would earn him the nickname, at least among his teammates, of Pie after Pittsburg Pirates Hall of Fame third baseman, Pie Traynor
Pie Traynor
Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and radio broadcaster. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed...
. Rollins would finish eighth in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
MVP voting and would also received the most All-Star Game votes of any American League player, starting both games that year. Rollins would represent the Twins well in the games, reaching base three times in six plate appearances and scoring the AL's only run in their 3-1 loss in the July 10 game. Supporting his MVP candidacy and All-Star appearances, Rollins would finish in the Top 10 in the league in and singles (2nd), plate appearances (3rd), sacrifice flies (3rd), hits (6th), at-bats (6th), runs (7th), on-base percentage (7th), runs batted in (9th), and batting average (10th).
While he would finish third in assists by third basemen, his 28 errors were the most by any AL third baseman and second most in the league behind Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
' infielder Dick McAuliffe
Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop and second baseman for the Detroit Tigers from to and for the Boston Red Sox from to . He was a part of the Tigers' 1968 World Series championship, and was known for his...
. While Rollins' glove work would never be as bad, his errors would decrease from 28 to 8 over the next four seasons, his results at the plate would also decrease and despite an almost-as-good 1963 season (.307/16/61) despite an early-season broken jaw.
On June 9, 1966, in the seventh inning of a game against the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, Rollins was one of five Twins players to hit home runs. The others were Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
, Don Mincher
Don Mincher
-External links:***...
, Tony Oliva
Tony Oliva
Tony Pedro Oliva is a former Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He played his entire 15-year baseball career for the Minnesota Twins . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
and Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop...
. These five home runs still stand as a Major League record for the most home runs batted in a single inning, and were hit off starter Catfish Hunter
Catfish Hunter
James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter , was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees...
(three) and reliever Paul Lindblad
Paul Lindblad
Paul Aaron Lindblad was an American Major League Baseball left-handed middle-relief pitcher. During his career, he pitched primarily for the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics. At the time of his retirement in , he had recorded the seventh-most appearances of any left-hander in history.Lindblad...
(two). In that season he would be platooning at third base with Killebrew and César Tovar
César Tovar
César Leonardo Tovar , nicknamed "Pepito" and "Mr. Versatility", was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees...
, among others.
Left exposed to the 1968 Expansion Draft, Rollins would be the 26th pick of the Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
on October 15. After backing up Tommy Harper
Tommy Harper
Tommy Harper is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played with the Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Oakland Athletics , and the Baltimore Orioles .-High School...
at third, he was released by the infant Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on May 13, 1970 after starting the season hitting only .200. Rollins was immediately signed by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for which he would finish the season before retiring.
Rollins lives with his family in Akron, Ohio.