Passing of a Legend

Baseball lost a Legend this weekend. Former Brooklyn Dodger great Preacher Roe passed away from colon cancer this weekend. Anyone that has read this blog will know from a former post that I lived in the same little town as Preacher. This is the write-up that our local newspaper had about his passing.

Here is the link for the Dodgers press release on his passing.

Preacher was the best left handed pitcher of his era. He was a five time all star and pitched in 3 different World Series. He is remembered for his great performances and his great sense of humor. Here are a few quotes of his that I have come across.

"My three pitches are my change, my change off my change, and my change off my change off my change." - Preacher Roe

Reporter: How do you feel about that home run you gave up to Mickey Mantle in game 6 of the 1952 World Series?

Roe: I didn't like it but those good hitters will hit em' off of 'ya..In the World Series, I'd pitched to Mantle 3 games and relieved twice against him and all he had gotten off me was a one base hit. So I wasn't to ashamed of my record with him. He hit that home run hard... real hard and he had a reputation of hitting long home run balls. When he hit it, naturally I turned my head and looked for it. Pee Wee Reese ran in from short stop position and said "Preach, what are you looking for? You know that ones gone." And I said, "Yes Pee Wee, but let's see how far."

Roe: "I know how to get Stan Musial out!"
Cardinals' players: "How?"
Roe: "Throw him four wide ones, and pick 'em off first!"

In The Boys of Summer Roger Kahn and Roe were discussing Roe's homer against Pittsburgh and Kahn pointed out that it was Roe's only homer in 620 times at bat.

Roe replied; "Yep. You got a secret weapon like that, you don't want to go showing it around."

You will be missed Preacher. I hope you are having a ball playing in that big field in the sky.