Remembering the Preacher

"I've got three pitches, my change, my change off my change, and my change off my change off my change."
-Preacher Roe

Former pitcher Elwin Charles "Preacher" Roe passed away earlier this month. He lived 92 years and some change. Roe spent seven of his twelve Major League seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and was a member of the famous Dodger team immortalized in Roger Kahn's classic novel The Boys of Summer. A team which included Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Duke Snider and Pee Wee Reese. Kahn wrote "When I went forth to cover the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952, the most cerebral Brooklyn pitcher was a tall, skinny hillbilly named Elwin Charles 'Preacher' Roe."

The left hander retired with a .602 winning percentage, 127 wins, and a 3.43 ERA. He won ten or more games in eight different years and in 1951, at the age of 36, had a 22-3 record with 19 complete games. That season he finished fifth in MVP voting. Roe made five All-Star clubs, led the league in strikeouts one season (1945), and was top ten in ERA five different years. Preacher made three starts in the postseason. In those three games he pitched three complete games, every time against the Yankees, posting a 2.54 ERA with a record of 2-1. His one loss came in 1952 when he lost the game in the 12th inning! Yes, he pitched 11.1 innings that day against a potent Yankee team.

Roe's career numbers might have merited Cooperstown consideration had he not lost a good part of his prime to World War 2 action. Almost all of his twenties were lost to military service as his first full season did not come until age 29. He also spent four seasons with the worst team in the National League at the time, the Pittsburgh Pirates. In addition, Roe had two horrific seasons in 1946 and 1947 due to an injury suffered in the 1945 offseason. The injury... Roe was coaching high school basketball during the offseason, and fractured his skull in a fight with the referee.

Preacher was known as a "smart" pitcher before the term was common lingo. He had arguably the best control in baseball during his time, and struck out a fair share of hitters. He perfected the art of pitching and not throwing. Think of him as a poor man's version of Greg Maddux. At age 34 Roe walked 44 in 212.7 innings. Maddux, at age 34, walked 42 in 249.3 innings.

Roe was also known for his eccentricity. In addition to fighting high school basketball refs, Roe refused to fly in an airplane. Not because of a fear of flying, but because it "made his head hurt." There are differing opinions on how he attained his nickname. Some say he called himself "Preacher" as early as age three because of his admiration for a local preacher. Others argue he was given the nickname because Roe never stopped talking. In a famous Sports Illustrated article after his retirement, Roe admitted to throwing a spitball. Hitters knew of this. They would often come to the plate looking for it, yet Roe said he only threw the pitch a handful of times per season to keep his reputation in tact.

It seems plausible that Roe would have made Cooperstown had he not lost key seasons to the war. Given his solid career, domination in the playoffs, and notoriety and fame in the press, I think he would have made it. Preacher won 114 games during his thirties. Of Hall of Fame starting pitchers who were non 300-game-winners, who pitched after the dead ball era, here is the win totals for their 30's.
Jim Bunning - 150
Dizzy Dean - 3
Don Drysdale - 32
Bob Feller - 89
Whitey Ford - 131
Bob Gibson - 160
Lefty Gomez - 36
Waite Hoyt - 72
Carl Hubbell - 172
Catfish Hunter - 40
Fergie Jenkins - 143
Sandy Koufax - 27
Bob Lemon - 117
Ted Lyons - 107
Juan Marichal - 99
Hal Newhouser - 22
Jim Palmer - 116
Robin Roberts - 107
Red Ruffing - 157