The Old Preach passes On

The news today was so sad, Elwin Charles "Preacher" Roe had died, in Ozark, Arkansas at age 92. The "Old Preach" was a left-handed hurler par excellence who toiled in Flatbush for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1948-54. He was as they say superb as the Flocks left handed stopper during the hay day of the fabled Boys of Summer. What many forget is that Preach came to the Dodgers as the residue of the rebellion among the Dodgers southern ballplayers when Jackie Robinson debuted in 1947. When Dixie Walker, known as the "Peeples Cherce" insisted on a trade after Robby's inaugural season, Branch Rickey unceremoniously obliged. Rickey shipped Walker to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates for their mediocre shortstop Billy Cox and the well traveled southpaw, Roe. Walker hung on for a couple of seasons, but Roe and Cox blossomed in Brooklyn.

Billy Cox, blocked at short by Pee Wee Reese was converted to third base, where he defined the position defensively for the next six years. People today recall Brooks Robinson as a great fielder, but Cox was his equal with a glove half the size. Roe after perfecting one new pitch soared to great heights as a pitcher. So what if the new pitch was a little liquid, Preach didn't use it all the time. More importantly, although Roe was from the deep South, he was color blind, and blended with the rest of the club including Robby, the Newk, Campy and Junior to prove that all men were equal and that in this Country there are no second class citizens. I can only wonder what Preacher Roe as one of baseballs integration pioneers must have been thinking last week when Barack Obama was elected president. I have no doubt that he will soon be discussing it with Robinson and Campanella in Celestial circumstances. I think they are probably quite proud, I know that I am.