Andre Rodgers
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Andre Ian Rodgers (December 2, 1934 - December 13, 2004) was a Major League Baseball
shortstop
who played for the New York
and San Francisco Giants
(1957–60), Chicago Cubs
(1961–64) and Pittsburgh Pirates
(1965–67). He also played one season in Japan for the Taiyo Whales
(1969). He batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Nassau, Bahamas
, Rodgers was the first Bahamian to play in the major leagues. He was a talented cricket
player who paid his own way for a tryout with the Giants in 1954. Rodgers failed to make the team that year. He had to learn the rules of baseball, not to jump away from curveball
s, and consequently, he adjusted and made his debut in 1957. Rodgers was a part of the Giants roster until October 1960 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Braves
for Alvin Dark
.
Before the 1961 season started, the Braves traded Rodgers to the Cubs. In 1962, he became the regular Cubs shortstop when Ernie Banks
moved to first base. In that season, Rodgers, second baseman
Ken Hubbs
and Banks set a league record for double plays. After four productive seasons for the Cubs, Rodgers was traded to the Pirates.
In an 11-year career, Rodgers compiled a .249 batting average
with 45 home run
s and 245 RBI
in 854 games. But even more important than the success he accomplished in his career was the fact that he opened the door for countrymen to follow such as Ed Armbrister
, Tony Curry
, Wenty Ford
and Wil Culmer
. Indeed, in the immediate years following his success, baseball began to emerge as the most popular sport in Bahamas, and in the 1960s had become even more popular than cricket
.
Andre Rodgers died in Nassau
, Bahamas at age of 70.
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...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
who played for the New York
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1957–60), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1961–64) and 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...
(1965–67). He also played one season in Japan for the Taiyo Whales
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
(1969). He batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, Rodgers was the first Bahamian to play in the major leagues. He was a talented cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
player who paid his own way for a tryout with the Giants in 1954. Rodgers failed to make the team that year. He had to learn the rules of baseball, not to jump away from curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
s, and consequently, he adjusted and made his debut in 1957. Rodgers was a part of the Giants roster until October 1960 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Alvin Dark
Alvin Dark
Alvin Ralph Dark , nicknamed "Blackie" and "The Swamp Fox", is a former shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball who played for five National League teams from 1946 to 1960. Named the major leagues' Rookie of the Year with the Boston Braves when he batted .322...
.
Before the 1961 season started, the Braves traded Rodgers to the Cubs. In 1962, he became the regular Cubs shortstop when Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
moved to first base. In that season, Rodgers, second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Ken Hubbs
Ken Hubbs
Kenneth Douglass Hubbs was an American second baseman who played from to for the Chicago Cubs in the National League. He was killed in a plane crash near Provo, Utah prior to the 1964 season....
and Banks set a league record for double plays. After four productive seasons for the Cubs, Rodgers was traded to the Pirates.
In an 11-year career, Rodgers compiled a .249 batting average
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 :...
with 45 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 245 RBI
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...
in 854 games. But even more important than the success he accomplished in his career was the fact that he opened the door for countrymen to follow such as Ed Armbrister
Ed Armbrister
Edison Rosanda "Ed" Armbrister is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a five-year career from 1973 through 1977 with the Cincinnati Reds...
, Tony Curry
Tony Curry
George Anthony Curry was a Bahamian professional baseball player, an outfielder who appeared in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Indians ....
, Wenty Ford
Wenty Ford
Percival Edmund Wentworth Ford , was a Major League Baseball player who played pitcher in . He would play for the Atlanta Braves....
and Wil Culmer
Wil Culmer
Wilfred Hillard Culmer was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians. He was originally signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1977 before being traded to the Indians in 1982.-References:...
. Indeed, in the immediate years following his success, baseball began to emerge as the most popular sport in Bahamas, and in the 1960s had become even more popular than cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
Andre Rodgers died in Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, Bahamas at age of 70.