Buddy Rosar
Encyclopedia
Warren Vincent "Buddy" Rosar (July 3, 1914 in Buffalo, New York
– March 13, 1994 in Rochester, New York
), was an American
professional
baseball
player. He played in Major League Baseball
as a catcher
from 1939 to 1951 for the New York Yankees
, Cleveland Indians
, Philadelphia Athletics, and Boston Red Sox
. Rosar was regarded as an excellent defensive catcher, setting a record for consecutive games without an error
by a catcher.
, Joe McCarthy, attended the game and was so impressed with Rosar's catching ability that she told her husband about him. McCarthy sent Yankees' scout, Gene McCann
to look at Rosar before the team signed him as an amateur free agent
. He played for the 1937 Newark Bears team that won the International League
pennant by 25½ games to become known as one of the best minor league
teams of all time. Rosar hit .387 with the Bears in to win the International League batting championship.
Rosar made his major league debut with the Yankees on April 29, 1939 at the age of 24. From 1939
to 1942
, he served as the Yankees' back up catcher to the future Hall of Fame inductee Bill Dickey
. By the middle of the 1940 season, Rosar was out-hitting Dickey with a .343 batting average compared to Dickey's .226 average although, he appeared in only half as many games as, the Yankees were reluctant to relegate Dickey to second string status. On July 19, 1940
, he hit for the cycle
in a game against the Cleveland Indians
. Rosar appeared in 73 games in 1940 and set career-highs with a .298 batting average and a .357 on base percentage
. In 1941
, he hit well above .300 until the final month of the season before tapering off to end the year with a .287 average in 67 games as, the Yankees won the American League
pennant by 17 games over the Boston Red Sox
. Rosar made only one appearance in the 1941 World Series
as a late-inning defensive replacement for Dickey in Game 2 as, the Yankees went on to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers
in five games.
Despite being a second string catcher, American League managers chose Rosar to be a reserve player in the 1942 All-Star Game
over all other starting catchers in the league, with the exception of Birdie Tebbetts
of the Detroit Tigers
, who was selected to start the game. In July, 1942, Rosar asked Yankees manager, Joe McCarthy, for permission to travel to Buffalo to take examinations to join the Buffalo police force and, to be with his wife who was about to have a baby. McCarthy refused to allow him to leave because Dickey was sidelined with an injury leaving only unseasoned rookie catcher Eddie Kearse
available but, Rosar decided to leave without permission. When he returned to the club three days later, he found that McCarthy had replaced him with Rollie Hemsley
and sent Kearse to the minor leagues, relegating Rosar to third-string catcher. Rosar had been seen as a successor to the aging Dickey but, after flaunting the authority of the Yankees management, he would be traded to the Cleveland Indians by the end of the season.
Although Indians manager, Lou Boudreau
, named Gene Desautels
as the Indians starting catcher at the beginning of the 1943
season, by the middle of the year Rosar was among the league leaders in hitting with a .313 average. He was recognised by being named to his second All-Star team as a reserve in the 1943 All-Star Game
. He ended the season with a .283 batting average and 41 runs batted in. He also led American League catchers in assists
and in baserunners caught stealing
. In 1944
, Rosar was assigned to a war job in Buffalo, New York before being transferred to another war job in Cleveland, leaving him available part time to the Indians. He was again hitting among the league leaders with a .324 average in June before fading to finish the year with a .263 batting average. After two seasons with the Indians, Rosar refused to play at the beginning of the 1945
season because of a salary dispute. The Indians responded by trading Rosar to the Philadelphia Athletics for catcher Frankie Hayes
on May 29, 1945.
Rosar had one of his best seasons in the major leagues with Connie Mack
's Philadelphia Athletics in 1946
, hitting for a .283 batting average and posted career-highs with 120 hits and 48 runs batted in. He led American League catchers in assists
, runners caught stealing
, and fielding percentage
, setting a record for errorless games by a catcher, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage in 117 games played as a catcher. The next year he extended his perfect play to 147 games and, was selected to be the starting catcher for the American League in the 1947 All-Star Game
. The errorless games record has since been broken by several players.
Rosar was hitting for just a .216 batting average by mid-season in 1948
however, his defensive reputation won him the fans' vote as the American League's starting catcher in the 1948 All-Star Game
. During a three-season period between 1946 and 1948, Rosar committed only three errors. By 1949
, Mike Guerra
had taken over as the Athletics starting catcher and, Rosar would be traded to the Boston Red Sox in October 1949. With the Red Sox, he was the second string catcher behind Birdie Tebbetts in 1950
and then to Les Moss
in 1951
before being released in October 1951.
, with 836 hits
for a .261 career batting average
, along with 18 home run
s and 367 runs batted in. Despite his relatively low offensive statistics, Rosar's defensive skills earned him a place on the American League All-Star team
five times during his career. Rosar led all American League catchers in fielding percentage four years (1944, 1946–1948). He also led the league three times in assists, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in caught stealing percentage.
Rosar caught two no hitter games in his career, pitched by Dick Fowler
in 1945
, and Bill McCahan
in 1947
. He has the best ratio of double plays to errors
of any catcher in major league history. Rosar holds the 20th Century career record for fewest passed ball
s per games caught (0.0300) with only 28 miscues in 934 games as catcher. Rosar's .992 career fielding percentage was 10 points higher than the league average during his playing career, and at the time of his retirement in 1951
, was the highest for a catcher in major league history.
plant near his hometown of Buffalo.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
– March 13, 1994 in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
), was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played in 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...
as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
from 1939 to 1951 for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, 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...
, Philadelphia Athletics, and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. Rosar was regarded as an excellent defensive catcher, setting a record for consecutive games without an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
by a catcher.
Baseball career
Rosar was first discovered in when he was chosen to play in an All-Star game for Buffalo, New York amateur baseball players. The wife of New York Yankees managerManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, Joe McCarthy, attended the game and was so impressed with Rosar's catching ability that she told her husband about him. McCarthy sent Yankees' scout, Gene McCann
Gene McCann
Henry Eugene McCann was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he pitched in nine games for the Brooklyn Superbas during the 1901 and 1902 baseball seasons. He died at age 66 in New York City.-External links:...
to look at Rosar before the team signed him as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He played for the 1937 Newark Bears team that won 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...
pennant by 25½ games to become known as one of the best minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams of all time. Rosar hit .387 with the Bears in to win the International League batting championship.
Rosar made his major league debut with the Yankees on April 29, 1939 at the age of 24. From 1939
1939 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the team's 37th season in New York, and its 39th overall. The team finished with a record of 106-45, winning their 11th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee...
to 1942
1942 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the team's 40th season in New York and its 42nd overall. The team finished with a record of 103-51, winning their 13th pennant, finishing 9 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played home games at Yankee Stadium. In...
, he served as the Yankees' back up catcher to the future Hall of Fame inductee Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey
William Malcolm Dickey was a Major League Baseball catcher and manager.He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the New York Yankees . During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships...
. By the middle of the 1940 season, Rosar was out-hitting Dickey with a .343 batting average compared to Dickey's .226 average although, he appeared in only half as many games as, the Yankees were reluctant to relegate Dickey to second string status. On July 19, 1940
1940 New York Yankees season
The 1940 New York Yankees season was the team's 38th season in New York and its 40th overall. The team finished in third place with a record of 88-66, finishing two games behind the American League champion Detroit Tigers and one game behind the second-place Cleveland Indians. New York was managed...
, he hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
in a game against the Cleveland Indians
1940 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished second in the American League with a record of 89-65, just one game behind the Detroit Tigers.- Regular season :...
. Rosar appeared in 73 games in 1940 and set career-highs with a .298 batting average and a .357 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. In 1941
1941 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 39th season for the team in New York, and its 41st season overall. The team finished with a record of 101-54, winning their 12th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played their home games at...
, he hit well above .300 until the final month of the season before tapering off to end the year with a .287 average in 67 games as, the Yankees won 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...
pennant by 17 games over the Boston Red Sox
1941 Boston Red Sox season
The 1941 Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. The team finished second in the American League with a record of 84 wins and 70 losses....
. Rosar made only one appearance in the 1941 World Series
1941 World Series
The 1941 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games to capture their fifth title in six years, and their ninth overall....
as a late-inning defensive replacement for Dickey in Game 2 as, the Yankees went on to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers
1941 Brooklyn Dodgers season
The Brooklyn Dodgers, led by manager Leo Durocher, won their first pennant in 21 years, edging the St. Louis Cardinals by 2.5 games. They went on to lose to the New York Yankees in the World Series....
in five games.
Despite being a second string catcher, American League managers chose Rosar to be a reserve player in the 1942 All-Star Game
1942 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1942 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 10th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 6, 1942, at Polo Grounds in New York, New York the home of the...
over all other starting catchers in the league, with the exception of Birdie Tebbetts
Birdie Tebbetts
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians from to...
of the 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...
, who was selected to start the game. In July, 1942, Rosar asked Yankees manager, Joe McCarthy, for permission to travel to Buffalo to take examinations to join the Buffalo police force and, to be with his wife who was about to have a baby. McCarthy refused to allow him to leave because Dickey was sidelined with an injury leaving only unseasoned rookie catcher Eddie Kearse
Eddie Kearse
Paul Edward Kearse was a Major League Baseball catcher. Kearse played for the New York Yankees in . In 11 career games, he had 5 hits in 26 at-bats. He batted and threw right-handed....
available but, Rosar decided to leave without permission. When he returned to the club three days later, he found that McCarthy had replaced him with Rollie Hemsley
Rollie Hemsley
Ralston Burdett Hemsley was a professional baseball catcher. Born in Syracuse, Ohio, he played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "Rollicking Rollie".-Major League career:...
and sent Kearse to the minor leagues, relegating Rosar to third-string catcher. Rosar had been seen as a successor to the aging Dickey but, after flaunting the authority of the Yankees management, he would be traded to the Cleveland Indians by the end of the season.
Although Indians manager, Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, named Gene Desautels
Gene Desautels
Eugene Abraham "Red" Desautels was an American professional baseball player. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts to French Canadian parents, he played most of his Major League Baseball career as a backup catcher with four different teams between and . Listed at 5' 11", 170 lb., Desautels batted...
as the Indians starting catcher at the beginning of the 1943
1943 Cleveland Indians season
- Offseason :* Prior to 1943 season **Sherm Lollar was signed as an amateur free agent by the Indians.**Pete Milne was signed as an amateur free agent by the Indians.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
season, by the middle of the year Rosar was among the league leaders in hitting with a .313 average. He was recognised by being named to his second All-Star team as a reserve in the 1943 All-Star Game
1943 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1943 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 11th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 1943, at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the home...
. He ended the season with a .283 batting average and 41 runs batted in. He also led American League catchers in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and in baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
. In 1944
1944 Cleveland Indians season
- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg...
, Rosar was assigned to a war job in Buffalo, New York before being transferred to another war job in Cleveland, leaving him available part time to the Indians. He was again hitting among the league leaders with a .324 average in June before fading to finish the year with a .263 batting average. After two seasons with the Indians, Rosar refused to play at the beginning of the 1945
1945 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 52 wins and 98 losses.- Notable transactions :* May 29, 1945: Frankie Hayes was traded by the Athletics to the Cleveland Indians for Buddy Rosar....
season because of a salary dispute. The Indians responded by trading Rosar to the Philadelphia Athletics for catcher Frankie Hayes
Frankie Hayes
Frank Witman Hayes was an American professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to and, was highly regarded for his defensive abilities. He played most of his career for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics and also spent time with the St. Louis Browns,...
on May 29, 1945.
Rosar had one of his best seasons in the major leagues with Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
's Philadelphia Athletics in 1946
1946 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 49 wins and 105 losses.- Regular season :...
, hitting for a .283 batting average and posted career-highs with 120 hits and 48 runs batted in. He led American League catchers in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
, runners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
, and fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, setting a record for errorless games by a catcher, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage in 117 games played as a catcher. The next year he extended his perfect play to 147 games and, was selected to be the starting catcher for the American League in the 1947 All-Star Game
1947 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1947 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 14th playing of the "Midsummer Classic" between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1947, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of...
. The errorless games record has since been broken by several players.
Rosar was hitting for just a .216 batting average by mid-season in 1948
1948 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 4th in the American League with a record of 84 wins and 70 losses.- Notable transactions :...
however, his defensive reputation won him the fans' vote as the American League's starting catcher in the 1948 All-Star Game
1948 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1948 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 15th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 1948, at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, Missouri the home of...
. During a three-season period between 1946 and 1948, Rosar committed only three errors. By 1949
1949 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 5th in the American League with a record of 81 wins and 73 losses.- Offseason :* November 10, 1948: Tod Davis was drafted by the Athletics from the Chicago White Sox in the 1948 rule 5 draft....
, Mike Guerra
Mike Guerra
Fermin Guerra born in Havana, Cuba was a catcher for the Washington Senators , Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox ....
had taken over as the Athletics starting catcher and, Rosar would be traded to the Boston Red Sox in October 1949. With the Red Sox, he was the second string catcher behind Birdie Tebbetts in 1950
1950 Boston Red Sox season
The 1950 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :- Starters by position :...
and then to Les Moss
Les Moss
John Lester "Les" Moss is a former American professional baseball player, coach, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the St...
in 1951
1951 Boston Red Sox season
The 1951 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing third in the American League with a record of 87 wins and 67 losses.- Offseason :* November 16, 1950: Joe DeMaestri was drafted from the Red Sox by the Chicago White Sox in the 1950 rule 5 draft....
before being released in October 1951.
Career statistics
In 13 seasons, Rosar played in 988 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, with 836 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
for a .261 career 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 :...
, along with 18 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 367 runs batted in. Despite his relatively low offensive statistics, Rosar's defensive skills earned him a place on the American League All-Star team
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
five times during his career. Rosar led all American League catchers in fielding percentage four years (1944, 1946–1948). He also led the league three times in assists, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in caught stealing percentage.
Rosar caught two no hitter games in his career, pitched by Dick Fowler
Dick Fowler
Richard John Fowler was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Athletics . Fowler batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
in 1945
1945 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 52 wins and 98 losses.- Notable transactions :* May 29, 1945: Frankie Hayes was traded by the Athletics to the Cleveland Indians for Buddy Rosar....
, and Bill McCahan
Bill McCahan
William Glenn McCahan was an American professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1946 to 1949....
in 1947
1947 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing fifth in the American League with a record of 78 wins and 76 losses.Except for a fifth-place finish in 1944, the A’s finished in last or next-to-last place every year from 1935–1946...
. He has the best ratio of double plays to errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
of any catcher in major league history. Rosar holds the 20th Century career record for fewest passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s per games caught (0.0300) with only 28 miscues in 934 games as catcher. Rosar's .992 career fielding percentage was 10 points higher than the league average during his playing career, and at the time of his retirement in 1951
1951 Boston Red Sox season
The 1951 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing third in the American League with a record of 87 wins and 67 losses.- Offseason :* November 16, 1950: Joe DeMaestri was drafted from the Red Sox by the Chicago White Sox in the 1950 rule 5 draft....
, was the highest for a catcher in major league history.
Later life
After Rosar's baseball career, he was employed as an engineer at a FordFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
plant near his hometown of Buffalo.
External links
- Buddy Rosar at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Buddy Rosar obituary at The New York Times