Preacher Roe Elwin Charles Roe Bats Right Throws Left Height 6'2 Weight 170 Born February 26, 1915 Ash Flat, AR Died November 9, 2008 West Plains, MO

Pitching  

 Year Ag Tm    W   L  PCT.  SV   G  GS  CG SHO    IP     H    R   ER   BB   SO  HR  ERA  lgERA ERA+
+-----------+---+---+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+---+-----+-----+----+
 1944 29 PAW   6  13  .316   0  32  31   0   0  181.0  185   96   88   70  119  13  4.38  4.32   99
 1945 30 PAW   9  11  .450   0  31  30   4   2  191.2  221   90   81   51  119  14  3.80  3.94  104
 1948 33 PAW                                                                                       
+-----------+---+---+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+---+-----+-----+----+
  2 Seasons   15  24  .385   0  63  61   4   2  372.2  406  186  169  121  238  27  4.08  4.13  101
+-----------+---+---+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+---+-----+-----+----+
 154 Gm  Avg   8  13  .385   0  33  32   2   1  195.1  213   98   89   63  125  14  4.08 
 Career High   9  13  .450   0  32  31   4   2  191.2  221   96   88   70  119  14  3.80              
+-----------+---+---+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+---+-----+-----+----+
 Year Ag Tm    W   L  PCT.  SV   G  GS  CG SHO    IP     H    R   ER   BB   SO  HR  ERA  lgERA ERA+

Shaded Text indicates partial season results.

Appearances on Leaderboards and Awards  

Stats are Year-Value-Rank

Strikeouts 1945-119-5

Losses 1944-13-9

Transactions January 1, 1938: Drafted 1st round (6th overall) by Pawtucket.

Biography Elwin Charles Roe posted an exceptional 22-3 won-loss record for the Dodgers in 1951. Roe's overall career statistics were hurt by the fact that he was away from baseball during World War II and that he pitched for the Pirates at a time when they were the worst team in the National League. Contrasting the fielding of the Dodgers and the Pirates, he once said that a pitcher should pay to pitch for the Dodgers. The Pirate second baseman and shortstop were like goalposts with the ball bouncing between them. Ralph Kiner, he said, stood in a hole in the outfield. He caught balls hit to his hole but otherwise did not field. One can get a great flavor of Ole Preach by viewing the video of the Boys of Summer. Roe was an exceptional pitcher, but notorious as a poor hitter. In 1953, he hit a home run at Ebbets Field, causing Dodger fans to roar in surprise and delight. Dodger broadcaster Red Barber told his radio audience, "Well, old Number 28 has hit a home run, and we'll never hear the end of it, folks!" After being taken out of a game in the second inning, Roe when asked what happened responded, "Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you." Preacher was still pitching in the majors at age 39, unusual at the time. When asked to explain his longevity, he replied "Clean livin' and the spitball." In 1955 after his retirement he appeared on Sports Illustrated and showed the kids of America how to throw a spitball. Preacher Roe lives today in West Plains, Missouri, where for many years he operated a small grocery store. The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings (2004) includes short stories from former Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine. Roe is prominent in many of these stories.