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Kenneth Andre Ian Rodgers (December 2, 1934 – December 13, 2004) was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the San Francisco Giants, New York / San Francisco Giants (1957–1960), Chicago Cubs (1961–1964), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1965–1967). He also played one season in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama BayStars, Taiyo Whales (1969). He batted and threw right-handed, stood tall and weighed (14 stone (unit), stone, 4).
A native of Nassau, Bahamas, Rodgers was the List of countries with their first Major League Baseball player, first Bahamian to play in the integrated major leagues (though Ormond Sampson, who debuted in 1932, played in the Negro leagues). He was a talented cricket player who paid his own way for a tryout with the 1954 New York Giants (MLB) season, Giants in 1954. Rodgers failed to make the team that year. He had to learn the rules of baseball, not to jump away from curveballs, and consequently, he adjusted and made his debut in 1957 New York Giants (MLB) season, 1957. Rodgers was a part of the Giants roster until October 1960 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Braves (1953–69), Milwaukee Braves for Alvin Dark, who ultimately became the San Francisco Manager (baseball), manager at the time.
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 1962 Chicago Cubs season, 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 (baseball), batting average with 45 home runs and 245 Run batted in, 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 the Bahamas, and, in the 1960s, had become even more popular than cricket.
Andre Rodgers died in Nassau at the age of 70. Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium, which opened at Nassau's Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre in 2022, is named in his honour.
Career
A native of Nassau, Bahamas, Rodgers was the List of countries with their first Major League Baseball player, first Bahamian to play in the integrated major leagues (though Ormond Sampson, who debuted in 1932, played in the Negro leagues). He was a talented cricket player who paid his own way for a tryout with the 1954 New York Giants (MLB) season, Giants in 1954. Rodgers failed to make the team that year. He had to learn the rules of baseball, not to jump away from curveballs, and consequently, he adjusted and made his debut in 1957 New York Giants (MLB) season, 1957. Rodgers was a part of the Giants roster until October 1960 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Braves (1953–69), Milwaukee Braves for Alvin Dark, who ultimately became the San Francisco Manager (baseball), manager at the time.
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 1962 Chicago Cubs season, 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 (baseball), batting average with 45 home runs and 245 Run batted in, 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 the Bahamas, and, in the 1960s, had become even more popular than cricket.
Andre Rodgers died in Nassau at the age of 70. Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium, which opened at Nassau's Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre in 2022, is named in his honour.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Andre 1934 births 2004 deaths Bahamian expatriate baseball players in the United States Chicago Cubs players Columbus Jets players Dallas Eagles players Expatriate baseball players in Japan Major League Baseball players from the Bahamas Major League Baseball shortstops Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players New York Giants (baseball) players Olean Giants players Phoenix Giants players Pittsburgh Pirates players St. Cloud Rox players San Francisco Giants players Baseball players from Nassau, Bahamas Taiyō Whales players Bahamian expatriate sportspeople in Japan