Elwin Charles "Preacher" Roe, the cunning left-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the late 1940s and early '50s who was selected to four consecutive All-Star teams, died Sunday of colon cancer in West Plains, Mo., according to the Dodgers website. He was 92.
Armed with an array of off-speed pitches, including the occasional illegal spitball that he later confessed to throwing, Roe confounded hitters, winning 93 games and losing 37 for the Dodgers -- which were good enough to make it to the World Series but generally lost to the New York Yankees.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, November 15, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 51 words Type of Material: Correction
Roe obituary: The obituary of Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Elwin Charles "Preacher" Roe in Tuesday's California section said that his 1-0 decision against the New York Yankees in 1949 was his only World Series victory. Roe was also the winning pitcher against the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1952 World Series.
Roe pitched for the Dodgers in three World Series -- 1949, 1952 and 1953-- shutting out the Yankees 1-0 in 1949, his only series victory. By the time Brooklyn won its first World Series, beating the Yankees in 1955, Roe had retired
His best year came in 1951, when he won 22 games and lost just three for the Dodgers, setting a team record that still stands for the highest winning percentage for a 20-game winner. The Sporting News named him pitcher of the year. A year later, he again led the National League in winning percentage when he posted an 11-2 record for the Dodgers. He had four All-Star appearances with the Dodgers, from 1949-1952.
He had the reputation of being one of the slowest working pitchers in the majors, which was all part of his plan to play with hitters' minds. Long believed to be skilled in using the spitball, Roe would repeatedly distract the hitter by going to the bill of his cap with his hand. Sometimes he would spit on his wrist and the saliva would drip onto the ball, which would then take interesting dips on the way to the batter.
But for Roe, the illusion of loading the ball was often enough.
"I had a wet one and three fake wet ones," he said.
"You don't have to throw it . . . just make 'em think you're going to throw it."
Elwin Charles Roe was born in Ash Flat, Ark., on Feb. 26, 1916. His father was a doctor, and as a youngster he got his nickname from an uncle.
He grew up in Viola, Ark., and attended Harding College in Searcy, Ark., where he developed a hard-throwing style, averaging 18 strikeouts a game but also a high number of walks.
Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938, Roe pitched just one game for that team and spent several years in their minor league system before being traded in 1944 to the Pirates.
