Tag: Cleveland Indians

Rich Rollins, a member of 1965 Twins pennant winning team passes away

Rich “Red” Rollins

Richard John Rollins, known to baseball fans as Rich Rollins, passed away on May 13, 2025 at the age of 86 in Akron, Ohio, leaving behind a legacy that embodies perseverance, talent, and the spirit of the game. A two-time All-Star and a key contributor to the Minnesota Twins’ 1965 American League pennant-winning season, Rollins carved out a successful career despite early doubts about his abilities.

Early Life and Passion for Baseball

Born on April 16, 1938, in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, Rich inherited a deep love for baseball from his father, an ambidextrous welder who played in coal mining leagues. When the family relocated to the Cleveland area, young Rich immersed himself in the game, playing multiple positions—second base, third base, and catcher—for Parma High School. He also played second base for an American Legion team, all while working at Cleveland Indians games as a popcorn vendor.

His journey to professional baseball was far from straightforward. Initially enrolling at Ohio University after high school, Rollins soon received a scholarship offer from Kent State University, despite never having been seen by the coach, Matt Resnick. Recommended by Norbert “Nobby” Lewandowski, a pitcher in the Twins’ farm system, Rollins thrived at Kent State. He earned three consecutive selections to the All-Mid-American Conference team at second base and posted an extraordinary .383 career batting average—second only to future Yankees catcher Thurman Munson.

Despite his success, Rollins faced skepticism from scouts who deemed him too small (5’10”), unable to hit curveballs, incapable of turning double plays, and possessing a weak arm. However, Kent State coaches Matt Resnick and Moose Paskert encouraged him to persevere, helping him refine his skills and stay motivated.

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The charismatic Luis Tiant dies at the age of 83

Luis Clemente Tiant was born in Marianao, Cuba on November 23, 1940 the son of Luis and Isabel and passed away on October 8, 2024 at the age of 83. His father, Luis Eleuterio Tiant, was a legendary left-handed pitcher who starred in the Cuban Leagues and the American Negro Leagues for 20 years but the color barrier denied Luis E. the opportunity to play in the majors.

The colorful Luis Tiant played in the major leagues for 19 years between 1964 and 1982 for the Cleveland Indians, the Minnesota Twins, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the California Angels. Tiant also played in Mexico for several seasons before and after his pro career in the states.

In his big league career Tiant had a 229-172 record with 20 or more wins four times and 20 losses once. He had his share of injuries but he started 484 games and pitched over 3,486 innings, threw 187 complete games with 49 shutouts and in his spare times he earned 15 Saves.

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Former Twins pitcher George Frazier passes away at the age of 68

George Frazier

George Frazier was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on October 13, 1954 and passed away on June 19, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 68 from an undisclosed illness.

The lanky, 6-foot-5 right-hander, Frazier was a star at Hillcrest High School in Springfield, Missouri where he played alongside two other future major leaguers in Bob Detherage and Keith Drumright. before attending the University of Oklahoma from 1973-76. 

Frazier was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 13th round of the 1972 June free agent draft but turned that offer down to attend the University of Oklahoma. George Frazier, who was a member of two College World Series teams in the 1970s playing at Oklahoma in 1975 and ’76 for legendary coach Enos Semore and was a member of the final two of five straight CWS appearances from 1972-76. After completing his college career Frazier was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 9th round of the 1976 MLB June Amateur Draft.

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Mudcat Grant didn’t put up with racial bigotry

Jim “Mudcat” Grant

Jim Grant was generally considered an easy going likable person, but as the 1960 season drew to a close, his refusal to tolerate bigotry, more than a decade after Jackie Robinson had reintegrated the major leagues, had costly consequences as written about in the September, 28 1960 issue of The Sporting News by Hal Lebovitz who covered the Cleveland Indians for the baseball’s bible at the time.

Mudcat Grant SN 092860.pdf


The Indians held their minor-league camp in Daytona Beach and offered Grant a tryout. It was here that Mudcat became his name. “A guy named Leroy Bartow Irby saw me, decided I was from Mississippi and called me ‘Mudcat,’” recalled Grant. The nickname stuck and Grant came to embrace the name. Jim Grant signed with the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent prior to the 1954 season and started his career in C ball with the Fargo-Moorhead Twins (an omen?) at the age of 18. In his first four minor league seasons from 1954-1957 he started 95 games, pitched 828 innings, had 63 complete games and posted a record of 70-28 earning him a trip to Cleveland in 1958. Grant pitched for the Indians into the 1964 season, then spent 3-1/2 years with the Twins including posting two of Minnesota’s three wins over the Dodgers in losing the 1965 World Series. In the last four years of his major league career he pitched for the Dodgers, Expos, Cardinals, Pirates and A’s, leaving the big leagues after the 1971 season.

After his playing days, Mudcat was a television broadcaster for the Indians, Dodgers and A’s. Grant also wrote a book called The Black Aces: Baseball’s Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners. He has given back to baseball by serving on the board of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, on the Baseball Assistance Team and on the Major League Baseball Alumni Association. Jim Grant passed away on June 11, 2021 in Los Angeles at the age of 85.

Former Twins pitcher Fred Lasher passes away at 80

Fred Lasher was born in Poughkeepsie, New York on August 19, 1941 and passed away in Altoona, Wisconsin at the age of 80 on February 27, 2022. Lasher grew up playing basketball and baseball for Poughkeepsie High School and the local Poughkeepsie YMCA. As a high school senior, Lasher had a 7-0 record and threw a no-hitter.

Lasher was invited to participate in a local All-Star game against some New York Yankee rookies that was attended by major league scouts. Joe Gall a scout for the Washington Senators liked what he saw and signed Lasher to his first pro contract in January of 1960 and Lasher was assigned to Wytheville Senators of the Appalachian League. He was known for a sidearm/submarine pitching delivery that earned him the nickname “The Whip,” and he picked up that delivery as a child by throwing rocks at his parents’ house.

Fred Lasher

Lasher attended his first big league spring training in 1963 as a talented but very raw pitcher, with a sidearm fastball but no curveball, and occasional control problems. The coaches taught him a three-quarters overhand delivery for his curve. After putting up good numbers in the spring, Lasher became a surprise addition to the Twins’ pitching staff.

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Twins 1965 World Series star Mudcat Grant passes away at 85

Mudcat Grant

Jim “Mudcat” Grant was born on August 13, 1935 in Lacoochee, Florida, a small town of about 500 people in central Florida. According to the Cleveland Indians, Mudcat Grant died peacefully in Los Angeles, California on June 11, 2021. Jim Grant was 85 years old.

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Former Twins infielder Ted Lepcio passes away at the age of 90

Ted Lepcio

Thaddeus Stanley Lepcio was born in Utica, New York on July 28, 1929 and passed away on December 5, 2019 at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts. The right-handed hitting Ted Lepcio was not a baseball superstar but he loved baseball and always wanted to be a big league player. He achieved that goal and played in the major leagues for 10 years playing second base, third base and shortstop for five different big league teams.

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Former Twins shortstop Jackie Hernandez losses his battle with cancer

Jackie Hernandez

Jackie Hernandez (Jacinto Hernández Zulueta) was born on September 11, 1940 in Central Tinguaro, Cuba and passed away on October 12, 2019 in Miami, Florida after a short battle with lung cancer. His given name (Hyacinth in English) was difficult for many people in the U.S. to pronounce, leading to his Anglicized nickname; he was also called simply “Jack or Jackie.” 

Hernandez played pro ball from 1961 through 1974 and then spent some time playing ball in Mexico from 1975-1976 before retiring as an active player.

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Former Twins catcher & coach Hal Naragon passes away at age 90

Hal Naragon with Cleveland

Harold (Hal) Richard Naragon was born on October 1, 1928 in Zanesville, Ohio but grew up and spent most of his life in Barberton, Ohio where he passed away on August 31, 2019. Hal was a star high school baseball player and in 2000 the Barberton High School baseball field was named “Naragon Field” in his honor. Naragon, a catcher, was 6’ and weighed about 160 pounds and batted left handed. After signing as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians in 1947 after graduating from high school, Hal started working his way up the minor league chain and made his major league debut on September 23, 1951. Hal missed the 1952 and 1953 season while serving our country in the Marine Corps. Hal was a part of the 111-43 Cleveland Indians team in 1954 that went on to the World Series only to get swept by the New York Giants. When Naragon played in Cleveland he caught future Hall of Fame pitchers Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Early Wynn until he was traded to the Washington Senators in 1959.

Hal Naragon

After the 1960 season the Senators relocated to Minnesota and Naragon played with the Twins in 1961 and 1962. After being released by Minnesota after the 1962 season he was offered a coaching position under manager Sam Mele and he coached with the Twins from 1963 through 1966. After the 1966 season Naragon moved on to coach for the Detroit Tigers between 1967 and 1969 before he hung up his spikes once and for all. Hal caught in the big leagues for all or parts of 10 seasons with the Indians, Senators and the Twins compiling a career batting average of .266 in 424 games but he was never able to achieve full-time playing status. Never the less, Naragon was a valuable asset behind the plate and swung a good left handed stick and in 985 at bats had 262 hits, 6 home runs and 87 RBI. 

Hal leaves behind his wife of seventy-one years, Joanne; his daughter, Pamela (Jeff) Yeck of Canton; grandsons, Chad (Noel) Bradley of Massillon and Evan (Amber) Bradley of Massillon; great-grandchildren, Whitney and Maverick Bradley; his brother, Thomas (Barbara) Naragon; as well as many nieces, nephews and many many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Barbara Cole and brother, Jim Naragon. RIP Hal Naragon and thank you for all the memories. About ten years ago I did an interview with Hal that you can listen to here.

The SABR Baseball Biography Project write-up on Hal can be found here.

Hal Nargaon Obituary

What will it take to get Minnesota Twins fans to believe in this team

Before the 2019 season began for the Minnesota Twins pretty much everyone agreed that the Twins fate this season hinged on how well Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano performed. Both were coming off a 2018 season in which they underperformed and/or were injured or both. 

Buxton played in just 28 games hitting .156 for Minnesota and finished the 2018 season in AAA and didn’t even get called up in September, he was miffed to say the least. Sano didn’t do much better appearing in just 71 games and hit .199 with 13 home runs, a career low for him. He played so poorly he was sent all the way back to High A ball in Fort Myers to lose weight and regain his batting form.

The Twins signed free agent Martin Perez on January 30th and expected him to fight for a starting spot. Twins fans were not happy with the signing since the soon to be 28-year old lefty was 2-7 with a 6.22 ERA in 15 starts for the Rangers in 2018. Twins fans wanted the front office to sign a legitimate Ace starting pitcher and some bullpen help and when that did not happen, fans were upset and just didn’t buy tickets for the 2019 season.

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