By Compiled from Times wires
Published August 12, 2003
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. - Former shortstop Billy Rogell, who helped the Tigers win the 1935 World Series a year after knocking out Dizzy Dean with a throw, died Saturday of pneumonia. He was 98.
After 14 years in the major leagues with the Tigers, Red Sox and Cubs, Mr. Rogell became a city councilman for nearly 40 years, with a two-year break in the late 1940s.
Mr. Rogell played for the Tigers from 1930-39, teaming in the infield with Hank Greenberg and Charlie Gehringer, both Hall of Famers, and Marv Owen. In 1934 they drove in 462 runs combined; Mr. Rogell had 100 RBIs despite hitting three homers.
Mr. Rogell was involved in one of the most famous plays in baseball history.
In Game 4 of the 1934 World Series, the Tigers were on their way to a 10-4 victory when Dean, the Cardinals' star pitcher and a future Hall of Famer, was put in as a pinch-runner at first base.
The next batter hit a grounder to Gehringer, who threw to Mr. Rogell for a forceout. Mr. Rogell's relay then hit Dean in the forehead, knocking him unconscious.
"Billy just came across the bag and where most runners would slide and get out of the way, ol' Diz came in standing up," pitcher Elden Auker said from his home in Vero Beach. "We couldn't believe it. There was Diz, just lying there.
"Billy felt terrible; we all did. Diz got up after a bit and was seeing stars, so they took him to a hospital."
Dean was okay, and headlines the next day read: "X-rays of Dean's head show nothing."
"It turned out funny, so it was all right," Auker said. "That was the trademark left on Rogell's career."
The Cardinals came back to win that Series in seven games. Detroit beat the Cubs in six games in the 1935 Series with Mr. Rogell hitting .292.
In 1,481 games, Mr. Rogell batted .267 with 42 home runs and 609 RBIs. He hit .283 in 13 World Series games.
LONG-DISTANCE EFFORT: After traveling almost 350 miles and appearing on two teams' rosters, Yankees right-hander Jose Contreras allowed two runs on four hits for Class A Tampa in his first rehabilitation start. Contreras was scheduled to pitch for the Gulf Coast League Yankees, but after he arrived in Lakeland the game was rained out. Contreras returned to Tampa, picked up a uniform and traveled 130 miles to Fort Myers.
"I thought I was going to have to go to another league because when we were driving here it was still raining," Contreras said.
On the 15-day disabled list since June 7 with a strained right shoulder, Contreras threw 69 pitches, 47 strikes.
"Perfect, my shoulder's fine," Contreras said. "I think (the travel) was well worth it."
Meanwhile, Yankees right-handed reliever Antonio Osuna was placed on the bereavement list and granted a leave of absence because of a family illness. Manager Joe Torre said he wasn't sure when the pitcher would rejoin the team.
BRAVES: Catcher Del Crandall, an eight-time All-Star during the team's Milwaukee glory days, today will become the eighth player and 11th person overall inducted into the club's Hall of Fame.
BREWERS: Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker had both knees replaced to relieve severe arthritis. Uecker, 69, will begin a rehabilitation program immediately but will miss some games.
REDS: Outfielder Austin Kearns is scheduled to have season-ending right shoulder surgery Thursday.
ROCKIES: After coming up on the short end of two controversial calls over the weekend, Colorado players are demanding umpires be held accountable. "I just want to know if they're going to go back and look at it," said Todd Helton, who from the on-deck circle Sunday saw what home plate umpire Brian O'Nora did not, that Garrett Atkins slapped home in the seventh for what appeared to be the tying run in the Pirates' 5-3 win. "Everybody makes mistakes, that's not the issue. It's that you want to know that they care." Vice president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson said the play would be reviewed because manager Clint Hurdle was ejected.
TIGERS: Major League Baseball officials plan to talk to outfielder Bobby Higginson about his ejection Sunday and outburst directed toward umpires. Higginson apologized for the incident, which included a threatening postgame tirade. "I was talking out of frustration and said some things I shouldn't have said," he said.
