Bullet Rogan

Wilber Joe Rogan was not only one of the best pitchers to have played in the Negro Leagues, but he was also one of the best hitters. By not beginning his Negro League career until his mid 20s, Rogan got a late start. Nevertheless, he excelled during his 19 seasons with the Kansas City Monarchs, after beginning his baseball career as a part of the Army, playing for a team in the all-black 25th Infantry.

One statistical compilation records the hurler as winning more games than any other in the history of the Negro National League. He went 119-50 in his pitching career, with a 3.68 ERA, completing 132 of the 209 games that he started while using his repertoire of curveballs, spitballs, palm balls, forkballs and fastballs to strike out 855.

Splitting his time between the mound and the outfield, Rogan also ranks fourth in the league in career average, at .338. Rogan held a .515 slugging percentage with 45 home runs to go with 99 stolen bases and 361 runs. The slugger also notched 251 RBI, and led the Negro National League with 13 homers in 1922.

Rogan helped the Monarchs win three straight pennants from 1923-1925, and a Negro League World Series champion-ship in 1924. During the championship season, Rogan hit .395 and had an 18-6 record on the mound. In the first Black World Series, he led his team with 13 hits and won two games for Kansas City as the Monarchs took down the Hilldale Daisies.

While Rogan’s pitching was often compared to that of Satchel Paige, his son Wilber pointed out that there was at least one difference. “I do know that Satchel needed a designated hitter when he was on the mound,” the younger Rogan said of his father. “When dad was on the mound, he was bat-ting cleanup.”