Ken Roy

Ken Roy

• School Southeastern Louisiana University
• High School Mansura High School
• Born December 8, 1941 in Mansura, LA USA
• Died June 16, 2009 in Alexandria, LA USA

Biographical Information

Ken Roy was a minor league umpire for two years. As a 10 year old, Roy was bedridden for six months with a kidney disease. He later said that this is when he fell in love with baseball while hearing games on the radio. Besides umpiring, Roy also served his country as a member of the US Air Force from 1959 to 1963, had a long career as an educator and was a Catholic priest for more than three decades.

Roy discussed the "profound" impact his short umpiring career had on his life in the clergy during a 2007 interview: "It gave me an extra amount of patience to deal with people in situations not too comfortable. It helped me in my priesthood, because it made me a better listener for people with various problems and things troubling them. Looking back, it was a very helpful time." He remained an avid baseball fan throughout his life and decorated his church office with a life-size cutout of Babe Ruth and other Yankee memorabilia.

Father Roy died unexpectedly at his home in June 2009.