Neil Roberts

Neil Lee Roberts

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.

• Born ~1934

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Neil Roberts pitched for nine years in the minor leagues, briefly appearing in AAA. Bill O'Donnell recalls him a power pitcher with poor control who grew up in the same town as Joe Nuxhall. Roberts broke in with the 1952 Madisonville Miners. He walked a whopping 85 batters in 61 innings and went 5-3 with a 5.19 ERA. He fared better at the plate, hitting .308/~.379/.538. The next year, Neil was with the Topeka Owls (1-2) and the Wisconsin Rapids White Sox (3-3, 5.26, 61 K, 46 BB in 53 IP.

In 1954, Roberts went 0-2 with the St. Cloud Rox but had a very good year with the Cocoa Indians (15-8, 2.32), finishing second in the Florida State League in ERA. He had another great year in '55, with the Texas City Texans. He won 19, lost 11 and had a 2.88 ERA. He was 4th in the Big State League in wins and among the ERA leaders as well.

Neil moved up to AA in 1956 with the Dallas Eagles, going 7-7 with a 3.14 ERA despite 92 walks in 146 innings. He also went 0-1 with the Minneapolis Millers in his only look at AAA. In '57, he was back in Dallas with a 4-1, 3.95 season and 22 walks in 41 IP. He pitched two shutouts in his five starts.

Roberts split 1958 between the Corpus Christi Giants and Victoria Rosebuds, moving from the Giants to Dodgers system. He had a composite 7-11, 5.72 line. He was on the '59 New Orleans Pelicans (2-0) and Mexico City Red Devils (0-1). After two years away, he returned in 1962 to get lit up with the Durham Bulls (1-1, 10.13).

Sources: 1953, 1954 and 1958 Baseball Guides, Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database