Skel Roach

Rudolph Charles Roach
born Rudolph Charles Weichbrodt

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2"
• School Northwestern University
• Debut August 9, 1899
• Final Game August 9, 1899
• Born October 20, 1871 in Danzig, Germany
• Died March 9, 1958 in Oak Park, IL USA

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Biographical Information

"Gibson, the Boston Americans' pitcher, says Skel used to throw the best raise or jump ball in the world." - Sporting Life, Feb. 18, 1905

Skel Roach, one of the few players born in Germany, went 1-0 in his major league career as a pitcher. He had a number of successful seasons in the minors, the best of which was probably 1903 when he went 22-9 for Butte. He also had the highest winning percentage on the staff of the 1904 Portland Browns.

He was baseball coach for the University of Michigan in 1903. He also coached at Indiana University. He went to Northwestern University and became an attorney. One source: Cubs Journal.

"All the new men have shown in a very unsatisfactory way as far as they have gone, barring Skel Roach, who was let into but one game, and won that. I asked Jim Hart why Roach was not tried again, and he answered that Skel was given a good beating, and that the Orphans won merely because they also happened to be in good batting shape that day. Even so. Skel gave no bases on balls and put them right over, besides keeping his nerve and jollying along like a good fellow. That sort of boy is worth a fuller trial." - the opinion of Sporting Life's Chicago correspondent, in the Sept. 2, 1899 issue

Related Sites

• Skel Roach at the SABR Bio Project