Richard John Rollins (April 16, 1938 – May 13, 2025) was an American professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins (1961–68), Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers (1969–1970), and Cleveland Indians (1970). He was named an All-Star with the Twins in 1962. During a 10-year baseball career, Rollins's batting average was .269 with 77 home runs, and 399 runs batted in (RBI).

Early life

Richard John Rollins was born on April 16, 1938, in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania,

He graduated in 1960, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

Playing career

Minor League career

Rollins was signed for $6,000 as an undrafted free agent by the then Washington Senators prior to the start of the 1960 season. He was assigned to the Wilson Tobs in the Class-B Carolina League, under future major league manager Jack McKeon.

After hitting .341 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs in 62 games, in 1961, Rollins was promoted to Syracuse Chiefs in the Triple-A International League (IL). A few weeks into the season, after playing only three games, he was assigned to the Single-A Charlotte Hornets in the South Atlantic League. His first major league hit was against future Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn. Rollins spent the rest of the season with the Twins as a little-used bench player, batting .294 with 3 RBIs in 13 games. Playing in 159 games, Rollins finished the season hitting .298 with 16 home runs and 96 RBIs, Rollins was also compared to former longtime Senators third baseman Ossie Bluege. His Twins teammates voted him the team's MVP in 1962. While Rollins's glove work would never be as bad (his errors would decrease from 28 to eight over the next four seasons), his results at the plate would also decline, despite an almost-as-good 1963 season (.307, 16 home runs, 61 RBIs), even after suffering a broken jaw when he was hit by a pitch early in the season. The .307 average was third in the American League. Rollins helped the Twins to win the 1965 American League pennant. During the season, he was platooning at third base with Killebrew and César Tovar, among others, with Killebrew playing 107 games at third base. The Pilots played one year in Seattle (1969), and then moved to Milwaukee in 1970. After backing up Tommy Harper at third base for the Pilots in 1969, Rollins was Harper's backup again beginning the 1970 season in Milwaukee. Rollins was released by the infant Milwaukee Brewers on May 13, 1970, after starting the season hitting .200 with 5 RBIs in 14 games. Rollins was immediately signed by the Cleveland Indians, for whom he would finish the season before retiring. He was inducted into the Greater Akron [Ohio] Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.

Personal life and death

Rollins met former United Airlines stewardess Lynn Maher of Newport Beach, California, in 1962. He married Maher on February 9, 1963. They had six children.

See also

  • List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders

References

  • Rich Rollins at the SABR Baseball Biography Project
  • Interview of Rich Rollins conducted by Dan Coughlin at Cleveland Public Library on September 11, 2017.