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Phil Roof

Slugger Phil Roof Saw The Future

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Topps Knew How We
Imagined Roof Most!

Phil Roof starred more with the mitt than the bat. More than 15 years with only 43 career homers?

He treasured one dinger most:

“My first homer was my biggest thrill. It helped win the game in the 12th inning. Tied 3 to 3 at RFK Stadium, I hit it in the top of the 12th.”

One day turned the tables for the studious Roof. On May 30, 1972, his two homers were the difference in a 3-2 win against the Royals. Roof wrote:

“I hit a Dal Canton fastball over right field fence. Then I hit a hanging curveball to left field. The way he brought his right hand out of his glove gave his pitches away. I was lucky to pick that up. He was tipping his pitches and he was going into his stretch position. It was a big thrill.”

Phil Roof Transforms ‘Sudden’ Sam McDowell

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Roof uses same looping script!

Phil Roof caught in the majors from 1961-77. The Kentucky native proved that good catchers win games, but great ones change careers. He wrote:

“I told Sam McDowell on a day I was catching him and told him no one could hit his fastball. He said, ‘I can’t pitch that way.’

The next start, I caught him and called for all fastballs until he got to two strikes. Game results: 10 innings, no runs, 16 strikeouts. The next start, he K’d 15 in nine innings.

Made a believer out of him.”

Tomorrow: Roof shares a lesson in pitch-tipping, noting that a code-breaker can homer with such inside knowledge!