Transcribed and posted by Nora Lea Rogers Reefe
Orlin Rogers grew up where, at age 86 he still lives in rural Pittsylvania County about 10 miles from Chatham He confesses that he loves the country. "I stayed here," says Rogers, "and I am still a country boy. I'm country in my heart and will be it when I die." He's also a country boy who loved to play baseball. "I started out knee high to a duck at Spring Garden playing on teas. I've never been out of it really, and I'm still interested in it because my heart is in it."
Indeed, on the September day earlier this fall when he received an unexpected call from this columnist, Rogers was following a ballgame on television (he roots for the Atlanta Braves) And this was a season long to be remembered. It was the season of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. It was the season which helped revive a nation's favorite Pastime. It was the season which offered a nation weary of sandal in high places an opportunity to feel good. It was a season of heroes.
The season of 1935 was something like that for the folks who know Orlin Rogers. He had just finished at the University of Virginia where he majored in economics but dreamed of playing pro baseball. Remember that this self-described country boy grew up on baseball. He says, "Anywhere there was baseball being played, I was in the middle of it." The slight farm boy - he stood 5'8" - was getting some attention at the University. The Washington Senators sent a man to look him over and soon a contract was offered. In the summer of '35 he worked in the minor leagues and in September was in Washington to play with the Senators against the Yankees.
He pitched and the country boy from Pittsylvania County faced baseball's "Iron Horse," Lou Gehrig. Orlin's sister, Glenn Yates laughs that some of the older people in the home neighborhood didn't think much of her brother's pitching. They had gone to see him play and their observation was that Orlin "wouldn't let any of the players hit the ball." However, he hade a lasting hit with his kid sister.
There were nine children in the farm family; an din hardscrabble times there wasn't money for frills. While a University student Orlin made a memorable Christmas for his sister by giving her the first doll she ever had. The Rogers family was devoted to Chestnut Level Baptist Church . Orlin Rogers joined at age eight in 1920 and never moved his membership. Glenn Rogers Yates remembers: "When we grew up we just went to church. There was no question about it--we just went! We were always Southern Baptist and didn't know there was any other religion!"
Orlin Rogers continues to center his life around the church where he has served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher and where he and his late wife, Glenn Gardner Rogers ,brought their two daughters. As for pro ball, the career was short-lived. He pitched five summers in the minor leagues and then hurt his shoulder. In those times there was little that could be done to repair the shoulder so he quit and went into coaching. Even to this day he sometimes has trouble with is shoulder.
Drafted in 1943, Rogers spent 27 years in military service including the National Guard. He served in World War II and in the Korean War. In 1958 at the request of Col Andy Todd, he joined the staff of Hargrave Military Academy, a Baptist school near his home. Colonel Rogers gave 18 years to the development of boys at Hargrave. He led the military and, of course, the country who who struck out the Iron Horse also coached the baseball team which enjoyed successful seasons. But is was the betterment of the boys which was on his heart. "When I spoke." he recalls, "the cadets didn't wait to ask questions. They just responded! U gS FEWr wzoweuwxwa qurg rgw viya; NS
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