Goody Rosen, 1940's ML Baseball & Softball Player

Art Cashion's stats show that Rosen had 4 hits in one game, including 2 triples. He was selected as an All-World NSC outfielder at the conclusion of the 1948 tournament. Roger May, Clearwater/Toronto Nov. 24, 2001 

The Daily Oklahoman, Sept. 15, 1948. Written by Frank Boggs
Headline: Rosen Likes Softball, Cigars And Braves in Pennant Race.

When the Toronto, Canada, softball team battles Lubbock, Texas, in the World's men tournament at Sooner stadium Wednesday night, the most colorful player on the field will be Goody Rosen, who patrols centerfield for the Canadians.

With six seasons of major league ball behind him, five with the Brooklyn Dodgers and one with the New York Giants, the likeable 35-year-old star already has chalked up quite a record, even if his team doesn't win the International softball title.

Rosen began his baseball playing career with Louisville of the American association and after one season went up to the Dodgers where he played under two managers, which he calls the top two-Burleigh Grimes and Leo Durocher. "I'm proud of the fact I've never played ball in any league lower than triple A," the cigar-smoking Rosen beams.

Rosen's softball career started in 1947 when he says he "got up one morning, looked in the mirror, and decided if I didn't do something I was going to die of excess fat."

He was invited to play a game with the Toronto team which is now bidding for the World title.

"I hit one nine miles and then just got to secondbase", Rosen laughs. "The next day I ached all over and decided I'd better get myself in shape." It's been softball ever since.

Goody wants the public to get one thing straight. Al Rosen, who played for Oklahoma City in 1947, is not his brother. "I used to get about 25 letters a day asking that question. We aren't related."

Rosen led the National league three years in a row defensively, while performing for the Dodgers from 1937-39. A look at his record shows how he did it. During that three-year span, Rosen committed but seven errors. He also was third in hitting during the 1945 campaign when he played with Brooklyn, clubbing a .338. His last year in the majors was in 1946 when he played for the Giants.

Goody hates to admit it, but he thinks the Boston Braves will win the National leage pennant. "Brooklyn would have won it if Burt Shotton had entered the picture just a little sooner", he believes. 

Rosen, who has a lifetime batting average over .300 in the majors, says the good pitchers never gave him trouble-just the mediocre boys.

"Ewell Blackwell of Cincinnati is the greatest pitcher up there today," Goody says, "but Harry 'The Cat' Brecheen will give you fits."

"It's easy to see why they call him 'The Cat', 'cause he's a swell infielder."

Owner of a restaurant in Toronto, Rosen would rather talk about his softball team than his playing days as a major leaguer.

"The team we've got to beat is that Taft, Calif., bunch. But if they think they'll stop us with a no-hitter, they're all wrong." Rosen was speaking of Taft's win over the Cincinnati Acme Glass Co., Monday night when Les Haney twirled the first no-hit-no-run game of the tourney.

Toronto may not win the World championship, but one thing is certain-Goodwin Rosen will win a host of friends during his Oklahoma City stay. -----30---

Notes: The Toronto team did not meet the Taft, Ca team, winners of the NSC Championship.

In their final game, Toronto Levy Auto Parts (and pitcher, Norm Bagnell) lost 2-1 to Phoenix (Kenny Law). Phoenix with Paul Lopez & Kenny Law (both ISC Hall of Famers) would take the Merchants from Taft, Ca to the "If" game before losing, 4-1. Also in 1948 the BOSTON Braves (now Atlanta Braves) were beaten by the Cleveland Indians 4-2 in the six-game World Series. The other Boston team, the RedSox, had lost a one-game playoff to Cleveland.