Goody Rosen

Goodwin George "Goody" Rosen (August 28, 1912 – April 6, 1994) was a Canadian center fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1937 to 1946, Rosen played outfield for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937–39, 1944–46) and New York Giants (1946). He batted and threw left handed.

Early years

Born in Toronto to Russian Jewish immigrants, Rosen played in the city's playground leagues—including two years with the Elizabeth Playground team under Bob Abate—and attended Parkdale Collegiate Institute. His older brother Jake was a boxer who fought out of New York and Chicago in the 1920s under the name Johnny Rosen. Another brother, Willie, had a tryout with the Syracuse Chiefs in 1941. As a teenager, Rosen was a top player in Toronto's Jewish Fraternal Softball League. Rosen drove to Tampa, Florida, to try out with some minor league professional baseball teams, but he was told he was too small (5 ft 9 in) and returned to Toronto to play for the St. Mary's senior team.

Professional baseball

Rosen turned professional in 1931, signing a contract with the Rochester Red Wings of the International League, but did not stick with the team. In 1933, he joined the Louisville Colonels of the American Association and played under manager Burleigh Grimes. When Grimes joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1937, he convinced the team to acquire Rosen in August for $10,000 ($165,000 today) and a player. Rosen hit .312 in 22 games with the Dodgers. In 1938, his first full season, he hit .281, finishing sixth in the National League in triples (11), leading all league outfielders in fielding percentage (.989) and assists (19). The next season, he split his time between the Dodgers and their Triple-A International League affiliate, the Montreal Royals.