Cookie Rojas
Inducted 1987
Second Baseman 1970-1977
Bringing both veteran presence and leadership, Rojas played a vital part in the Royals first championship teams. He was an unmistakable fan favorite and was named to four consecutive American League All-Star teams (1971-74) during his Kansas City career. In 1971, Rojas led the league in fielding percentage, including an amazing 52-game errorless streak at second base. His experience and professional demeanor had a profound influence on his teammates, especially younger players, helping the early Royals teams grow into champions.
POSITION: Second Baseman and Outfielder
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HEIGHT: 5'10
WEIGHT: 160
BORN: March 6, 1939 in La Habana, La Habana, Cuba
HOW ACQUIRED: June 13, 1970: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Kansas City Royals for Fred Rico.
SIGNED: Signed by the Cincinnati Redlegs as an amateur free agent in 1956.
DEBUT: April 10, 1962
FINAL GAME: October 1, 1977
Royals Career Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 880 | 3072 | 324 | 824 | 25 | 332 | 213 | 236 | 46 | .268 | .314 | .346 |
Photos
Cookie Rojas, a team leader and four-time All Star for a young Kansas City franchise, was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 1987.
-- KC Royals
1973 saw perhaps Rojas' finest season in KC, when he hit .276 with six home runs, 69 RBIs and 18 steals to earn a spot on another All-Star team, along with his superb play in the field.
-- KC Royals
In 1971, Rojas made the first of what would be four straight All-Star appearances with Kansas City and hit over .300 for the second time in his career.
-- KC Royals
After retiring from baseball, Rojas spent time as a coach in Major League Baseball, including a stint as manager with the California Angels in 1988. Nonetheless, he will long be remembered as one of the great infielders in Royals history, and still ranks second all-time in games played at second base for Kansas City.
-- Getty Images