Mel Roberts (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mel Roberts |
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| Born: January 18, 1943 Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania |
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| Died: September 1, 2007 (aged 64) Danville, Virginia |
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Melvin Henry Roberts (January 18, 1943 – September 1, 2007) was an American baseball player, coach, and manager. He spent most of his playing career in the minor leagues as an outfielder. Later, he became a coach in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Mel Roberts was the first-base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies for four seasons, from 1992 to 1995. He was part of the exciting 1993 Phillies team that won the National League championship.
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Early Life and Playing Days
Mel Roberts was born in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He went to Abington Senior High School. After high school, he studied at Temple University and Spartanburg Technical College.
He was a right-handed batter and thrower. He was about 6 feet tall and weighed 180 pounds. In 1961, he began his professional baseball career. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Minor League Career
Roberts played in the Dodgers' minor league system for four years. After a short break, he joined the Phillies' system in 1966. He played for the Spartanburg Phillies. On that team, he played alongside future MLB stars like Larry Bowa.
His Spartanburg team was very special. They won 25 games in a row! This was a record for the Western Carolinas League. They also won the league championship that year. Mel Roberts played in 781 minor league games. He had 588 hits and a .234 batting average over ten seasons.
Coaching and Managing
After his playing career ended in 1970, Mel Roberts became a coach. He stayed with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He coached many different minor league teams. These included the Peninsula Phillies and the Reading Phillies.
He spent many years coaching the Spartanburg Phillies. For one season, in 1984, he was a special instructor. He taught outfielders across all the Phillies' minor league teams.
Becoming a Manager
Later, Roberts became a manager. He managed the Bend Phillies in 1987. Then, he managed the Spartanburg Phillies from 1988 to 1991. His hard work led him to the big leagues.
In 1992, he joined the Major League coaching staff. He became the first-base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies. He worked under manager Jim Fregosi. He helped the Phillies win the National League pennant in 1993.
Later Career and Legacy
Mel Roberts left the Phillies in 1996. He had spent 30 years with their organization. He then joined the Atlanta Braves. He worked as a minor league coach for them. He spent his last 12 seasons in baseball with the Braves.
In 2007, he was coaching the Danville Braves. This was a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League. Mel Roberts passed away unexpectedly that year in Danville, Virginia. He was 64 years old. He left behind his wife and four children.
