The baseball world is mourning former Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers catcher Rich Rowland, who has died at the age of 62.
Rowland’s son, Robby, announced his father’s death in an emotional Instagram post, remembering him not simply for his years in professional baseball, but as the man who had been at the center of his own life.
“Pops, my hero man. My best friend & my role model.. Thank you,” Robby wrote. “Words simply cannot express.. and if they could I wouldn’t know which ones to use..
“I just feel so dang blessed to have had the best frickin dad a kid could ask for! I love you, pops.”
No cause of death has been announced.
Tributes Pour In for the Former Red Sox Catcher
The tribute drew tens of thousands of likes as friends, fans and people who remembered Rowland from different stages of his baseball career shared their condolences.
One commenter recalled watching Rowland long before he reached the majors, writing: “I remember watching your Pops play football, basketball and baseball for CHS (Cloverdale High School) and then following his career with the Tigers and Red Sox.”
Another wrote: “Your father will always be a legend in the eyes of all who knew him, and if it’s one thing I know, it’s that legends never die.”
Born in California, Rowland worked his way to the major leagues and made his MLB debut with Detroit in September 1990. He remained with the Tigers organization for four years before a trade sent him to Boston shortly before the beginning of the 1994 season. Detroit received catcher John Flaherty in the deal.
From Detroit to the Boston
Rowland received a substantial opportunity with the Red Sox that year, appearing in 46 games. Across 118 at-bats, he collected 27 hits and hit nine home runs.
His opportunities became much more limited in 1995. Rowland appeared in 14 games and recorded 29 at-bats before playing what would become his final major-league game in June. He was subsequently sent to the Pawtucket Red Sox in the minor leagues.
Baseball also became an important part of the next generation of the Rowland family.
Robby pursued a professional career as a pitcher, spending eight seasons in the minor leagues and another five in the Frontier League. After his playing career ended, he built a large online following, including roughly a quarter of a million Instagram followers, with gaming videos among his content.
A Different Life After Baseball
Rich Rowland eventually moved into a much different life after baseball. According to his biography with the Society for American Baseball Research, he worked in the timber industry following his playing days and also spent time woodworking with redwood.
For fans, Rowland leaves behind the record of a catcher who reached baseball’s highest level and wore the uniforms of two historic American League franchises. For his son, however, the numbers and uniforms were secondary.
The words Robby chose were much simpler: his hero, his best friend and his role model.
