Edd Roush’s granddaughter speaks on 1919 World Series history

Dr. Susan Dellinger is keeping the memory of her grandfather alive through new book talks and public appearances across the region.

Her grandfather, Edd Roush, was a center fielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1913 to 1931. He recorded a lifetime batting average of .323. In 1919, he led the National League with a .333 average. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. He died on March 21, 1988, at age 94.

Roush was a member of the 1919 Cincinnati Reds. The team lost the World Series to the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox were later found to have thrown the series. Eight players from that team were banned from Major League Baseball for life. Roush was the final living person who had played in that series. He also played in the Federal League, a short-lived minor league. He was the last surviving player from that circuit as well.

Dellinger wrote the book “Red Legs and Black Sox: Edd Roush and the Untold Story of the 1919 World Series.” She lives in Hillsborough County. She is a member of the Tampa Bay chapter of SABR, the Society of American Baseball Research. The local chapter is named Roush-Lopez. She frequently speaks to groups about her grandfather’s life and the 1919 season. She has written four other books, including “Psycho Geometrics.”

Roush moved to Bradenton in 1952 to spend his winters there. He lived in the city until his death. Dellinger recalled that her grandfather attended many games in his retirement. During a Pittsburgh Pirates exhibition game in 1988, he suffered a heart attack. An ambulance transported him through center field. The Pirates players were surprised by the sudden departure of the 94-year-old Hall of Famer.

Jade Dellinger, Susan’s son, was 19 years old when his great-grandfather died. He spent time with Roush in Bradenton during the final years of his life. Roush’s eyesight was failing. Jade would read fan mail to him and help respond to letters. Some fans were collectors, but many wrote sincere notes. Jade said he did not fully understand his great-grandfather’s fame until he visited Cooperstown as a child.

During a trip to the Hall of Fame in the mid-1970s, the family toured the museum. They stopped at a display featuring Roush’s sliding pads, dirty cleats, and bat. As an eight-year-old, Jade was confused by the importance of the worn gear. He later pursued a career in art curation. He is the director of Exhibitions and Collections at Florida Southwestern State College in Fort Myers. He runs the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery there.

Roush was known for his aggressive style of play. He hit 182 triples and 268 stolen bases in his career. He reported hitting 30 inside-the-park home runs. He swung a 48-ounce bat. He credited his wrist strength to milking cows on a family farm in Indiana. He never struck out more than 25 times in a single season. He was a contact hitter who bunted frequently. He was also a tough negotiator with team owners. He held out for higher salaries multiple times during his career. Dellinger noted that Roush would have liked the playing style of the current Tampa Bay Rays.