Hall-of-Famer Robin Roberts
Returns to Montpelier Field

Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts will return to his amateur roots on Friday, July 31 to mark the 60th anniversary of winning the Northern League title as the ace of the Twin City Trojans.

Roberts, who led the Barre-Montpelier entry in the old Northern League with an 18-3 record in 1947, will make his second appearance in five years at the Montpelier ballfield where he caught the eye of a Philadelphia Phillies baseball scout 60 years ago. That field is now the home of Vermont’s semi-pro Mountaineers baseball club.

Two years later, Roberts, the ace of the Phillies, pitched the "Whiz Kids" to their first National League pennant in 35 years. Roberts won 20 or more games between 1950 and 1955 with his high-water mark in 1952 when he won 28 games. Roberts was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.

Roberts agreed to serve on the Mountaineers board of directors at the outset of central Vermont’s entry in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2003. His strong support for the Mountaineers program is seen through his contribution back to the organization of any fees he receives in the sale of his memorabilia when he is in town.

Mountaineers officials are planning a special event to mark the 60th anniversary of Roberts’ last amateur appearance at Recreation Field. Roberts will hold an autograph session the morning of the game from 9 a.m. to noon at the Capital Plaza. Then he will be at the ballpark for pre-game festivities that begin at 6 p.m.

Roberts enjoys returning to the scene of his pre-professional career successes. In one of his books, "Green Mountain Boys of Summer," Roberts said he had fond memories of his days in Vermont. "We were really good then. I won 17 straight starts that year (1947) in Vermont, and I signed with the Philadelpia Phillies, and was in the big leagues the next June."

In a second book, "My Life in Baseball," Roberts arecalls that he was paid $175 a month for expenses, "and all we did was play baseball."