Dave Rozema
From BR Bullpen
David Scott Rozema
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 4", Weight 200 lb.
- School Grand Rapids Community College
- Debut April 11, 1977
- Final Game April 30, 1986
- Born August 5, 1956 in Grand Rapids, MI USA
[edit] Biographical Information
With very long hair, Rosey pitched some 1974 fall baseball for his local Grand Rapids Community College. He soon signed with the Detroit Tigers, who after drafting him in January of 1975, offered him more than did the San Francisco Giants, who had drafted him in the summer of 1974.
Rozema and friend and (former) Tiger teammate Kirk Gibson married sisters.
He won a career-high 15 games as a rookie in 1977. Early in the 1982 season, Rozema was having a stellar year with a 3-0 record and a 1.63 ERA. In a game against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome, a brawl erupted and Rozema came running out of the dugout and attempted to deliver a flying karate kick to the Twins' John Castino. Rozema missed and tore ligaments in his knee, putting him on the disabled list for the rest of the season. This moment is still talked about today among the Tiger faithful, most often with a laugh at the end (contrary to the moment in 1992 when Sandy Alomar Jr. of the Indians delivered a flying karate kick that hit Tigers pitcher John Doherty during a brawl). Rozema went on to pitch effectively again and helped the Tigers reach the World Series in 1984.
In 1990, Rozema played for the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He pitched in 3 games and was 2-0 when the league folded.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1977 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1977)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1977 & 1978)
- Won a World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1984 (he did not play in the World Series)
