Former Minnesota Twins All-Star third baseman Rich Rollins of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania passed away at the age of 87 on Tuesday according to Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors. No cause of death was provided. Rollins spent a decade in the Major Leagues from 1961 to 1970. He was with the Minnesota Twins from 1961 to 1968, the Seattle Pilots in 1969, and then shared his time with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians in 1970.
Rollins’s MLB Career Statistics
Rollins batted .269 with 77 home runs and 399 runs batted in. During 1002 games, 3675 plate appearances, and 3303 at bats, he scored 419 runs, and had 887 hits, 125 doubles, 20 triples, 17 stolen bases, 266 walks, 1283 total bases, 45 sacrifice bunts, and 22 sacrifice flies, to go along with an on base percentage of .328, and a slugging percentage of .388.
1962 American League All-Star
Rollins was selected to the 1962 American League All-Star Game. That year he batted .298 with 16 home runs and 96 runs batted in. During 159 games, 624 at bats, and 721 plate appearances, he scored 96 runs, and had 186 hits, 23 doubles, five triples, three stolen bases, 75 walks, 267 total bases, seven sacrifice bunts, and nine sacrifice flies, to go along with an on base percentage of .374 and a slugging percentage of .428. Rollins had career highs in runs, hits, walks, total bases, and sacrifice flies, and tied a career high in home runs.
1964 American League Triples Leader
Rollins led the American League with 10 triples during the 1964 season while with the Twins. He led the American League in triples alongside his Twins teammate, shortstop Zoilo Versalles of La Habana, Cuba. Rollins had the fifth most triples in the Major Leagues that season. He was behind Chicago Cubs third baseman Ron Santo of Seattle, Washington (13), Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Dick Allen of Wampum, Pennsylvania (13), Cincinnati Reds outfielder Vada Pinson of Memphis, Tennessee (11), and leftfielder Lou Brock of El Dorado, Arkansas (11), who shared the 1964 season with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
