William George (Billy) Rogell

William George “Billy” Rogell

Detroit Tigers Player (1930 - 1939)
Chicago Cubs Player (1940)

Billy Rogell was born in Springfield, Illinois. He was signed by the Boston Red Sox and after a few unsuccessful seasons at the major league level once again found himself in the minor leagues looking for a team. He signed with the Detroit Tigers where he would spend the next ten years, helping the Tigers win the 1935 World Series. Rogell would team with Charlie Gehringer for over 1,000 games to form one of the longest tenured and best double-play combinations in baseball history. After his retirement Rogell spent 36 years on Detroit, City Council. Billy Rogell was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1970. He passed away on August 9, 2003 at 98 years of age.