Bullet Rogan

Charles Wilber(n) "Bullet" Rogan, a.k.a. "Bullets" or "Bullet Joe" (July 28, 1893 - March 4, 1967), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, played baseball in the United States Army and the Negro Leagues from 1911 to 1938. He won more games than any other pitcher in Negro League history, and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Considered one of the greatest pitchers of his day, Rogan relied on a sharp curve that broke almost straight down, an excellent fastball, and a no-windup delivery. Early in his career he occasionally struggled with his control, but by the mid-1920s had improved greatly on this aspect of his game. Rogan was a workhorse, regularly leading the league in innings pitched and complete games.

Renowned as a “two-way” player who could both hit and pitch successfully, he was also versatile in the field, able to play all nine positions. Rogan threw and batted right-handed, and while not extremely fast, ran the bases well and stole when necessary. He was relatively small (5 foot 7, 180 pounds) but solidly built and strong, with thin legs and a barrel-like chest. He used an unusually heavy bat, and hit for power as well as average. Later in his career he frequently served as his team’s manager.

Rogan first played professional baseball for the Palace Colts of Kansas City, Kansas, in 1911, starting as a catcher. In October 1911 he joined the Army, serving in African-American units stationed in the Philippines and Hawaii. He built a reputation as a pitcher for army baseball teams, especially the famous 25th Infantry Wreckers. On furlough in 1917, Rogan played professionally for the Kansas City Giants and J.L. Wilkinson's All-Nations Club, but returned to the army for three more years. In mid-season 1920, Wilkinson recruited Rogan and several teammates for his Kansas City Monarchs, a new team in the Negro National League.

Rogan quickly became the premier pitcher and biggest box-office draw in the young league. He led the NNL in wins four consecutive years, from 1922 to 1925. When he wasn’t pitching, he frequently played in the outfield or at second base. In 1922 he hit .439 with 18 home runs, both good for second in the league. In 1923, he hit .364 with a league-leading 16 wins and 151 strikeouts to lead the Monarchs to their first pennant. The next season Rogan took the batting title with a .409 average while compiling a 17-5 record, and starred in the first Black World Series, hitting .375 and winning two games as the Monarchs defeated the Eastern Colored League champion Hilldales.

Rogan may have reached his peak in 1925, leading Kansas City to its third straight championship with a sparkling 22-2 record. He was again the strikeout king, and contributed a .374 average. In the playoffs against St. Louis he hit .455 and won four more games, tossing two shutouts and 24 consecutive scoreless innings. Unfortunately, before the World Series rematch with Hilldale, Rogan injured his knee playing with his young son. Without their star, the Monarchs went down to defeat in six games.

In 1926 Rogan took over from José Méndez as manager of the Kansas City Monarchs. His players regarded him as a strict disciplinarian, possibly a result of his military background. In the playoffs against Chicago, he tried to pitch both ends of a series-deciding doubleheader, and dropped both games (and the pennant) to the younger Bill Foster. Still, in 1929 Rogan piloted the Monarchs to their fourth NNL championship and the best record (62-17) in Negro League history.

As late as 1928 at the age of 34, Bullet Rogan was the best hitter (.358) and arguably the best pitcher (10-2) on the Monarchs. That year he slammed three home runs in a game against the Detroit Stars. After 1928, he mostly played in the outfield, and continued to manage the club, off and on, until 1938. In 1936, at the age of 42, Rogan appeared in the East-West All-Star Game.

Rogan led the 1924/25 Cuban League with a 9-4 record for the champion Almendares club. He spent five seasons in the integrated California Winter League between 1920 and 1930, going 42-14 as a pitcher and batting .362 with 15 home runs in 130 games against teams of white major and minor leaguers. Rogan’s team won the championship every year.

Although statistics are incomplete, Negro League historian John Holway puts Rogan’s career record in the Negro Leagues at 151 wins and 65 losses, with a .348 average and 62 home runs in 2039 at bats. Rogan’s 151 wins are first all-time among Negro League pitchers, his .699 winning percentage fifth, and his .348 average fourth among players with more than 2000 at bats. (It should be pointed out that Negro League schedules were at their longest in the 1920s, so Rogan enjoys a statistical advantage over later and earlier pitchers.) Also according to Holway, Rogan hit .370 against white major league competition.

Historian Phil Dixon puts Rogan’s lifetime totals against all competition, including semipro and Army teams, at more than 350 games won, 2000 strikeouts, 2500 hits, 350 home runs, and 500 stolen bases.

After his retirement as a player, Rogan worked as an umpire in the Negro Leagues until 1946, then became a postal worker. The National Baseball Hall of Fame first admitted Negro League players in the 1970s, but did not honor Bullet Rogan until 1998, 31 years after his death.

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