John Roseboro

John Junior Roseboro (May 13, 1933 – August 16, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and coach who played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1957 until 1970, most prominently with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. Born in Ashland, Ohio, to John Roseboro Sr. and Cecil Geraldine Roseboro, he attended Ashland High School, where he played both baseball and football. He preferred halfback to catching and won a football scholarship to Central State University. His younger brother, Jim, played football as a halfback at Ohio State University.

A four-time All-Star, Roseboro is considered one of the best defensive catchers of the 1960s, winning two Gold Glove Awards. He served as the Dodgers' starting catcher in four World Series, three of which the Dodgers won. He remained in the major leagues through 1970 and later worked as a coach.

Roseboro is also known for his role in one of the most violent incidents in baseball history. On August 22, 1965, during a game between the rival Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, Giants pitcher Juan Marichal struck him in the head with a bat. He died on August 16, 2002, at the age of 69.