A professional baseball prospect given little chance of making the big time, Octavio “Cookie” Rojas nevertheless flourished at the sport’s top level during a 16–year major league career. Never breaking ties with the profession he loved, after leaving the field as a player Rojas continued well into his 70s in the varied roles of coach, scout, manager, and broadcaster.
Rojas broke into the big leagues in the early 1960s, a bygone era when there were only ten teams in each major league and the World Series was exclusively performed under the autumn sun. A native of Cuba, Rojas had to leave behind his country following the Cuban Revolution in order to pursue his ultimate baseball dreams. His side story of cultural assimilation, like those of his many ball-playing compatriots of the time, is a unique account of perseverance and dedication and a desire to succeed for himself and his family.

Lou Hernández is the author of multiple baseball histories and biographies, and two fantasy novels. He resides in South Florida.

Lou Hernández
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 216
Bibliographic Info: 9 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9457-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5279-5
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi

Preface 1

Introduction 5

One—Minor League Zenith 7

Two—Forced Exile 31

Three—Enough to Make Billy Penn Cry 47

Four—Major League ­All-Star 76

Five—­All-Time Phillie 100

Six—Happy to Be a Royal 116

Seven—Playoff Disappointment and Bowing Out 142

Eight—From the Coaching Lines and Beyond to Contented Retirement 160

Chapter Notes 183

Bibliography 195

Index 199