Rich Rowland, who played as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, has died at the age of 62. His son, Robby Rowland, announced the news on Instagram, describing his father as his "hero, best friend and role model."
No cause of death has been publicly disclosed. Rowland, a native of California, made his Major League Baseball debut with the Detroit Tigers in September 1990.
Robby Rowland's Instagram post garnered significant attention, with tens of thousands of likes and numerous tributes from fans. One commenter recalled watching his father play multiple sports in high school before following his professional career. Another expressed that "legends never die."
Rowland played for the Tigers for four years before being traded to the Boston Red Sox just before the 1994 season. During his tenure with the Red Sox, he appeared in 46 games, accumulating 118 at-bats, 27 hits, and nine home runs in 1994. The following season, his playing time decreased, and he played his final MLB game in June 1995. He was subsequently sent to the minor league team, the Pawtucket Red Sox.
After retiring from baseball, Rowland worked in the timber industry and pursued woodworking with redwood, according to the Society of American Baseball Research.
Robby Rowland, following in his father's athletic footsteps, also had a professional baseball career. He pitched for eight seasons in the minor leagues and five seasons in the Frontier League. He has also developed a significant following as a gaming content creator on Instagram, where he has a quarter of a million followers.
