Goody Rosen Toronto baseball legend

On my New Year’s Eve walk at Beth Tzedec Cemetery in North York, with baseball in hand, I discovered the grave of the late, great Brooklyn Dodger outfielder, Goodwin George “Goody” Rosen.

Goody was born in Toronto and attended Parkdale Collegiate Institute in the west end.

A naturally gifted ballplayer, Rosen was initially overlooked by scouts. Undeterred, he drove to Tampa, Florida, to try out for minor league teams, only to be told he was too small at 5’9″.

But Goody got his chance — and made the most of it. When he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938, he made an immediate impact. He hit .281, finished 6th in the National League in triples (11), led all outfielders in fielding percentage (.989), and racked up 19 outfield assists. 

His finest season came in 1945, when Rosen was named an All-Star and finished 10th in MVP voting, leading the NL in batting average for much of the year.

Goody Rosen passed away in Toronto on April 6, 1994, at the age of 81.

In 1984, he was  inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

The inscription on his gravestone reads as follows:

Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
An Inspiration To All Jews

1912-1994