Al Rosen

Class of: 1967

Sport: MLB

Team: Cleveland Indians

School: UF

Albert Leonard Rosen (born February 29, 1924), nicknamed “Al”, “Flip”, and the “Hebrew Hammer”, is a former major league third-baseman and right-handed slugger. He played his entire 10-year career (1947-1956) with the Cleveland Indians in the American League, where he drove in 100 or more runs five years in a row, was a 4-time All-Star, twice led the league in home runs and twice in runs batted in, and was an MVP. Rosen was a .285 career hitter, with 192 home runs and 717 RBIs in 1,044 games. He was selected for the All-Star Game every year between 1952 and 1955.

Rosen appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1955. Rosen was one of the best all-time Jewish baseball players, along with Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax.

Rosen and his family moved to Miami, FL when he was three years old due to his asthma. He grew up in the southwest section of Miami, which is now the heart of Little Havana. He attended the University of Florida in the September session of 1941–42, where he played third base for the Gators. Rosen also attended Florida Military Academy in St. Petersburg, FL.

Rosen enlisted after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and spent 2 years in the Navy fighting in the Pacific during World War II, delaying his professional baseball career.