"The littlest cleanup hitter. Forced by circumstances to be something he isn't, White has been a steady run producer for four seasons. He's a hard worker who has taught himself to excel at the subtleties of the game. He's constantly changing his bat and his stance in the course of a game.
Roy had a sub-par season in 1972, driving in only 54 runs after consecutive seasons of 94 and 84, yet he also drew 99 walks and stole 23 bases, best on the team. He has narrowly missed the .300 mark three of the last four seasons. Roy set an American League record for sacrifice flies with 17 in 1971.
'With a man on third,' he says, 'I think the team likes to see me up there.'
Born December 27, 1943 in Los Angeles, he and Reggie Smith formed a double-play combination in high school. White was signed as an infielder but switched to the outfield in 1968 and his average began to rise. He hit home runs righthanded and lefthanded in a 1970 game against Oakland.
Roy is an excellent speaker with a deep voice."
-Joe Gergen, The Compete Handbook of Baseball, 1973 Edition
"Roy White is one of the most consistent hitters in baseball, averaging .287 over the last five seasons. And he is probably the best defensive left fielder in recent Yankee history. He has the speed and daring to steal and to take the extra base. And does. This season, given the addition of Nettles and Alou to the lineup, could be Roy's best. So it is clear that Roy is an extremely valuable member of the Yankee team.
Roy reached the major leagues as a second baseman but worked hard, using his native skills, to become a fine outfielder. In 1971, White tied a major league record by playing the entire season without committing an error in the acknowledged difficult Yankee Stadium sun field.
Last year, though his batting average was off the pace of his previous four seasons, Roy tied for the lead league in walks (with Dick Allen) at 99. He was the iron man of the team last season, playing in all 155 Yankee games and missing only three innings all year.
A native of Los Angeles, Roy makes his year-round home in the Metropolitan area (Wayne, New Jersey) with his wife Linda and their two youngsters."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
"Roy was the iron man of the Yankees in 1972, missing just three innings of play all season. His 162 games in 1970 led the American League and tied a Yankee record set by Bobby Richardson in 1962.
In '72, he tied with Dick Allen for the lead league in walks with 99 and led the Yanks in on-base-average with a .385 mark. One of the premier switch-hitters in the game today, his .274 lifetime batting average is among the highest of current American Leaguers. On May 7, 1970 at Oakland, he joined the select group of switch-swingers who have hit homers righthanded and lefthanded in the same game. He names this as his greatest single baseball thrill to date. He has also switch-hit triples in one game, a major league record.
He's manned the tough left field position at Yankee Stadium for five straight seasons, winning accolades as the best left fielder the Yankees have had since Charlie Keller. He played the entire 1971 season without committing an error, tying a major league record, and also setting a Yankee record for outfielders.
He grew up in the hotbed baseball area of Compton, California and competed in Little League, Babe Ruth League, Connie Mack League, American Legion and also some semi-pro ball. Others from the same area who played with or against Roy as a youngster include Reggie Smith, Don Wilson, Dock Ellis and Bobby Tolan."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
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