A life in baseball winding down for Kernels GM Jack Roeder

CEDAR RAPIDS - Jack Roeder can't remember a time when he didn't love baseball.

The Clinton native played in high school, at Clinton Community College and a year on the University of Northern Iowa JV. It was coaching from there, an assistant's gig at CCC.

With his sights set on being a head coach at the collegiate level, Roeder went back to school to get his Master's degree. As part of his studies, he took an eight-week internship with the Clinton Giants of the Midwest League in 1981.

“And that's the end of that story,” he laughed. “The rest is history. I've been in this line of work ever since. An eight-week internship turned into a 30-year career.”

That career will come to a conclusion at the end of this season, as the 59-year-old Cedar Rapids Kernels General Manager retires after 20 years in town. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone who'll say a bad word about the well-liked Roeder, including former Cedar Rapids players, managers and coaches.

“I had mixed emotions about doing this initially because I really missed being on the field,” Roeder said. “But I really did like the internship. It was intriguing. I liked the business aspect of it, and the fact that you were still around the sport. You kind of had the best of both worlds. So I thought I'd give it a try.”

He went from his internship straight to being GM of the old Wausau Timbers of the Midwest League. The team moved to Kane County for the 1991 season, with someone else getting the general manager's job.

Cedar Rapids just happened to have an opening, with Roeder arriving literally as the 1991 season was about to begin.

“I got to town here for Meet the Players Night,” he said. “It was always obviously chaotic. Wally Krouse was the team president at the time, and he was a big influence. With his humor, he says to me ‘Don't worry. They'll play despite you.' I'll always remember that.”

Roeder sat down for about a half-hour interview Monday, giving his thoughts on a life lived in baseball.

Q: When I talked to you the other night, I told you I hoped you are able to sit back at least a little bit and enjoy this season as it is going on. You said you didn't plan on doing that. Is that still true?

A: No, I wouldn't want to do that. That would be strange for me. The way I look at it, this is just another year that's really not that much different than any other year, in terms of wanting to do the best that we can do. If you kind of take your foot off the accelerator, then the (organization) suffers. So my focus and the team's focus is to really have the best year we can. We think all the pieces are in place, from the team, to the promotions, to the schedule, that we could have an outstanding year. That's really want we want to focus on ... For me personally, I think the time for me to look back and reflect on everything that has happened is in November, when I'm done.”

Q: What has the game of baseball given you?

A: Everything. I know people always talk about ‘If I was this age and could do it all over again ...' But if I had to look back, there is not anything that I could change. That means a lot, when you can say that. If it were 1981 all over again, I would stick with what I've chosen to do because it has been rewarding, fun and flown by.

Q: Have their been negatives to your career, though?

A: I don't think so. I've always told people that I have the best job in the world because the worst part of my day is when someone tells me to go home. That pretty much says it all.”

Q: What was being the general manager at Wausau like?

A: A different world. I did like it, but it was different than it is today. The Midwest League was more of the mom-and-pop operation. There were only two people on our front-office staff when I was at Wausau. There was here, too, when I first came in 1991. I've really watched the game change from being a small business to a large business.”

Q: That just must blow your mind, thinking about the differences in minor league baseball from then and now?

A: When I look back at the facility we played in at Wausau, the locker rooms, the field. Today, the players and coaches, the team, wouldn't even consider walking into that facility. Let alone playing in it. The game has changed for the better. When there's change, there are some things you've got to give up, and some communities lost their baseball team.

Q: Do you ever think what it would have been like to go back home and be the GM at Clinton?

A: Yes, I have always thought about that just because it's where I'm from and where I started. But that's not the reality of it at this point and time ... It just isn't in the cards.

Q: Did the years-long effort to get the new ballpark built here take a toll on you?

A: The first go-round we weren't successful and had to regroup and go back at it again. But I've got to be honest with you, I enjoyed every part of that. From the initial stages of raising the funds to the building of the facility, to opening it. There wasn't any part of that process that wasn't a lot of fun and would rank right up there with the (good) memories I have of baseball.”

Q: What is the best memory of your career?

A: (Getting the new ballpark built in 2002) would be in the top 10. I'll never forget the night the bond issue passed (in 2001 to assure funding). Certainly winning the two championships in 1992 and 1994. The last game in the old Veterans Memorial Stadium would rate up there. That was a phenomenal night all the way around. It's hard to re-create that magic. The first game in the new stadium, even though it was rained out, was still a major event. I always joke that we made more money that day in the new stadium than we ever did for any game in the old stadium, and we never even threw a pitch. This isn't necessarily one moment, but just the community involvement of the Kernels. We've been able to raise or help raise nearly $2 million over the last 20 years for non-profit and charitable groups ... And I think winning the John H. Johnson Award (as Minor League Baseball's top organization) in 2008 is there. Trophies and plaques are nice, but I think winning the John H. Johnson Award is so special because it's a team award. Everybody on this staff participating in making that happen. All of these things, when you look back at them, it's important to realize it's “we” instead of “I.”

Q: What has been your worst day?

A: Probably when we lost the sales tax vote the first time (in 2000), just because you thought that maybe this was the end of the dream of getting a new stadium. That would probably rank number one. Losing that was disappointing for everybody. And this one is hard (as he tears up), but I'd say losing my mom four years ago. She was such a big part of my life and everything I have done and been able to accomplish. She was a huge baseball fan and enjoyed being out here.

Q: So you really don't know what is next in your life?

A: No, I don't. I've kind of looked at this like I'm going to finish this season as strong as I can, leave the organization in great hands. There are some things we want to do this year, a wish list. Things like getting this capital improvement plan put together for the future of this stadium, making sure the staff is in good hands. Quite frankly, having Doug Nelson take over my responsibilities (next season) and the staff that is in place, I think this team is in great shape and will only do bigger and better things than what we've done the last 20 years ... As far as my future, I'd like to wait and get to November, then kind of sit back maybe and take it all in for a while. I'm going to have a new grandson, which is a real highlight. Obviously having (grandson) Tyler is great, and now to have a second one will really be a lot of fun for me. I'm not wealthy enough to retire permanently, so I'll look to do something with the rest of my life. But maybe not for six months or 12 months. I don't even want to think about it, quite frankly, until the time comes.