his final game on September 2, 1941, he pitched a complete game against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing one run on five hits while striking out and walking five batters in a 3–1 win. Root was a good hitting pitcher in his 17-year major league career, compiling a .180 batting average (196-for-1086) with 86 runs, 11 home runs and 93 RBI. Defensively, he was a good fielding pitcher in his career, recording a .976 fielding percentage, which was 15 points higher than the league average at that position. As quoted by Baseball Legends: The Charlie Root Story, by Joseph E. Bennett, Jan. 1995 Knight Templar magazine "Root was one of the fiercest competitors the game ever knew... his cigar-chomping, no-nonsense visage was one of the most intimidating tools in his baseball arsenal." Post-career Root also had a long post-playing career as a manager in minor league baseball and pitching coach, serving in the latter role for the Cubs (1951–53; 1960) and Milwaukee Braves (1956–57). He was a coach on Milwaukee's 1957 World Series champions. Root, who had a Diamond-R Ranch of 1,000 acres in Paicines, became a cattle rancher who liked hunting and fishing. Death Root died at age 71 in Hollister, California after an extended illness. According to his daughter Della, two days before his death he told her, "I gave my life to baseball, and I'll only be remembered for something that never happened". His ashes were scattered at Garden of Memories Memorial Park in Salinas, California. See also List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders References Citations Sources Snell, Roger. Root for the Cubs: Charlie Root and the 1929 Chicago Cubs. External links 1899 births 1970 deaths Baseball players from Ohio Billings Mustangs managers Billings Mustangs players Chicago Cubs coaches Chicago Cubs players Columbus Red Birds players Hollywood Stars managers Hollywood Stars players Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball pitching coaches Milwaukee Braves coaches National League wins champions People from Hollister, California Sportspeople from Middletown, Ohio St. Louis Browns players Sportspeople from the Cincinnati metropolitan area Terre Haute Tots players