 Wilber Rogan was born in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma . After the death of his mother and his father 's remarriage , he moved with his family to Kansas City , Kansas . He began his baseball career there in 1911 as a catcher with Fred Palace 's Colts , a semipro team composed mostly of teenagers . Also joining the Colts that season was Dick Whitworth , who would , like Rogan , go on to pitch for many years in the Negro leagues . 
