Rod Carew

Organ recipient

Age 72 – Coto de Caza, CA

Honored by OneLegacy

Rodney Cline Carew was born on a train in Gatun, Panama on October 1, 1945. He moved with his family to New York when he was fourteen years old, and signed with the Minnesota Twins on the day he graduated from high school. Rod Carew is one of the most talented players to ever don a major league uniform. During his illustrious nineteen-year career, he was selected to eighteen All-Star teams. His career statistics explain why on January 8, 1991, he became only the 22nd player in history to be voted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

Upon retiring in 1986, Rod decided he would devote his time to working with children. He realized a life-long dream in the spring of 1987 when The Rod Carew Baseball School opened in Placentia, California. Rod spends a lot of his free time in pursuit of funds to be used in the fight to find a cure for pediatric cancers and muscular dystrophy. Today, in addition to his charitable works, Rod is still actively involved in baseball.

In September 2015, Rod suffered a massive heart attack while on the golf course after his first tee shot. Rod was added to the heart transplant list and on December 16, 2016, Rod received a heart and kidney transplant. The donor was 29-year-old former NFL player Konrad Reuland, who will also be honored on our float.

Rod’s Story

Rodney Cline Carew was born on a train in Gatun, Panama on October 1, 1945. He moved with his family to New York when he was fourteen years old, and signed with the Minnesota Twins on the day he graduated from high school.

Rod Carew is one of the most talented players to ever don a major league uniform. During his illustrious nineteen-year career, he was selected to eighteen All-Star teams. He is the all-time All-Star vote leader with thirty-three million votes—six million more than the runner-up. His career statistics explain why on January 8, 1991, he became only the 22nd player in history to be voted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

Upon retiring in 1986, Rod decided he would devote his time to working with children. He realized a life-long dream in the spring of 1987 when The Rod Carew Baseball School opened in Placentia, California. Rod spends a lot of his free time in pursuit of funds to be used in the fight to find a cure for pediatric cancers and muscular dystrophy. Today, in addition to his charitable works, Rod is still actively involved in baseball.

In September 2015, Rod suffered a massive heart attack while on the golf course after his first tee shot. He had an LVAD (left ventricular assist devise) implanted into his heart to assist with the pumping of his blood, but also came with cumbersome battery packs that needed nightly recharging. Rod was added to the heart transplant list and on December 16, 2016, Rod received a heart and kidney transplant. The donor was 29-year-old former NFL player Konrad Reuland.

Today, Rod continues to do what he knows and loves best. He imparts his knowledge of baseball to amateurs and professional players alike. Rod and his wife Rhonda also lead the fight for heart health awareness through a campaign with the American Heart Association called Heart of 29.