Roberson, John Henry, 1889-1965

John Henry Roberson became well known for playing baseball. Labeled "Rube Robinson" by the press, J.H. Roberson started playing professional baseball for the Northeast Arkansas League in 1908. "Rube Robinson" began pitching for Newport and in 1909 moved on to play for Jonesboro. By 1910 he signed to play for the Western Association at El Reno, Okla. Then in 1911 his ability as a strong left handed pitcher moved him to the Texas League in Fort Worth where he was later signed by the National Baseball League to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates through 1913. In 1914 and 1915 he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals. After a visit home to Little Rock, Ark., to play for the Travelers in 1916-1917 "Rube Robinson" was signed to play for the American Baseball League's New York Yankees. His stay with the Yankees lasted only one season before returning to Little Rock to play for the Travelers from 1919 to 1923. After a brief stay with New Orleans, Rube moved on playing for Atlanta from 1924 to 1929 when he retired from professional baseball. After baseball, J.H. Roberson worked for Pulaski County then the State Highway Dept. before retiring in 1959. Roberson often tutored children from the Riverside Community House on playing baseball. In 1962 "Rube Robinson" was inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame. Dorothy Latture Roberson went to elementary and secondary schools in White County, Ark., before attending Teachers Normal School and Institute, Searcy, Ark. She taught in rural schools of White County. She became involved in the School Improvement Program in Searcy, which changed in 1925 to the Parents and Teachers Association. After moving to Little Rock in 1929 she continued her interest and served as chairman for the Safety program for the Arkansas Congress of Parents and Teachers. In 1948 Dorothy Roberson became Assistant Pulaski County Juvenile Probation Officer. She investigated complaints of juvenile delinquency, neglected children, and adoption maters. One scrapbook is dedicated to the children who were adopted and all the children she became to close while a probation officer. The couple's son, Fred O. Roberson, went to school in Searcy, finished high school at North Little Rock, and went to Little Rock Junior College. Fred Roberson met and married Marie Aldrich in 1939. He worked for the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

From the description of John Henry "Rube Robinson" Roberson family papers, 1911-1991. (Arkansas History Commission). WorldCat record id: 225614840