Kenny Rogers did not play organized baseball until his senior year at Plant City High School in Florida. There he played almost exclusively as an outfielder, hitting .375 and earning the team’s defensive player of the year award.

Because of his great arm strength, Rogers first reached the Major Leagues as a relief pitcher. He excelled in that role for four years in Texas, including an American League-best 81 appearances in 1992. The following year, however, Kenny was converted into a starting pitcher. Rogers thrived in the new role. He won 16 games in 1993 and went 17-7 in 1995, appearing in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.

On July 29, 1994, Kenny Rogers pitched a perfect game for the Texas Rangers against the California Angels, only the 12th such gem of the century.

During his career, he has played for the Texas Rangers (1989-95, 2000-02, 2004-present), the New York Yankees (1996-97), the Oakland Athletics (1998-99), the New York Mets (1999), and the Minnesota Twins (2003). Rogers has won two Gold Glove awards as a pitcher with the Rangers in 2000 and 2002. In 2004, Kenny won 18 games for the Rangers, and was a major spark in the resurgence of the Texas Rangers as a serious contender in the American League West.