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HBCU baseball trailblazer passes away at 74
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The HBCU community is mourning the loss of one of college baseball's most influential figures. Roger Cador, the legendary former Southern University baseball player and longtime head coach who transformed the Jaguars into a national powerhouse, has died at the age of 74.
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Over more than three decades at the helm, Cador built one of the most successful programs in HBCU baseball history, mentoring generations of student-athletes while elevating the national profile of Black college baseball through championship success, visionary leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the game. According to the American Baseball Association, Cador starred for Southern University's baseball team in the early 1970s, leading the Jaguars with a .393 batting average in 1972. The following year, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the MLB Draft.
After spending five seasons in the Braves organization, Cador returned to his alma mater, where he served as an assistant coach for both the baseball and basketball programs. In 1985, he was named Southern's head baseball coach, beginning a remarkable 33-year tenure that would permanently reshape the program, according to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Before retiring in 2017, Cador amassed a career record of 913-597-1 while leading the Jaguars to 14 conference championships and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. Under his leadership, Southern produced 10 All-Americans and 62 Major League Baseball draft selections, including 2003 Golden Spikes Award winner Rickie Weeks .
One of the defining moments of Cador's career came in 1987 when Southern became the first HBCU baseball program to win an NCAA Tournament game, stunning No. 2-ranked Cal State Fullerton in a historic 1-0 upset. The victory remains one of the most significant achievements in HBCU baseball history and helped establish Southern as a respected competitor on the national stage.
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Cador's contributions to the sport earned him numerous accolades, including induction into the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Beyond the wins and championships, those who played for Cador remember him as a mentor whose influence extended far beyond the baseball diamond.
In a report by WAFB, several of his former players reflected on the lasting impact he had on their lives.
"He had a vision that was bigger than him," former player Rev. William Bates said. "It was about everybody else. It was about how he could make everybody else better and how could he put Southern University on the map in another way outside of what it was traditionally known for."
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"When you think about a guy like Coach Cador, you think he's going to live forever," former Southern player Vincent Price said. "He's bigger than life."
"He was worried about more than just winning," Price added. "He was worried about you winning in life. He changed my life."
Southern University and its athletics department also paid tribute to the coach whose name became synonymous with Jaguar baseball.
"Coach Roger Cador was far more than a baseball coach—he was a visionary, a mentor, a leader, and a true pillar of the Jaguar Nation," Southern University Athletic Director Roman Banks said. "His impact on Southern University and HBCU baseball is immeasurable. For more than three decades, he built a championship culture, developed generations of student-athletes, and inspired countless lives both on and off the field."
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Current Southern head baseball coach Chris Crenshaw reflected on the personal guidance he received from Cador throughout his career.
"Coach Cador is Southern Baseball. When I was considering coming back to Southern in 2019 to be an assistant, I called to ask for his blessing. True to Coach Cador, he gave me a hard time at first and then said, 'I know it's in your heart. Come on back,'" Crenshaw said.
"Those words meant more to me than he ever knew. His support and belief in me helped bring me back home. Coach Cador was more than a coach — he was a mentor, a born leader, and a true Southern man. Coach and I had a saying that will always be special to me. He said he would be holding my hand through it all, and I know he will continue to hold my hand until the end. I will always be grateful for his guidance and the impact he had on my life and our program. Thank you, Coach. Your legacy will live on forever."
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