A look back at Roger Nelson

Many years ago, I used to watch MTV. This was back in the day when MTV actually played music videos. Whenever a music video from Prince would play, the VJ would invariably say, “Prince, whose real name is Rogers Nelson.” An interesting tidbit, which everyone probably knows by now. I only bring it up because every time I heard that, it made me think of the former Royals pitcher, Roger Nelson.

The two couldn’t have been more different. Prince Rogers Nelson was slick and polished, with a look that I would describe as psychedelic GQ. Roger Nelson, with his mop of dark hair, long sideburns and black glasses looked like he was a sidekick to Toad Fields from American Graffiti, which makes sense, as…