Legendary former Southern University Baseball coach Roger Cador passed away of brain cancer at the age of 74 yesterday. Cador led the Jaguars baseball team for 33 years after taking over in 1984. Chair of the Southern Board of Supervisors Tony Clayton says he was an ambassador for the school and the first line of defense between kids and the real world.
“He was the quintessential southern gentleman; he put kids before himself. He coached boys into becoming young men,” Clayton said.
Cador led the Jags to two HBCU national championships and 14 SWAC championships and was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022. Clayton says Cador brought global attention to Southern, and he asked him one day how he could bring top recruits like Golden Spikes Award-winner Rickie Weeks to Baton Rouge.
“He said, ‘I prayed first, and I went and held their mother’s hand, and I prayed with her and the father, and they trusted me with their kid.’ That’s Roger; that’s the epitome of what he was and what he still is,” Clayton recalled.
The New Roads native was also a Jaguars student-athlete and played AAA baseball with the Braves organization. He earned 13 SWAC Coach of the Year honors and coached 10 All-Americans and 62 MLB Draft Picks. Clayton says the Southern community is mourning an icon and will open the Mini-Dome Monday to honor him.
“And we’re going to fly whatever flags we have on campus half-mast for him, and Southern’s just going to say ‘Thank You’ to Roger Cador for what he’s done for our children,” Clayton said.
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