MSBL Hall of Fame Pitcher Rodney Tafoya Suffers Stroke in January 2022; Vows to Return to Mound in Search of Victory #500
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
MSBL World Series Hall of Fame pitcher and New Mexico resident Rodney Tafoya suffered a stroke in January of 2022. It has been a long road of rehabilitation but anyone who knows Rod knows he will indeed be back on the bump sometime soon.
The Santa Fe New Mexican published an article about Rod on Christmas Day. Below is an excerpt from that article, along with a link to the complete story.
(December 25, 2022; Re-printed with permission) “The last time Rodney Tafoya saw the mound was at a Men’s Senior Baseball League tournament in January, recording his 459th win in the process. He planned on competing in another tournament in late February when the stroke happened.
Tafoya, who is single, was returning home after purchasing dinner when he felt numbness in his left arm and leg. It was a sensation he never experienced before, and his first call was to his older brother, informing him of his symptoms.
Although he suffered from high blood pressure, Tafoya did not take prescribed medication for the condition. That decision caught up with him.
“He’s like, ‘Oh, gosh? What do you think?’ ” Rodney said of his brother’s reaction. “Well, I know when dad had a stroke, his face drooped. So, Jack said, ‘Look at your face.’ There was no paralysis, nothing. So, that’s good.”
Rodney’s next call was to 911 for an ambulance. He was transported to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with a stroke, then to the University of New Mexico Hospital for more treatment. All the while, Rodney was asking everyone who would listen how soon he could leave — he had a game to pitch in a couple of days.
“We were telling him, ‘I don’t think you’re going to be pitching,’ ” Jack said.
Rodney was placed in an induced coma for more than three weeks to help relieve the pressure on his brain. When he regained consciousness, he learned the severity of his condition.”