Welcome to the official website of Roger Owens, the famous peanut man at Dodger stadium
Roger Owens is the famed peanut vendor who tosses bags of peanuts under-the-leg, behind-the-back, and two at a time, all with unbelievable accuracy, and to those seated even more than 30 rows away. Roger has charmed and amazed generations of fans with his show within a show at Dodger Stadium for nearly 45 years, and 50 years if you include the Coliseum from ’58 to ’61
He didn’t start trick-tossing peanut bags until 1962 when the Dodgers moved into Dodger Stadium, even though he started at age 15 by selling soda at the Coliseum, and moved up the vending chain to sell peanuts in 1959, His consistent hard work and showmanship throughout the 1960’s not only helped increase his growing fan base who were thrilled with his amazing tosses, but also with his growing media attention in the 1970’s. Althought he was the focus of a number of television appearances including news stories and game shows, Roger’s career as an icon of Dodger Stadium, who brings added fun and excitement to the game was launched when he was seen nationwide on “The Tonight Show” in September, 1976, on stage with Johnny Carson, as Carson’s first guest for the evening.
Roger’s theatrics and nutty joke telling haven’t been limited to Dodger Stadium over the years. In fact, he’s taken his peanut pitching to countless Rams, USC, and UCLA football games at the Coliseum, Dallas Cowboys football games once a year for 12 years straight, boxing matches, hockey games, minor league baseball games, and he even has quite a following in Japan after tossing out peanut bags at the American collegiate football all-star games for a number of years at Yokohama Stadium.
There is so much fascinating information, from his personal life of traumas, obstacles, happiness, and depression, to his public life of pioneering and remarkable talent, sense of humor and a natural ability to entertain, that to try to cover all of it here would be impossible and inadequate. For a complete biography, please refer to the book, “The Perfect Pitch, the Biography of Roger Owens, the Famous Peanut Man at Dodger Stadium” by Daniel S. Green.