I was there the day my father, Monroe Katz, discovered Rod Carew.

It was a cold and windy March day at Allerton Park in the Bronx. Once the workout started, Rod wasn’t fielding grounders too well and he barely reached first base with his throws. But my father liked Rod’s actions and told me to have Rod come over so he could talk to him.

My father asked Rod if his fielding and his throws were because of the cold weather. Rod said yes, and regarding his throwing, he didn’t want to hurt his arm by overthrowing. That’s how good a scout and judge of talent my father was.

Rod and I became friends. We both attended George Washington High School in upper Manhattan.

When my father was 18 months old, he contracted polio. After being hospitalized, he was sent to a rehabilitation facility. He wore two braces and used a wheelchair, then started using crutches. He eventually needed only one brace and began walking with a cane.

My father’s baseball career started at the age of 18.  He began working for the New York Yankees and head scout Paul Krichell.  Krichell said my father was the most knowledgeable, baseball-savvy young man he’d ever seen.

While working for the Yankees, my father was responsible for sending 23 or 24 young prospects to pro ball. Besides the Yankees, my father scouted for Cleveland, the Dodgers and the Minnesota Twins.

A year after my father discovered him, Carew began his minor-league career. While playing for the Orlando Twins in the Florida State League, he was named Topps Minor League Player of the Month for May 1965. In recognition of my father’s baseball knowledge and scouting ability, he was presented with the Topps Scout of the Month award.

In addition to Carew, his discoveries included Buddy Kerr, Al Campanis and Sam Zoldak.

In the 1940s, my father became manager of the Springfield Greys, an independent semi-pro team.  They played most of their home games at Sherwood Oval in Springfield Gardens, Queens, N.Y.