Elisabeth Tharp | Sports Reporter
If you have ever been to a Baylor football game, then you have probably seen Robbie Rogers on the field with a camera and a blue hat.
Rogers got his degree in photojournalism at the University of Missouri and spent his time working with newspapers, including the St. Petersburg Times for ten years.
“I loved sports photography, but I loved journalism too,” Rogers said. “That was sort of the epitome of being a sports photographer — working at Sports Illustrated.”
Rogers got to meet a few editors at a workshop in San Antonio for an Olympic Trial where he showed them the portfolio he had been working on for 15 years. At the time, however, they said, “it was awful.”
“I did have the energy and wit about me to say, ‘Well if I ever make a good picture, can I send it to you?’and they said, ‘sure.'” Rogers said.
Every week after that, he sent Sports Illustrated a post card with pictures he had taken until they gave him his first gig covering a football game in North Alabama.
Soon, they kept calling him every weekend to cover games. His photos made the cover of Sports Illustrated two times, including a shot taken at the Orange Bowl when Tom Osborn and Nebraska won their first national championship.
“It was great,” Rogers said. “When you work at a pinnacle place like that, you have to push yourself.”
Rogers wears a special chlorine-resistant and SPF 95+ hat when he is outside, which is very often. He wears it when he works, especially at outdoor games.
“When I put this hat on, all of the sudden I’m in the zone,” Rogers said. “I can concentrate. This [hat] is sort of like blinders for a horse.”
Most importantly, Rogers wears his hat in memory of his good friend Jerry M. Watcher, who was the scene photographer for the Baltimore Orioles for 37 years.
“During his final years, I worked with him and helped him out some. I just knew this would cover me the way Jerry would want it to be,” Rogers said.
Rogers also enjoys that his family can find him with his blue hat when they are watching a Baylor game.
From all the major events and games he has covered, out of all the pictures he has taken he said his all-time favorite is the next one he’s about to take.
Even though he has met many famous people and has covered huge sports games, Rogers said there’s always more to see.
“You get to see amazing things as a photojournalist, but there is nothing more amazing than what’s to come,” Rogers said.
