Roof was born in Paducah, Kentucky, and is the cousin of Eddie Haas. The Milwaukee Braves acquired Haas in a trade with the Chicago Cubs before the 1958 season. A year later, Roof signed with the Braves as an amateur free agent upon graduation from St. John High School. His brother, Paul Roof, also signed with the Braves out of high school the following year.\n', '

After two minor league seasons in which he batted .236 with eleven home runs, Roof debuted with the Braves at just nineteen years of age as a September call-up in 1960, but did not appear in a game. The following season, he made his major league debut on April 29, catching the ninth inning of a 7-3 loss to Juan Marichal and the San Francisco Giants. He saw action immediately, as the Giants half of the ninth ended with Roof tagging out Jim Davenport on a play at the plate. However, he did not get the opportunity to bat, and was left standing in the on-deck circle when the game ended. After appearing in just the one game, he was optioned to the Yakima Braves of the Northwest League on the cutdown date. \n', '

Roof again appeared in a single game for the Braves in 1964, this time starting the game behind the plate and making two plate appearances. Roof finished the season with the Denver Bears, and was traded to the Los Angeles Angels with Ron Piché for a player to be named later at the end of the season. Though he appeared in just two games with the Braves, he provided his original franchise with a memorable moment off the field when he and future Baseball Hall of Fame member Warren Spahn were arrested at a Houston night club a week into the 1964 season.\n', '

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