Roe was born on February 26, 1916, in Ash Flat, Arkansas and grew up in Viola, Arkansas. The nickname "Preacher" came at the age of three when an uncle asked his name and Roe responded "preacher" because of a minister who would take him on horse-and-buggy rides. For some time, Roe’s father, Charles Roe, played semi-professional ball for a Pine Bluff, Arkansas team before he began practice as a country doctor.\n', '

From 1935 to 1939, Roe attended Harding College (now University). While majoring in education, he received a baseball scholarship and also tried his hand at basketball. At Harding, in a thirteen-inning game in 1937, Roe gained national attention by striking out twenty-six batters.\n', '

In the summer of 1938, Roe was signed by Branch Rickey, then general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals. Roe pitched in one game for the team that season, giving up six hits, two walks, and four runs in 2⅔ innings. He spent the next five seasons in the Cardinals\' minor league system before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 30, 1943 in exchange for pitcher Johnny Podgajny, outfielder Johnny Wyrostek and cash.\n', '

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