Roger Baker played basketball at Linfield College, graduating in 1968. He was co-captain of the team in 1967-68 and led the team to the Northwest Conference title, was named the Wildcats MVP and best defensive player, and was named All-Conference. He then entered the US Army where he started playing handball. Baker played for the US in handball at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and the 1971 and 1975 Pan American Games. He and his wife settled in Oregon, where Baker worked as a commercial real estate broker and investor.