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Pee Wee Reese

Reese displayed in a trading card by the Bowman Gum Company, 1954

Shortstop

Born: July 23, 1918
Ekron, Kentucky, U.S.

Died: August 14, 1999 (aged 81)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

debut

April 23, 1940, for the Brooklyn Dodgers

Last appearance

September 26, 1958, for the Los Angeles Dodgers

MLB statistics

Batting average

.269

Hits

2,170

Home runs

126

Runs batted in

885

Teams

Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers (1940–1942, 1946–1958)

Career highlights and awards

10× All-Star (1942, 1946–1954)
2× World Series champion (1955, 1959)
NL stolen base leader (1952)
Los Angeles Dodgers No. 1 retired

Baseball Hall of Fame

Induction

1984

Vote

Veterans Committee

Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese (born July 23, 1918 – died August 14, 1999) was a famous American professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. Reese was chosen for the All-Star team ten times.

He helped the Dodgers win seven National League championships. In 1984, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Reese is also well-known for supporting his teammate Jackie Robinson. Robinson was the first African American player in modern major league baseball. Reese's support was especially important during Robinson's first tough years. A famous moment happened when Reese put his arm around Robinson during a warm-up in front of a crowd that was being mean.

Pee Wee Reese's Early Life
Pee Wee Reese's Baseball Career
Pee Wee Reese's Career Statistics
Broadcasting Career
Later Life and Death
Awards and Honors
Personal Life
See also

Pee Wee Reese's Early Life

Reese got his nickname "Pee Wee" when he was a kid. He was a champion at playing marbles, and a "pee wee" is a small marble. He was born in Ekron, Kentucky, and lived there until he was almost eight. Then, his family moved to Louisville, Kentucky.

In high school, Reese was very small. He weighed only 120 pounds in his senior year. He didn't play baseball until his last year of high school. He played just six games as a second baseman. After graduating in 1935, he worked for a phone company. He only played amateur baseball in a church league.

His team reached the league championship game. The Louisville Colonels, a minor league team, let them play on their field. Reese played so well that the Colonels' owner, Cap Neal, signed him. He got a $200 bonus. His teammates on the Colonels called him "The Little Colonel."

Pee Wee Reese's Baseball Career

By 1938, Reese was the regular shortstop for the Colonels. He was one of the best young players in the minor leagues. The Boston Red Sox were very impressed with him. Their farm director, Billy Evans, suggested the Red Sox buy the Colonels team.

The Red Sox's regular shortstop, Joe Cronin, was also their manager. Cronin was getting older and knew Reese might take his job. When Cronin went to scout Reese, he realized he was scouting his own replacement. So, Cronin said Reese wasn't that good. It was hard to trade Reese because other teams thought something was wrong with him.

But on July 18, 1939, Reese was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Dodgers paid $35,000 and sent four players. This trade is now seen as one of the most unfair trades in baseball history. Cronin ended up playing only part-time after 1941.

Reese stayed with Louisville for the rest of 1939. He joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940. His new manager, Leo Durocher, was also a shortstop. But unlike Cronin, Durocher was happy to let Reese take his spot.

Early Playing Days

Reese with the Dodgers

Reese's first season in 1940 was cut short. He broke a bone in his heel and played only 84 games. Still, he had a good batting average of .272. He hit a grand slam in the last inning to win a game against the New York Giants. In 1941, he hit .229 and made 47 errors, which was the most in the league.

He played in the 1941 World Series but didn't do well. He batted .200 and made three errors. In 1942, he really showed how good he was. He made the National League All-Star team for the first of ten times in a row. He also led National League shortstops in putouts (catching batted balls) and assists (throwing out runners).

Like many players back then, Reese missed three seasons because of military service. He joined the United States Navy in 1943. He served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. While in Hawaii, he played on the Aiea Naval Hospital baseball team. Without Reese, the Dodgers struggled. They finished as low as seventh place in 1943.

When Reese returned in 1946, the Dodgers played much better. They were in a close race for the pennant with the St. Louis Cardinals. Both teams finished tied for first place. They played in the first-ever playoff tiebreaker in Major League Baseball history. The Cardinals won the series and the pennant.

Supporting Jackie Robinson

In 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers planned to bring Jackie Robinson up from their minor league team. Some Dodgers players started a petition against it. They thought Reese, who grew up in Kentucky, would sign it. But Reese, who was very popular, refused to sign. Because of this, the petition failed.

When a sportswriter asked Reese if he was worried Robinson would take his shortstop job, Reese simply said, "If he can take my job, he's entitled to it." Reese was one of the few players who welcomed Robinson. Robinson faced terrible insults from fans and other players. A sportswriter once said Robinson was "the loneliest man I have ever seen in sports."

During a road trip in 1947, fans in Cincinnati were yelling mean things at Robinson. Before a game, during practice, Reese walked over to Robinson. He started talking to him and put his arm around Robinson's shoulder. This simple act of support made the crowd quiet. This moment is seen as a very important one in baseball history.

Reese's actions helped change how people saw things. A journalist named Lester Rodney said that after this moment, racist fans started to quiet down. They realized they were in the minority.

A bronze statue of Reese and Robinson shows this famous moment. It was put up in Brooklyn in 2005. A newspaper columnist called Reese's gesture "Baseball's finest moment."

Throughout Robinson's tough first year, Reese helped him stay positive. Reese became good friends with Robinson. He even used humor to help Robinson deal with the stress. Reese told Robinson, "You know Jack, some of these guys are throwing at you because you're black. But others are doing it just because they plain don't like you."

Reese had a great year in 1947. He batted .284 and led the league with 104 walks. He and Robinson became one of the best defensive pairs in baseball. Their friendship is a big part of the famous baseball book, The Boys of Summer. When Robinson died in 1972, Reese was one of the people who carried his coffin at the funeral.

Later Career Highlights

In 1949, Reese scored 132 runs, which was the most in the National League. The Dodgers won the pennant again that year. But the Yankees beat them in the 1949 World Series. Reese still played well, batting .316 in the Series.

Reese became the Dodgers' team captain in 1950. In 1951, he had his career high in RBI (runs batted in) with 84. In 1952, he led the National League in stolen bases with 30. That year, he had his best World Series, batting .345. In one game, Robinson and Reese pulled off a double steal.

The 1953 Dodgers had an amazing season, winning 105 games. Reese was a key player, scoring 108 runs and batting .271. But the Yankees beat them in the 1953 World Series again. After the season, the Dodgers offered Reese the job of manager. Reese said no, so the Dodgers hired Walter Alston, who managed the team for over 20 years.

In 1954, Reese had his best batting average, hitting .309. He was 36 years old in 1955 but still played strongly. That year, the Dodgers won their first World Series ever! Reese helped with two RBI in Game 2. In Game 7, he singled and scored an important run. He also made a great play to help save the win.

In 1957, Reese started to share his shortstop position with another black player, Charlie Neal. When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, Reese went with them as a backup player. He retired that year. He coached for the Dodgers in 1959 and earned a second World Series ring.

Pee Wee Reese's Career Statistics

In his 16-year career in Major League Baseball, Reese played in 2,166 games. He had 2,170 hits and a career batting average of .269. He also hit 126 home runs and had 885 runs batted in. His on-base percentage was .366, meaning he got on base more than a third of the time. He had a .962 fielding percentage, which shows he was very good at defense. In 44 World Series games, he batted .272.

Reese played at least 140 games every year from 1941 to 1956, except for his time in the Navy. He scored at least 75 runs every year from 1942 to 1956. He scored 1,338 runs in his career, which is the most for any Dodger player. He was also good at hitting home runs, which was rare for shortstops then. Reese stole 252 stolen bases when stealing bases wasn't a big part of the game.

He was an excellent defensive player. He led National League shortstops in putouts four times. He is also in the top 10 all-time for putouts and double plays. Reese was very popular with his teammates and fans. He was the Dodgers' team captain and would bring out the lineup card before games.

Broadcasting Career

After he stopped playing, Reese became a successful baseball announcer. He called "Game of the Week" telecasts for CBS from 1960 to 1965. He also worked for NBC from 1966 to 1968. Reese announced the 1967 and 1968 World Series for NBC Radio. He also called games for the Cincinnati Reds and the Montreal Expos.

Later Life and Death

In his later years, Reese worked for Hillerich & Bradsby, the company that makes Louisville Slugger baseball bats. He battled illness for several years. He passed away on August 14, 1999, at his home in Louisville. He is buried in Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery in Louisville.

Awards and Honors


Pee Wee Reese's number 1 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1984.

In 1984, Pee Wee Reese was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. His support for Jackie Robinson was mentioned as a key reason, along with his great playing skills.

A statue of Reese was put up in front of Louisville Slugger Field in 2000. His number was also retired by the Louisville Bats team. In November 2005, another statue of Reese and Jackie Robinson was put up in Brooklyn, New York. This statue honors Reese's famous gesture of support for Robinson.

Reese received the "SABR Hero of Baseball Award" in 1997. In 2013, he was honored with the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award for his service in the United States Navy during World War II.

Personal Life

Pee Wee Reese married Dorothy "Dottie" Walton on March 29, 1942. They had two children. Dottie passed away in 2012. Their son, Mark, has made sports documentaries.