![]() 200 and made three errors in the five-game Yankee win. Even playing in the World Series that year was a forgettable experience for Reese, as he batted. He had a thrilling moment that year, hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the New York Giants. Reese's rookie season in 1940 was curtailed by a broken heel bone that limited him to 84 games in what had looked to be a promising season (.272 batting average with 58 runs scored). Early playing careerReese with the Dodgers. Unlike Cronin, however, Durocher was willing to give up his spot in the lineup to Reese. ![]() In an ironic twist, he walked into a situation where his manager was also the regular shortstop-in this case, Leo Durocher. Reese stayed in Louisville for the rest of the 1939 season, and was called up to Brooklyn in time for the 1940 season. As it turned out, Cronin was only a part-time player after 1941. ![]() This trade is now considered one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history. However, on July 18, 1939, Reese was sent to Brooklyn for $35,000 and four players to be named later. It took a while to find a buyer, since the other teams *umed something had to be wrong with Reese if the Red Sox wanted to get rid of him. Cronin deliberately downplayed Reese's talent and suggested Reese be traded. When Yawkey sent Cronin to Louisville to scout Reese, Cronin realized that he was scouting his own replacement. However, Cronin was also the Red Sox' manager, and still thought of himself as a regular shortstop. Evans and owner Tom Yawkey both knew that the Red Sox' regular shortstop, Joe Cronin, was nearing the end of his career. While playing for the Colonels, he was affectionately referred to by his teammates as "The Little Colonel." Baseball careerīy 1938, Reese was the Colonels' regular shortstop and one of the top prospects in the minors, and so impressed Boston Red Sox farm director Billy Evans that he recommended the Red Sox buy the team. Reese impressed Colonels owner Cap Neal, who signed him to a contract for a $200 bonus. When Reese's team reached the league championship, the minor league Louisville Colonels allowed them to play the championship game on their field. He worked as a cable splicer for the Louisville phone company, only playing amateur baseball in a church league. He graduated from duPont Manual High School in 1935, where he played for a legendary coach, Ralph Kimmel. In high school, Reese was so small that he did not play baseball until his senior year, at which time he weighed only 120 pounds and played just six games as a second baseman. Reese was born in Ekron, Meade County, Kentucky, and raised there until he was nearly eight years old, when his family moved to Louisville. Reese's nickname originated in his childhood, as he was a champion marbles player (a "pee wee" is a small marble). Reese is also famous for his support of his teammate Jackie Robinson, the first black player in the major leagues' modern era, especially in Robinson's difficult first years. ![]() ![]() A ten-time All-Star, Reese contributed to seven National League championships for the Dodgers and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. Harold Peter Henry " Pee Wee" Reese (J– August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player. ![]()
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