Pee Wee Reese
⭐ Hall of Fame 1984
Born: 7/23/1918 in Ekron, KY, USA
Died: 8/14/1999 in Louisville, KY, USA
MLB Debut: 1940-04-23 | Final Game: 1958-09-26
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Harold Henry Reese
Biography
Pee Wee Reese, born in 1918, was a prominent shortstop in Major League Baseball, known for his exceptional defensive skills and leadership on the field. His professional career spanned from 1940 to 1958, during which he played a remarkable 2,166 games. Reese amassed a total of 2,170 hits, 126 home runs, and 885 RBIs, concluding his career with a batting average of .269. He was also known for his speed on the bases, recording 232 stolen bases throughout his tenure in the league.
A ten-time All-Star, Reese was an integral part of the Brooklyn Dodgers during the team's most successful years, including their first World Series championship in 1955. His ability to connect with fans and teammates alike made him a beloved figure in baseball, particularly as he played during the integration of the sport, standing alongside Jackie Robinson and helping to pave the way for future generations of players. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the game, Reese was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, solidifying his legacy as one of the great shortstops of his era.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2166 | 8058 | 1338 | 2170 | 330 | 80 | 126 | 885 | 232 | 1210 | 890 | 0.269 | 0.366 | 0.377 | 0.743 | 9092.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | BRO | NL | 84 | 312 | 58 | 85 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 15 | 45 | 42 | 0.272 | 228.0 |
| 1941 | BRO | NL | 152 | 595 | 76 | 136 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 46 | 10 | 68 | 56 | 0.229 | -1680.0 |
| 1942 | BRO | NL | 151 | 564 | 87 | 144 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 53 | 15 | 82 | 55 | 0.255 | 350.8 |
| 1946 | BRO | NL | 152 | 542 | 79 | 154 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 60 | 10 | 87 | 71 | 0.284 | 1450.2 |
| 1947 | BRO | NL | 142 | 476 | 81 | 135 | 24 | 4 | 12 | 73 | 7 | 104 | 67 | 0.284 | 2174.3 |
| 1948 | BRO | NL | 151 | 566 | 96 | 155 | 31 | 4 | 9 | 75 | 25 | 79 | 63 | 0.274 | 589.5 |
| 1949 | BRO | NL | 155 | 617 | 132 | 172 | 27 | 3 | 16 | 73 | 26 | 116 | 59 | 0.279 | 1797.2 |
| 1950 | BRO | NL | 141 | 531 | 97 | 138 | 21 | 5 | 11 | 52 | 17 | 91 | 62 | 0.260 | 233.5 |
| 1951 | BRO | NL | 154 | 616 | 94 | 176 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 84 | 20 | 81 | 57 | 0.286 | 894.8 |
| 1952 | BRO | NL | 149 | 559 | 94 | 152 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 58 | 30 | 86 | 59 | 0.272 | 848.1 |
| 1953 | BRO | NL | 140 | 524 | 108 | 142 | 25 | 7 | 13 | 61 | 22 | 82 | 61 | 0.271 | 1073.8 |
| 1954 | BRO | NL | 141 | 554 | 98 | 171 | 35 | 8 | 10 | 69 | 8 | 90 | 62 | 0.309 | 2376.6 |
| 1955 | BRO | NL | 145 | 553 | 99 | 156 | 29 | 4 | 10 | 61 | 8 | 78 | 60 | 0.282 | 933.8 |
| 1956 | BRO | NL | 147 | 572 | 85 | 147 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 46 | 13 | 56 | 69 | 0.257 | -947.5 |
| 1957 | BRO | NL | 103 | 330 | 33 | 74 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 5 | 39 | 32 | 0.224 | -1258.3 |
| 1958 | LAD | NL | 59 | 147 | 21 | 33 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 26 | 15 | 0.224 | 27.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 169 | 20 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 0.272 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | WS | BRO | 7 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0.222 |
| 1955 | WS | BRO | 7 | 27 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.296 |
| 1953 | WS | BRO | 6 | 24 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0.208 |
| 1952 | WS | BRO | 7 | 29 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.345 |
| 1949 | WS | BRO | 5 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.316 |
| 1947 | WS | BRO | 7 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0.304 |
| 1941 | WS | BRO | 5 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.200 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 115 | 90 | 84 | 240 | 19 | 9 |
| SS | 2014 | 456 | 4040 | 5891 | 388 | 1246 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | BRO | SS | 83 | 0 | 190 | 238 | 18 | 41 |
| 1941 | BRO | SS | 151 | 0 | 346 | 473 | 47 | 76 |
| 1942 | BRO | SS | 151 | 0 | 337 | 482 | 35 | 99 |
| 1946 | BRO | SS | 152 | 0 | 285 | 463 | 26 | 104 |
| 1947 | BRO | SS | 142 | 0 | 266 | 441 | 25 | 99 |
| 1948 | BRO | SS | 149 | 0 | 335 | 453 | 31 | 93 |
| 1949 | BRO | SS | 155 | 0 | 316 | 454 | 18 | 93 |
| 1950 | BRO | 3B | 7 | 0 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 1950 | BRO | SS | 134 | 0 | 282 | 398 | 26 | 94 |
| 1951 | BRO | SS | 154 | 0 | 292 | 422 | 35 | 106 |
| 1952 | BRO | SS | 145 | 0 | 282 | 376 | 21 | 89 |
| 1953 | BRO | SS | 135 | 0 | 265 | 380 | 23 | 83 |
| 1954 | BRO | SS | 140 | 140 | 270 | 426 | 25 | 74 |
| 1955 | BRO | SS | 142 | 142 | 239 | 404 | 23 | 86 |
| 1956 | BRO | 3B | 12 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956 | BRO | SS | 136 | 135 | 263 | 367 | 23 | 79 |
| 1957 | BRO | 3B | 75 | 62 | 51 | 166 | 13 | 5 |
| 1957 | BRO | SS | 23 | 20 | 46 | 62 | 6 | 16 |
| 1958 | LAN | 3B | 21 | 19 | 18 | 37 | 4 | 2 |
| 1958 | LAN | SS | 22 | 19 | 26 | 52 | 6 | 14 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 115 |
| Shortstop | 2013 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1953 | TSN All-Star | SS |
| 1949 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
| 1947 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
| 1946 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 71.0 | 336 | 3 |
| 1955 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 36.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1954 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 53.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1953 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 27.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1952 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 29.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1951 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 15th | 15.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1950 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 24th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 118.0 | 336 | 2 |
| 1948 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 60.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1947 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 80.0 | 336 | 2 |
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 79.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1942 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 25th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 26th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |