Pete Reiser
Born: 3/17/1919 in St. Louis, MO, USA
Died: 10/25/1981 in Palm Springs, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1940-07-23 | Final Game: 1952-07-05
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Harold Patrick Reiser
Biography
Pete Reiser was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, known for his dynamic playing style and impactful contributions primarily with the Brooklyn Dodgers during his career from 1940 to 1952. Born in 1919, Reiser quickly made a name for himself in the league, earning three All-Star selections and helping to solidify the Dodgers' lineup during a transformative period in baseball history. His career spanned the era just before and after World War II, a time when the sport was beginning to see greater integration and changing player dynamics.
Over the course of 861 games, Reiser accumulated 786 hits, with a notable batting average of .295. He showcased power at the plate with 58 home runs and demonstrated speed on the bases, stealing 87 bases throughout his career. With 368 RBIs, he was a key offensive contributor, helping his teams to compete at high levels during his tenure. Despite facing numerous injuries that impacted his playing time, Reiser's resilience and skill left a lasting legacy in baseball, remembered for his aggressive style of play and his ability to inspire fans and teammates alike.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 861 | 2662 | 473 | 786 | 155 | 41 | 58 | 368 | 87 | 343 | 369 | 0.295 | 0.380 | 0.450 | 0.829 | 9512.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | BRO | NL | 58 | 225 | 34 | 66 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 15 | 33 | 0.293 | 117.8 |
| 1941 | BRO | NL | 137 | 536 | 117 | 184 | 39 | 17 | 14 | 76 | 4 | 46 | 71 | 0.343 | 3680.2 |
| 1942 | BRO | NL | 125 | 480 | 89 | 149 | 33 | 5 | 10 | 64 | 20 | 48 | 45 | 0.310 | 2125.8 |
| 1946 | BRO | NL | 122 | 423 | 75 | 117 | 21 | 5 | 11 | 73 | 34 | 55 | 58 | 0.277 | 1204.6 |
| 1947 | BRO | NL | 110 | 388 | 68 | 120 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 46 | 14 | 68 | 41 | 0.309 | 1520.4 |
| 1948 | BRO | NL | 64 | 127 | 17 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 29 | 21 | 0.236 | 129.9 |
| 1949 | BSN | NL | 84 | 221 | 32 | 60 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 40 | 3 | 33 | 42 | 0.271 | 500.6 |
| 1950 | BSN | NL | 53 | 78 | 12 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 18 | 22 | 0.205 | -135.6 |
| 1951 | PIT | NL | 74 | 140 | 22 | 38 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 27 | 20 | 0.271 | 369.1 |
| 1952 | CLE | AL | 34 | 44 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 0.136 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 28 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0.214 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | WS | BRO | 5 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.250 |
| 1941 | WS | BRO | 5 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.200 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 59 | 0 | 64 | 109 | 9 | 13 |
| OF | 634 | 0 | 1409 | 47 | 31 | 6 |
| SS | 5 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | BRO | 3B | 30 | 0 | 38 | 58 | 4 | 7 |
| 1940 | BRO | SS | 5 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1940 | BRO | OF | 17 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1941 | BRO | OF | 133 | 0 | 356 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| 1942 | BRO | OF | 125 | 0 | 277 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
| 1946 | BRO | 3B | 15 | 0 | 16 | 32 | 2 | 2 |
| 1946 | BRO | OF | 97 | 0 | 205 | 14 | 5 | 2 |
| 1947 | BRO | OF | 108 | 0 | 240 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1948 | BRO | 3B | 4 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1948 | BRO | OF | 30 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949 | BSN | 3B | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 1949 | BSN | OF | 63 | 0 | 139 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 1950 | BSN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1950 | BSN | OF | 24 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951 | PIT | 3B | 5 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1951 | PIT | OF | 27 | 0 | 53 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1952 | CLE | OF | 10 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 59 |
| Shortstop | 5 |
| Left Field | 204 |
| Center Field | 419 |
| Right Field | 27 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1941 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1941 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 58.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1942 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 91.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 183.0 | 336 | 2 |