Ken Reitz
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1972-1982)
Ken Reitz was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1972 to 1982 for 4 teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, a span of 11 seasons. In 1,344 career games, he hit .260 with 1,243 hits, 68 home runs, and 548 RBI. Ken Reitz was an All-Star and a Gold Glove.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Third Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 180 lb
- Died
- 3/31/2021 in St. Charles, MO, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1972-09-05
- Last Game
- 1982-06-03
- Awards
- All-Star · Gold Glove
Full name: Kenneth John Reitz
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,344 | 4,777 | 366 | 1,243 | 243 | 12 | 68 | 548 | 10 | 184 | 518 | .260 | .290 | .359 | .649 | -6,911 |
Career AVG .260 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .290 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 10.5% below league average.
Career SLG .359 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — 5.3% below league average.
Career OPS .649 vs. league average .703 across their career seasons — 7.7% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | SLN | NL | 21 | 78 | 5 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .359 | .243 (+47%) | .310 (+19%) | .353 (+16%) | .664 (+17%) | 189.1 |
| 1973 | SLN | NL | 147 | 426 | 40 | 100 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 42 | 0 | 9 | 25 | .235 | .256 (-9%) | .325 (-21%) | .378 (-12%) | .703 (-16%) | -1210.2 |
| 1974 | SLN | NL | 154 | 579 | 48 | 157 | 28 | 2 | 7 | 54 | 0 | 23 | 63 | .271 | .256 (+6%) | .324 (-8%) | .369 (-2%) | .693 (-5%) | -554.6 |
| 1975 | SLN | NL | 161 | 592 | 43 | 159 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 63 | 1 | 22 | 54 | .269 | .257 (+4%) | .327 (-9%) | .374 (-9%) | .701 (-9%) | -949.5 |
| 1976 | SFN | NL | 155 | 577 | 40 | 154 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 66 | 5 | 24 | 48 | .267 | .255 (+4%) | .320 (-8%) | .360 (-8%) | .681 (-8%) | -833.7 |
| 1977 | SLN | NL | 157 | 587 | 58 | 153 | 36 | 1 | 17 | 79 | 2 | 19 | 74 | .261 | .264 (-1%) | .329 (-12%) | .401 (+3%) | .730 (-4%) | -479.3 |
| 1978 | SLN | NL | 150 | 540 | 41 | 133 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 75 | 1 | 23 | 61 | .246 | .257 (-4%) | .323 (-13%) | .378 (-6%) | .702 (-9%) | -911.8 |
| 1979 | SLN | NL | 159 | 605 | 42 | 162 | 41 | 2 | 8 | 73 | 1 | 25 | 85 | .268 | .265 (+1%) | .329 (-9%) | .397 (-4%) | .727 (-6%) | -750.2 |
| 1980 | SLN | NL | 151 | 523 | 39 | 141 | 33 | 0 | 8 | 58 | 0 | 22 | 44 | .270 | .264 (+2%) | .326 (-8%) | .387 (-2%) | .714 (-5%) | -509.3 |
| 1981 | CHN | NL | 82 | 260 | 10 | 56 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 15 | 56 | .215 | .255 (-16%) | .320 (-19%) | .368 (-24%) | .688 (-21%) | -901.7 |
| 1982 | PIT | NL | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 1,344 | 4,777 | 366 | 1,243 | 243 | 12 | 68 | 548 | 10 | 184 | 518 | .260 | — | — | — | — | -6,911 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1344 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 685 | 2375 | 187 | 657 | 32 | 270 | .277 |
| Away | 659 | 2402 | 179 | 586 | 36 | 278 | .244 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-06-03 | PIT | WSN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982-06-02 | PIT | LAD | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982-05-31 | PIT | LAD | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982-05-30 | PIT | SFG | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982-05-28 | PIT | SFG | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982-05-22 | PIT | SDP | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982-05-20 | PIT | SFG | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1981-09-29 | CHC | PIT | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981-09-21 | CHC | STL | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1981-09-20 | CHC | WSN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 1321 | 1259 | 996 | 2477 | 109 | 219 |
| SS | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | SLN | 3B | 20 | 20 | 17 | 26 | 2 | 3 |
| 1973 | SLN | 3B | 135 | 107 | 85 | 211 | 8 | 19 |
| 1973 | SLN | SS | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | SLN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | SLN | 3B | 151 | 148 | 131 | 278 | 11 | 29 |
| 1974 | SLN | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | SLN | 3B | 160 | 157 | 124 | 279 | 23 | 21 |
| 1976 | SFN | 3B | 155 | 151 | 140 | 303 | 19 | 32 |
| 1976 | SFN | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977 | SLN | 3B | 157 | 156 | 121 | 320 | 9 | 35 |
| 1978 | SLN | 3B | 150 | 144 | 111 | 314 | 12 | 18 |
| 1979 | SLN | 3B | 158 | 156 | 124 | 290 | 12 | 26 |
| 1980 | SLN | 3B | 150 | 143 | 86 | 293 | 8 | 25 |
| 1981 | CHN | 3B | 81 | 75 | 57 | 157 | 5 | 11 |
| 1982 | PIT | 3B | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 1321 |
| Shortstop | 5 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Player of the Month | May |
| 1975 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-04-18 |
| 1974 | Player of the Week | Week of 1974-04-26 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Ken Reitz (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Ken Reitz: the record in brief
The profile opens with Ken Reitz's first major league game on September 5, 1972; the last one listed came on June 3, 1982. Reitz played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1972 through 1980), the San Francisco Giants (1976), the Chicago Cubs (1981), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1982). Reitz played primarily as a third baseman and batted and threw right-handed. The bio adds a birth date on June 24, 1951, in San Francisco, CA, USA and a listed size of 6 feet, 0 inches and 180 pounds. Reitz died on March 31, 2021, in St. Charles, MO, USA. Reitz's full given name, per the bio, is Kenneth John Reitz.
In 1,344 games and 4,777 at bats, Reitz batted .260 with 1,243 hits, adding 68 home runs and 548 runs batted in. Reitz's career OPS of .649 combines a .290 on-base mark with .359 slugging. Against a .258 league average for those years, Reitz's .260 average was near the norm. By OPS the gap is 7.7% below league average (.649 against .703). 1977 was Reitz's biggest home run year, with 17.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ken Reitz
- What years did Ken Reitz play?
- Ken Reitz played in Major League Baseball from 1972 to 1982.
- Was Ken Reitz a pitcher?
- No. Ken Reitz was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Ken Reitz hit?
- Ken Reitz hit 68 career home runs with 1,243 hits.
- What teams did Ken Reitz play for?
- Ken Reitz played for 4 teams: the St. Louis Cardinals (1972–1975, 1977–1980), the San Francisco Giants (1976), the Chicago Cubs (1981), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1982).
- Did Ken Reitz win an MVP award?
- No. Ken Reitz did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Ken Reitz win?
- Ken Reitz won the Gold Glove (1975). He was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Ken Reitz's career stats?
- In 1,344 games, Ken Reitz had 1,243 hits, 68 home runs, 548 RBI, 366 runs, and 10 stolen bases, with a .260 batting average.
- What position did Ken Reitz play?
- Ken Reitz played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Ken Reitz and how much did he weigh?
- Ken Reitz was listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Ken Reitz hit each season?
- Ken Reitz's home runs by season: 0 in 1972, 6 in 1973, 7 in 1974, 5 in 1975, 5 in 1976, 17 in 1977, 10 in 1978, 8 in 1979, 8 in 1980, 2 in 1981, and 0 in 1982. His most in one season was 17, in 1977.
- What was Ken Reitz's career batting average?
- Ken Reitz batted .260 over his career, with 1,243 hits in 4,777 at bats.
- How many RBI did Ken Reitz have?
- Ken Reitz drove in 548 runs in his career.
- Is Ken Reitz in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Ken Reitz has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Ken Reitz make?
- Ken Reitz was selected to 1 All-Star Game.