Pete Reiser

    Pistol Pete Reiser was a key part of two Brooklyn pennant winners in the 1940's, but could have been so much more if he hadn't attacked walls with his head. In the days before warning tracks and padded outfield fences, Reiser constantly crashed into the solid concrete walls in Ebbets Field, which became the first ballpark to pad them in 1948. Although injuries prevented him from a Hall of Fame career, he was still able to accomplish quite a lot on the diamond. 

    Pete Reiser debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940, batting .293 in 58 games. He had a breakout season in 1941, leading the NL in seven batting categories and the Dodgers to the pennant en route to a second place finish in the MVP Award voting (behind teammate Dolph Camilli). In 1942, Reiser missed 30 games with injuries, but still batted .310 and led the NL in stolen bases, making his second consecutive all-star team and finishing sixth in the MVP voting. He missed the next three seasons to military service with the Army during World War II, but was still able to find his way onto a diamond. In fact, Reiser injured himself playing ball in the Army, forcing him to learn to throw with both arms. According to Brooklyn manager Leo Durocher, he could throw harder than Willie Mays with each arm. When he returned to Brooklyn in 1946, Reiser picked up where he left off, batting .277 with a Major League best 34 stolen bases and finishing ninth in the MVP voting. In 1947, Reiser hit .309 with a .418 OBP in the regular season, leading the Dodgers to another pennant. Although the peaking Reiser was only 28 years old in 1947, it would be his last year as a regular, as various injuries took their toll on him. He played his last year in 1952 as a backup outfielder and pinch runner for the Cleveland Indians. 

    After his playing days, Reiser managed for several years in the minors, earning The Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year award in 1959. He later coached for the Dodgers, Cubs, and Angels, winning his long-awaited World Series ring in 1963. 

    If not for his constant injuries, Reiser could be in the Hall of Fame today. In his four years as a regular, he slashed .312 / .390 / .473 (139 OPS+), capturing a batting title in 1941. Pistol Pete was also extremely fast, stealing home seven times in 1946. Alas, injuries did him in; Reiser left the field with a fractured skull on one occasion, temporary paralysis on another, and was carried away on a stretcher a record eleven times. Although he couldn't always stay on the field, Pete Reiser was a consistent winner, a fan favorite, and a wonderful talent who should not be forgotten.