Idolized by a young Mickey Mantle and countless Brooklyn youngsters, Pee Wee was the undisputed leader of the classic Dodger teams of the late '40s and early '50s. During his sixteen-year tenure at short, the Dodgers won seven pennants (including a World Championship in 1955) and only finished lower than second in the standings three times. His hustle, sparkling defense and solid clutch hitting made him a ten-time All-Star and brought him induction into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1984. But perhaps his greatest achievement on or off the field was his role in the integration of baseball. His public friendship with Jackie Robinson in 1947 helped his teammate win acceptance from Brooklyn fans in the face of racial opposition throughout the majors.
A native New Yorker, Rizzuto broke in with the Yankees in 1941 and quickly established himself as the everyday shortstop, hitting .307 for the World Champion Yanks. Playing on a pennant-winning team soon became a habit for 'Scooter,' who played in nine World Series in his thirteen-year career -- a record for shortstops. He won the AL MVP award in 1950 after hitting .324 with 200 hits and 125 runs scored; a year later, the Yankees were forced to move a minor-league shortstop named Mickey Mantle to the outfield upon arrival in New York. Rizzuto was named to five All-Star teams during his career and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1994. After retirement in 1957, Rizzuto joined the Yankees' broadcast booth, where he stayed for over three decades as a popular TV personality.
HITTING
HITTING
Reese, a great leadoff man, made a seamless adjustment to the second spot in the order once Jim Gilliam joined the Dodgers. His dependable bat control allowed him to do whatever was needed of him, whether it was getting on base or moving up the baserunners. He had good power for a shortstop, with home run totals often in double-digits. Reese's numbers were never spectacular, but they were consistent. It was that consistency that made him valuable.
Like Reese, Rizzuto could handle a bat and could get on base. By 1949, he had become the Yankees' lead-off hitter. He was tough to strike out (with only 397 whiffs in 5,816 career at-bats) and drew walks when needed. Rizzuto wasn't much of a power hitter, totaling only 38 homers in his career. But he was a fantastic bunter, as good at laying balls down as his slugging teammates were at hitting them out. In 1950, his MVP season, he posted a career-high .324 batting average -- the highest ever by a Yankee shortstop until Derek Jeter came along.
DEFENSE
DEFENSE
Fielding was Reese's forte. A steady fielder who routinely made spectacular plays, Reese had great range and a strong arm. Again, his dependability was his greatest asset.
Clearly the most impressive and important part of Rizzuto's game. Scooter led the league in fielding percentage in 1949 and 1950, and turned 1,217 double-plays in his career. In the World Series, he shined even brighter. Among shortstops, he still holds records for most consecutive errorless World Series games (21, from 1942 to 1951) and most double plays in a series (8) and a nine-inning game (4), both recorded in 1951.
BASERUNNING
BASERUNNING
A smart baserunner, Reese was a threat to steal in an era of low stolen base totals. From 1948 through 1953 (when he was supplanted by Gilliam as the catalyst at the top of the order), he averaged over 23 stolen bases a season.
Rizzuto could swipe a base if called upon, relying more on smarts than speed. He hustled for the extra base when he had a chance, and often got it.
LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER
LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER
Reese was a veteran leader who served as captain of the Dodgers for most of his career. Even though he was from Kentucky (at that time, a segregated state) he was the first Dodger to befriend Jackie Robinson when Branch Rickey called up the young infielder in 1947. In one famous incident in Cincinnati, Reese made it a point to put his arm around Robinson in a show of defiance toward Red fans during one particularly nasty barrage of epithets. Respected and loved by Dodger fans, he was the recipient of a unique birthday celebration at Ebbets Field on July 22, 1955. A sellout crowd waved candles and cheered as telegrams from President Dwight Eisenhower and Vice President Richard Nixon were read and then, as the lights were dimmed, raucously sang 'Happy Birthday' to their favorite Dodger. Later that year, he would lead his team to the first World Championship in club history.
Rizzuto always had a flair that carried into his days as a broadcaster. A loyal team player who knew his role and did it well, Scooter was a respected veteran whose sense of humor made him well-liked by teammates and fans alike. The Yankees became convinced that Rizzuto held the key to his team's fortunes in 1953, when the club went on a 18-game winning streak; Rizzuto's teammates were sure that one stick of gum continually chewed by the Scooter was their good-luck charm. He good-naturedly chewed the gum for nearly a month until the team lost.
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