Rich Reese
Richard Benjamin Reese (born September 29, 1941) is a former professional baseball player who played first base and outfield in the major leagues from 1964-1973.
| Rich Reese | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First baseman | |||
| Born: September 29, 1941 Leipsic, Ohio | |||
| |||
| MLB debut | |||
| September 4, 1964, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| September 29, 1973, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .253 | ||
| Home runs | 52 | ||
| Runs batted in | 245 | ||
| Teams | |||
Reese tied for the American League lead in pinch hits with 13 in 1967. He is also the co-holder of the major league record for pinch-hit grand slam home runs in a career with three. One of those pinch-hit grand slams, on August 3, 1969, snapped the Baltimore Orioles' Dave McNally's consecutive win streak at 17, one short of the American League record.
Reese is also in the record books for two strikeouts: as the final out in Catfish Hunter's perfect game on May 8, 1968, and as Nolan Ryan's 383rd strikeout victim of the 1973 season (September 27), the still-standing single-season record breaking Sandy Koufax's record of 382 in 1965.
In 866 games over 10 seasons, Reese compiled a .253 batting average (512-for-2020) with 248 runs, 73 doubles, 17 triples, 52 home runs, 245 RBI, 158 base on balls, 270 strikeouts, .312 on-base percentage and .384 slugging percentage. Defensively, he recorded a .992 fielding percentage at first base and left field. In the postseason, in the 1969 and 1970 American League Championship Series covering 5 games, he hit .158 (3-for-19) with 2 RBI.
Reese went on to a career in the distilled spirits industry, retiring in 2003 as CEO of Jim Beam Brands headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Illinois.