BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: First Inductee into the Alternate Universe Baseball Hall of Fame: Pete Reiser

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Friday, April 27, 2012

First Inductee into the Alternate Universe Baseball Hall of Fame: Pete Reiser

In August of his second great season he crashed into a concrete wall at full speed, cracking his skull. This didn’t stop him from giving his all, but he was never the same player. Another time he was partially and temporarily paralyzed. He was taken off the field on a stretcher 11 times.

After the 1942 incident his career was never the same. He suffered from dizziness and vertigo. He got injured in WWII. And his career was over by 1952. Only twice did he play more than 100 games after 1942. But, based on the standards we have laid out, Reiser is worthy of the Alternate Universe Hall of Fame.

vegasman2000 Posted: April 27, 2012 at 12:40 PM | 26 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: dodgers, hall of fame, history, pete reiser

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1. Morton's Fork Posted: April 27, 2012 at 01:43 PM (#4117722)

Never knew that he played baseball. But he sure was funny in that sitcom with Leelee Sobieski. I just loved the part where they argued over whether or not the kitchen floor was slanted.

2. esseff Posted: April 27, 2012 at 03:09 PM (#4117797)

The wall that Reiser ran into in July 1942 was at Sportsman's Park, the same wall that crushed Earle Combs' skull and nearly killed him in 1934. When Minoso also fractured his skull running into it in 1962, they finally decided just maybe they ought to affix some padding.

3. RMc don't hate anyone Asian Posted: April 27, 2012 at 03:38 PM (#4117820)

Next inductee: Larry Yount. (No, Larry Yount.)

4. Ephus Posted: April 27, 2012 at 04:00 PM (#4117845)

Next inductee should be Eric Davis, but he is not even on the site's nominee list. If he had stayed healthy, he would have been the first member of the 500/500 club.

5. phredbird

Posted: April 27, 2012 at 04:10 PM (#4117857)

eric davis was my first thought too.

so what's the standard? playing long enough to establish a HOF career trajectory then sidetracked by injuries that they couldn't overcome?

herb score comes to mind. tony oliva was pretty awesome until his knees gave out, but he did play 15 yrs.

6. Dunn Deal Posted: April 27, 2012 at 04:13 PM (#4117863)

Next inductee should be Eric Davis, but he is not even on the site's nominee list. If he had stayed healthy, he would have been the first member of the 500/500 club.

Sort of related - I just watched a documentary on Netflix that centered mainly on Eric Davis and Darryl Strawberry and their preseason training routine. It's not an Oscar winner or anything, but I really, really enjoyed it. "Harvard Park" is the name of the flick, and I highly recommend it.

Harvard Park on Netflix

7. Tippecanoe Posted: April 27, 2012 at 04:45 PM (#4117926)

Eric Davis and Darryl Strawberry and their preseason training routine

Careful with that one, it gives you colon cancer.

8. Neutral Milk Dotel (Dan Lee) Posted: April 27, 2012 at 05:03 PM (#4117942)

Herb Score used to insist that the line drive had nothing to do with his career falling off a cliff, that he scragged his arm at Spring Training during his comeback.

If that's true, there's any number of pitchers who'd qualify. Heck, Alejandro Pena.

9. Ephus Posted: April 27, 2012 at 05:35 PM (#4117981)

Kirby Puckett should be on this list, instead of in the actual HOF.

10. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: April 27, 2012 at 05:37 PM (#4117985)

Pete Gray hit .218 in his only season. Give him another arm and he's a .436 lifetime hitter.

11. Ebessan Posted: April 27, 2012 at 06:26 PM (#4118019)

Luke Easter jumps out as a perfect one. If you hit 362 homers in AAA or better after 33 (and maybe actually older), you had The Talent.

12. hokieneer Posted: April 27, 2012 at 06:55 PM (#4118035)

Edgar Martinez? Doesn't fit the standard template, but in how many alternative universes is he getting 400+ PA from 23-26 at AAA?

2 other names that come to mine: Eric Davis & JR Richard

13. Tyhand7 Posted: April 27, 2012 at 07:04 PM (#4118040)

Mario Soto

14. Morty Causa Posted: April 27, 2012 at 07:13 PM (#4118048)

Another great might-of-been was Mark Fidrych. Somehow he quietly passed out of baseball and then out of this life without too much ever being made about him.

15. Ebessan Posted: April 27, 2012 at 07:29 PM (#4118056)

I made this as a comment:

Kal Daniels, Luke Easter, Kevin Mitchell, Jose Rijo, Al Rosen. For whatever reason, all of these guys were really excellent for one of the two Ohio teams.

Also, I feel like a lot of these guys (Cameron, Edgar, Cheo) basically did hit at least 90% of their career ceiling. Strawberry, Cedeno, Davis, Pedro Guerrero (and my PERSONAL HERO, Lenny Dykstra), are the ones with longer ML careers who didn't get there. Basically, those who broke down.

16. Rennie's Tenet Posted: April 27, 2012 at 07:57 PM (#4118067)

Alfredo Edmead

17. vortex of dissipation Posted: April 27, 2012 at 08:24 PM (#4118086)

Alfredo Edmead

Hadn't heard about that before. Horrible.

18. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) Posted: April 27, 2012 at 08:37 PM (#4118096)

Jeez, me neither. What a sad story.

I have a copy of Death at the Ballpark, which is supposed to be comprehensive, but I've never done more than flip through it.

19. Bob Evans Posted: April 27, 2012 at 08:51 PM (#4118104)

Never knew that he played baseball. But he sure was funny in that sitcom with Leelee Sobieski. I just loved the part where they argued over whether or not the kitchen floor was slanted.

He went on to win an Oscar playing Margaret Thatcher.

20. esseff Posted: April 27, 2012 at 08:53 PM (#4118106)

Austin McHenry.

21. Ebessan Posted: April 27, 2012 at 08:59 PM (#4118113)

How about Charlie Hollocher?

Ken Williams is a pretty much slam-dunk "Yeah, he was good."-type.

22. Ned Garvin: Male Prostitute Posted: April 27, 2012 at 10:40 PM (#4118197)

Re: #17

I am glad to have read that article, but I think the comment section was the greatest comment section of all time. Family members, people at the game, teammates reconnecting, it's worth the click just for the comments.

23. RMc don't hate anyone Asian Posted: April 28, 2012 at 12:07 AM (#4118265)

Mark Fidrych, of course.

24. Rob_Wood Posted: April 28, 2012 at 12:56 AM (#4118286)

I remember when Reiser was a coach in the 1960s for the Cubs under Durocher. My grandfather told me that he used to be a great outfielder whose career was shortened by constantly running into unpadded outfield walls. I wonder if anyone around here actually saw him play.

25. Ebessan Posted: April 28, 2012 at 01:22 AM (#4118298)

Honestly, I feel like Fidrych's career was a best case scenario. I really don't see how anyone could say that he could have achieved a higher height than he did.

26. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: April 28, 2012 at 02:16 AM (#4118305)

I am glad to have read that article, but I think the comment section was the greatest comment section of all time. Family members, people at the game, teammates reconnecting, it's worth the click just for the comments.

Agreed. Thanks for posting the name and link, vortex and Rennie's (great handle, by the way).

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Friday, April 27, 2012

First Inductee into the Alternate Universe Baseball Hall of Fame: Pete Reiser

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