Vintage Photos of a Pete Reiser Beaning and Babe Ruth as a Coach at RMY Auctions

RMY currently has their June Collectors Auction available online and it includes a couple fantastic vintage press photos featuring the Dodgers.

Featured above is an ailing Pete Reiser being stretchered off the field by his teammates after being hit in the head by Phillies starting pitcher Ike Pearson at Ebbets Field.  (Auction Link Here)  It happened during the third inning of a game on April 23, 1941.

As you know, Reiser was famous for playing the game on the reckless side of things.  He would constantly crash onto the outfield walls to chase a fly and would seemingly refuse to duck away on pitches high and tight.  This kind of play by Pete resulted in numerous concussions and trips to the hospital.

In this particular instance, "Pistol" Pete, as he was affectionately known, was just beginning a campaign that would prove to be the best of his career.  At the time of this incident, Reiser was slashing a fantastic .355/.459/.613/1.072.  After being unable to play for six games, Pete would come back and begin where he left off.  He would finish the year slashing .343/.406/.558/.964.

Those season numbers would only be good enough to earn him second place honors in that years MVP voting.  Teammate Dolph Camilli would best him in voting that season by slashing .285/.407/.556/.962 while hitting 34 home runs and driving 120 runners.  BTW, Camilli and Reiser were not the only MVP worthy Dodger candidates that season.  Dodgers starting pitcher Whit Wyatt would also receive serious consideration for the award.  In fact, those three Dodger players would finish 1,2 and 3 (Camilli, Reiser & Wyatt) in MVP voting. 

The reverse of the press photo is below.

You can never see enough pics of Babe Ruth in a Dodger uniform.  Featured below is Ruth donning Dodger Blue during the 1938 season.  (Auction Link Here)

As you know, for what amounted to less than one season, Ruth was a first base coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  For a fantastic look back at Ruth's time in Brooklyn and the circumstances that lead to his hiring and eventually firing, check out the SABR.org biography by John McMurray entitled, "Babe Ruth, Brooklyn Dodgers Coach."  (Link Here)

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