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July 17, 2011

Reynolds belongs in Hall of Fame

Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Baseball Hall of Fame’s latest class will be inducted Saturday.

Unfort-unately, Allie Reynolds won’t be among them.

In a day and age where we debate whether Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire belong in the Hall for their off-the-field transgressions, there’s little talk for Reynolds, who was as solid of a citizen as they come.

Not a bad pitcher either.

His numbers — 182 wins against 107 losses are misleading.

He didn’t throw a pitch in the majors until he was 27 and his career was cut short by a bus accident in which hurt his back.

The New York Yankees were in a mess going into the 1947 season. They had gone through three managers in 1946 when they finished third with a 87-67 record, 17 games behind the pennant-winning Boston Red Sox.

Joe DiMaggio, watching his brother Dom play in the World Series, was asked by Yankee officials whether they should take Red Embree or Reynolds in a proposed trade with the Cleveland Indians.

Joe D. said Reynolds and the rest is history.

Reynolds had a 131-60 record during the next eight seasons as the Yankees won six AL pennants and were six-for-six in World Series titles. Credit the latter with Reynolds’ 7-2 series record with four saves.

He not only threw 27 shutouts over that period, but was credited with 41 saves, including 13 in 1953 when he had a 7-1 record coming out of the bullpen.

In 1952, a season in which he threw two no-hitters, he had six saves and an American League high 160 strikeouts. Had two wins and a save in the World Series against Brooklyn Dodgers.

Look at his other accomplishments over that time.

1947 — Led the AL in winning percentage (.704) and was second in wins (19) and shutouts (4) and fourth in strikeouts (129).

1948 —  Fourth in winning percentage (.696).

1949 — Third in winning percentage (.739)

1950 — Second in strikeouts (160) and most strikeouts over nine innings (5.98)

1951 — Third in winning percentage (.680), first in fewest hits over nine innings (6.96) and shutouts (7), fifth in ERA (3.05) and fourth in saves (7).

1952 — Third in winning percentage (.714), fifth in wins (20), first in strikeouts (160), shutouts (6) and ERA (2.06), third in fewest hits allowed over nine innings (7.15) and third in complete games (24)

1953 — Third in saves (13)

He arguably was the ace for the only team to win five straight World Series championships. One could argue he was the best reliever.

In his first full season with the Indians in 1943, he led the American League in strikeouts with 151.

He would help amateur baseball in the city by returning for a barnstorming game or two after the Yankees’ seasons.

His numbers with the Yankees weren’t the reason the baseball stadium at Oklahoma State University is named after him. He always lent a hand when needed at OSU.

He was credited with helping save AAA baseball in Oklahoma City in the late 1960s.

He wasn’t one of those players who just lent his name to a baseball camp. He never missed a day of camp while regaling campers with stories of his Yankee days. He even took the mound once or twice in a game to show his stuff.



Campbell is a sports writer and columnist at the News and Eagle. Contact him at bcampbell@eninews.com

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