Reese leads the way at sun-splashed Hall of Fame Classic
Pokey Reese, who was known more for his glove than his bat during an eight-year career as a big league second baseman, shined brightest on a perfect day for baseball by collecting four hits in 13th edition of the Hall of Fame Classic legends game on May 27.
Held at historic Doubleday Field, Reese, who turns 50 years old in two weeks, would be named Bob Feller Player of the Game.
“I was known for my defense,” said the man who captured Gold Glove Awards in 1999 and 2000, “and I could hit a little bit. But it’s great being back with the guys I hadn’t seen in a long time and being here at this historic stadium. It was a great day today.
“I took BP right before the game. My wife had a charity softball game I played in, but other than that I hadn’t been doing anything. I was just thinking: 'Make some plays on defense, try and put the ball in play.' I don’t care where it happened – it was still a 4-for-4 game.”
With an attendance of 3,830 enjoying temperatures in the mid-70s and not a cloud in the sky, the unofficial start of summer witnessed Team Bert, led by Hall of Fame righty Bert Blyleven, defeat Team Kitty, skippered by Hall of Fame southpaw Jim Kaat, by a score of 8-3 in seven innings. Serving as coaches were fellow Hall of Fame pitchers Rollie Fingers, Fergie Jenkins, Jack Morris and Lee Smith.
The victors were led by Reese, who finished with two RBI and two doubles.
Team Kitty starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who went three innings in this year’s contest, also tossed multiple innings when he started the game back in 2018.
“The last time was a tremendous experience. I brought my two boys that time. This year my whole family has come, including my two daughters and my wife came. What a great event,” said Guthrie, the winner of 91 games in 13 big league seasons. “I didn’t throw for six years after I retired, but I’ve thrown about four games this summer. I pitched against the Savannah Bananas and for the Savannah Bananas. And I’ve pitched to a couple of high school teams, like full on 100-pitch outings. So, I know I can throw a strike now. Whether or not it’s got good velocity or good movement, that’s to be seen.”
This year's Hall of Fame Classic remained scoreless until Guthrie gave up three runs in the bottom of the second inning, led by a pinch RBI single by MLB Network personality A.J. Andrews.
The top of the third saw a solo homer to right-center by Rajai Davis off Alex Wilson. It remained a 3-1 Team Bert lead until the fifth inning when Team Kitty scored a lone run off Cory Gearrin – his father Tim Gearrin serving as the home plate umpire – with Terrence Long scoring on a wild pitch.
A Jorge Cantú solo homer off Jeremy Affeldt in the bottom of the fifth gave Team Bert a 4-2 lead, the squad putting the game away in the sixth with a four-run outburst with Brian Fuentes on the mound. Reese knocked in two with a double to the wall in right-center.
Before the game, a Home Run Derby that started with six players – Garrett Jones, James Loney, Josh Reddick, Jorge Cantú, Chris Young and Brian Dozier. In the end, Loney came out victorious in a finals that included Reddick and Dozier, smashing balls with his left-handed swing over the right field outfield fence and onto rooftops and into trees.
For Josh Willingham, the starting left fielder for Team Kitty, the experience was somewhat surreal in that he was planning a family trip to Cooperstown this weekend before he was recently recruited to play. The visit also included seeing a bat he donated the Baseball Hall of Fame – currently on display in the Museum’s One for the Books exhibit – to hit two grand slams for the Nationals in a game against the Brewers on July 27, 2009.
“I have never been up here to see my bat in the Hall of Fame and my kids, obviously, hadn’t either,” Willingham said. “So, they all wanted to come up here. We were going to New York City for a couple days, and then come up here and spend a day or so. We were calling to see if we could get our friends some Hall of Fame passes and they were asking, ‘Are you coming up here.’ I said, ‘Yeah,’ and they said, ‘Well, that’s crazy. Our Nationals representative just had to drop out and would you be willing play in the game?’ I said, ‘Yeah, sure.’ So, I found some cleats and tried to swing a bat a couple times.
“I do remember being asked to donate my bat to the Hall of Fame. It was pretty soon after I hit the second grand slam and I said no at first, but then I got to thinking about it and I said, ‘Sure, I’ll give it to them.’”
Bill Francis is the senior research and writing specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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