Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Harold Henry “Pee Wee” Reese was born in Louisville, Kentucky and grew up to become on of the most beloved and respected Dodgers of all time. The Dodger Captain led the Brooklyn Dodgers to 7-National League Pennants and to the 1955 World Series Championship. Perhaps his biggest contribution to sports and to our society was that though his actions he helped ease the acceptance of Jackie Robinson as the Major League’s first black player, paving the way for other black players, such as Larry Dolby (the first black play in the American League), Joe Black (Dodger Teammate) and the great Willie Mays. Following his Major League career Pee Wee moved to the broadcast booth teaming first on CBS with Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean and later on NBC With Hall of Fame Broadcaster Curt Gowdy. In his later years Pee Wee returned to Louisville where he worked for a number of years for Louisville Slugger. Pee Wee Reese died on August 14, 1999 in Louisville and is buried in the Rest Haven Memorial Cemetery.

Description: Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese was born on July 23, 1918 in Louisville, Kentucky. Pee Wee Reese got his nickname as a young champion marble shooter; as a "pee wee" is a type of marble. Have an early love for baseball Pee Wee grew up to be one of the most beloved Dodgers of all time. He played for both the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, enjoying a career that that began in 1940 and ended with retirement in 1958. He was a ten-time All Star who contributed to seven league championships for Brooklyn and a World Series victory in 1955 against cross town rivals the New York Yankees. One of his important contributions to not only sports but also to soceity was his early support of Jackie Robinson. Pee Wee refused to sign a petition that threatened to boycott if Jackie joined the Teams. Jackie joined the Dodgers in 1947 and their first road trip to Cincinnati, Jackie was booed and heckled by fan until the Dodger Captain walked over to Jackie and put his arm around his shoulder. This gesture so support silenced the crowd and went a long way toward unifying the Dodgers, indicating that Jackie Robinson was a teammate regardless of the color of his skin. Pee Wee simple but powerful action that day in Cincinnati was even more magnified because Pee Wee was raised in what was then segregated Louisville, Kentucky. Perhaps the best tribute of how powerful Pee Wee’s action were came at his funeral when fellow Dodger teammate Joe Black spoke these words: “Pee Wee helped make my boyhood dream come true to play in the Majors, the World Series. When Pee Wee reached out to Jackie, all of us in the Negro League smiled and said it was the first time that a White guy had accepted us. When I finally got up to Brooklyn, I went to Pee Wee and said, 'Black people love you. When you touched Jackie, you touched all of us.' With Pee Wee, it was No. 1 on his uniform and No. 1 in our hearts." Following his playing career Pee Wee Reese joind CBS and from 1960-1965 joined another former play the great Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean to broadcast the Major League Baseballs game of the week. In 1966 the Game of the Week move to NBC and Pee Wee Made the move teaming with Hall of Fame Broadcaster Curt Gowdy until through the 1971 season. Pee Wee returned to his home town of Louisville, Kentucky and worked for many years for Hillerich & Bradsby who manufatured the Louisville Slugger. Pee Wee Reese was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 and his Hall of Fame Plaque reads: SHORTSTOP AND CAPTAIN OF GREAT DODGER TEAMS OF 1940'S AND 50'S. INTANGIBLE QUALITIES OF SUBTLE LEADERSHIP ON AND OFF FIELD. COMPETITIVE FIRE AND PROFESSIONAL PRIDE COMPLEMENTED DEPENDABLE GLOVE, RELIABLE BASE-RUNNING AND CLUTCH-HITTING AS SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN 7 DODGER PENNANTS. INSTRUMENTAL IN EASING ACCEPTANCE OF JACKIE ROBINSON AS BASEBALL'S FIRST BLACK PERFORMER Pee Wee Reese died on August 14, 1999 in Louisville and is buried in The Rest Haven Memorial Cemetery. Date of birth: 07/23/1918 Date of death: 08/14/1999 Area of notoriety: Sports Marker Type: Headstone Setting: Outdoor Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link] Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Not listed

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