Robert "R.J." Reynolds

Robert “R.J.” Reynolds

More interested in basketball, Robert Reynolds never played a high school varsity baseball game. While attending community college in 1979, Robert’s coaches talked him into baseball, and two years later he was the starting center fielder and most valuable player for Jerry Weinstein’s Sacramento City College Panthers. He was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ second round draft pick in 1980 and was signed by the great Ronnie King who drove him to his first rookie ball game in Lodi.

The following year he was given the nickname “R.J.” in Vero Beach by his manager because of the multitude of Roberts on the team. He will answer to Robert, Bob, or “R.J.”, just don’t call him Bobby. 1983 was a great year for Robert as he tore through Texas League pitching, batting .337 with 18 home runs, 89 RBI’s, and 43 stolen bases. The Dodgers called him up, and he joined fellow Sacramento residents Steve Sax and Dusty Baker for the stretch run. Robert played three eventful years in Los Angeles and his epic squeeze play against the Braves during the 1983 pennant race is ranked as the 13th greatest call of Vin Scully’s storied career.

After being traded to Pittsburgh in 1985, Robert would provide veteran leadership to a young team on the rise featuring Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds. In the 1986 home opener, Robert homered off former Cy Young Award winner, Dwight Gooden. His best year for the Pirates was in 1989, when he hit .270, with 98 hits, 6 Home Runs, and 22 stolen bases. Robert is remembered fondly in Pittsburgh, and the organization, hearing that he was being honored in his hometown, sent a special congratulatory message included in this program.

He rounded-out his career with three seasons in Japan, and an additional three years in Mexico, becoming one of the few ball players to play professionally in three countries. Robert played 8 seasons in the big leagues and hit .267 with 109 stolen bases. He is remembered not just as a great athlete, but a tremendous teammate.

Comments

Gary Darling, Sacramento's Umpire

Gary Darling Although born in San Francisco, Gary Darling grew up in the baseball talent-rich South Sacramento area where he played for Parkway Little League and went on to Luther Burbank High School. Under the guidance of Coach Mike Inchausti, Gary was a steady right-handed first baseman for the Titans, graduating in 1975. Some of his best baseball memories were playing American Legion Baseball for Joe Gill’s Southside squad, along with teammates Chris Gandy and Rod Zanze. They won the area title in 1975. With his baseball career winding down, after two years at Cosumnes River College playing for Jerry Conway, Gary decided to stay in the game via sports officiating, and enrolled in umpire school. Gary has rich memories of his days umpiring in the minor leagues, specifically in the Class A Northwest League. He remembers having terrific partners, sharing hotel rooms, and trying to make $900 stretch for a month. Sometimes it was just a hotdog for dinner. ...

Grilled Chicken on the Weber

King Henry and his Weber. I want there to be no peasant in my kingdom so poor that he cannot have a chicken in his Weber every Sunday. King Henry IV (fabricated slightly) My wife and I throw a lot of dinner parties. Indeed, it is our favorite way to spend an evening. While guest lists, menus, and dinner topics vary, one question seems to consistently find its way into the conversation --- what would your final meal be? Given that I adore just about everything if it is cooked right, my answer sometimes surprises dinner guests. It is simply roast chicken on a grill. No beer cans. No rotisserie. Just a trusty piece of Americana called the Weber Charcoal Barbecue. A few years ago, I bought my dream barbecue: The Weber Performer. It combines the ease of gas with the results of charcoal. Oh, how I love it. However, you do not need the Performer for this recipe. Any old Weber will do. A Word About Chicken The Weber Performer. Proof there is ...

Taylor Duncan

Taylor Duncan Taylor Duncan was one of the finest athletes to ever come out of Sacramento. He was a three-year varsity starter at shortstop for Grant High School, earning KFBK/Sacramento Bee All-Star status in 1970 and 1971. During his senior year, Taylor stole 26 bases, drove in 23 runs, and finished the season with a league leading .514 average. Future baseball star, Robert “R.J.” Reynolds remembers shagging batting practice balls for Taylor and his good friend and teammate Leon Lee. Robert said: “These guys were only 17 years old, but to us young kids, they were men. Grown men.” Taylor was the tenth overall pick in the 1971 draft by the Atlanta Braves, and he tore through rookie ball with a blistering .446 average until a horrific injury on July 4th paused his meteoric quest for the big leagues. Taylor never gave up, and he eventually reached the majors in 1977 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The following year, he signed with the Oakland A’s and hit .257 as a uti...

McNamara's Blog

Search This Blog