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

Eamon De Valera Comes to Sacramento

Eamon De Valera Comes to Sacramento July 18th, 1919. It may have been the most important date in Sacramento Irish History, when a tall, slender, boyish man of 37 years stepped off the Overland Express and into an adoring crowd at the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot. The President of the fledgling Irish Republic, Eamon De Valera, was in town to make a speech and to connect with the Irish and Irish Americans of the capital city. A large convoy of Irish policemen escorted him by motor car to the City Plaza where dignitaries and thousands of well-wishers waited. What made this visit so special was that Mr. De Valera was a wanted man by the British Government. Ireland was still under the yoke of British rule and the Irish election of 1918 that elected De Valera to that first Dail Eireann (Irish Congress) was not recognized by the British Crown. Just six months earlier, he was busted out of an English jail by the great Michael Collins, and was stowed away on an Irish ship bound for ...

The Hard Throwing Sailor

Bill Walsh In 1955, the Sacramento Solons, piloted by local pitching legend Tony Freitas, packed up and traveled to Yuma, Arizona for spring training. One of the most intriguing rookies in camp was a 6-6, 230 pound former sailor from Watertown, South Dakota by the name of Bill Walsh. The 22-year old chucker made quite an impression on the Sacramento Union’s sports editor Bill Conlin, who immediately labeled the young man: “Big” Bill Walsh. The rival Sacramento Bee sent a photographer down and later ran a picture on the front page of the sports section of Bill holding two of his, seemingly, diminutive teammates, Richie Myers and Lenny Attyd, in his outstretched arms. The youngster pitched well in his first spring training camp, but was farmed out to Salem in the Northwest League. His manager was the venerable Hal Luby, a 24-year veteran of the Pacific Coast League. Bill’s teammates included Sacramento natives Tommy Agosta and Ronnie King. In his first year ...

Timmy Busfield

Timothy Busfield The Sacramento Smokeys, led by their infamous manager Larry Manuian, used to hold workouts on the classic old diamond at Stanford Park on 27th between B and C Streets. One day, a redhaired, slightly built actor wandered over from the nearby B Street Theater and asked Larry if he could throw batting practice. Larry looked him over, sized him up, and said no. But the red head persisted and told Larry that he had played semi-pro baseball since he was 16 years old. Finally, the venerable manager conceded and asked: “Do you have a cup, kid?” “Yeah, I have a cup, Skip”, answered Timothy Busfield and thus began his nine-year career as a starting pitcher for the Sacramento Smokeys. Often facing batters 10 to 15 years his junior, and with a fast ball in the low 80’s, Timothy was able to change speeds and keep the youngsters off balance. Butch Metzger, the 1976 Rookie of the Year winner with the San Diego Padres, was often called to finish Timothy’s games. ...

McNamara's Blog

Search This Blog