Jimmie Reese is one of the most interesting baseball men in the game’s long and rich history. Known primarily as the Angels’ fungo ball hitter, Reese’s story goes way further back, with much more excitement and great stories.
James Herman (Hymie) Soloman was born on October 1, 1901, in New York City. Soloman grew up in the Los Angeles area of California. A Jew, he played under the American name Jimmie Reese throughout his illustrious career. That illustrious career really got started in 1919, when he got a job as a batboy in the Pacific Coast League. He held the job until 1923, when he was ready to start playing. A second baseman, Reese had a long and successful career in the Pacific Coast League, leading the Oakland Oaks to the PCL pennant in 1927 with a .295 average and league best .984 F% in 191 games. He was a skinny guy, standing six feet tall but only 165 pounds, and relied on uncanny bat control instead of power to generate his hits. Reese batted .337 in 190 games in 1929 and was acquired by the Yankees in 1930. Reese was an instant favorite on the club, hitting .346 in a reserve role and earning his reputation as “the nicest man in baseball.” However, he was more famous for rooming with Babe Ruth (or, as he put it, “I roomed with Babe’s suitcase”). Some say that he was chosen to room with Ruth so he could keep an eye on him, as Ruth was a notorious party animal, while Reese was a calm, controlled gentleman. Everyone always wanted to hear about his days with Ruth, and Reese always had a good Babe Ruth story for any audience. He liked to tell the story about when he was playing pool at Ruth’s house. Reese was beating Ruth at pool when Mrs. Ruth called the two to dinner. As Reese was making his way to the table, Ruth stopped him right where he was. As long as Ruth wasn’t winning, Reese wasn’t going to eat. So they kept playing until Ruth had the upper hand, and only then did they eat dinner.
Reese played one more season with the Yankees and one more with the Cardinals, and then was dealt to the Los Angeles Angels in the PCL. Reese picked up right where he left off, producing five more outstanding seasons in the quasi-Major League. A longtime coach, he played two games with the Angels in 1940 in addition to his coaching responsibilities. When World War II broke out, Reese served for two years with America’s 12th Armored Division. Stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, he also managed the baseball team (of course).
In the years after the war, Reese went through many coaching and scouting jobs, but never found real stability with any organization. He was out of baseball by 1970. In 1972, Reese asked the California Angels for a coaching job, and they agreed to make him the conditioning coach, a job that he would hold until his death in 1994. While his job was to keep his players in shape, he was well known as a great fungo hitter. Reese used his old bat control to hit difficult ground balls, stretching the players to their limits. He also had a bit of fun with his handmade fungo, using it to “pitch” batting practice, putt golf, and hit flagpoles on the first try.
Reese was the most beloved Angel during his time with the club. Everybody loved Jimmie Reese, and Jimmie Reese seemed to love everybody. Reese developed a very close friendship with Nolan Ryan, who also came over to the club in 1972, and Ryan ended up naming one of his sons Reese in his honor. He also formed a tight relationship with Jim Abbott. “Jimmie Reese was the kindest man I ever met,” said Abbott. “He just lit up whatever room, or dugout, or outfield he was in.”
Reese continued to hit fungo until 1994, when he came down with pneumonia. He died of respiratory failure on July 13, 1994, at the age of 92. The Angels and all of baseball lost a treasure that day, and the Angels honored him by retiring his uniform number 50.
