Rick Reuschel
Rick Reuschel didn't look like a major league pitcher, but he parlayed his mastery of a nasty sinker and the split-finger pitch, which he learned from Roger Craig, into a 19-year career and 214 wins. At 40 years old, he started the 1989 All-Star Game, surrendering back-to-back homers to Bo Jackson and Wade Boggs to begin the contest. The right-handed Illinois-native won 20 games in 1977 for the Cubs, and as many as 14 games in a season eight times.
Quotes From Reuschel
"I know a lot pf players don't like this weather, but it makes me feel good." — Rick Reuschel on why he liked to pitch at cool and windy Wrigley Field.
Played For
Chicago Cubs (1972-1981)
New York Yankees (1981)
Chicago Cubs (1983-1984)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1985-1987)
San Francisco Giants (1987-1991)
Best Season: 1977
Reuschel was 20-10 with a 2.79 ERA. Over the stretch of eight starts from June 6 through July 7, Reuschel allowed just three earned runs in 57 1/3 innings (0.47 ERA). At one point in the season he was 15-3, and at the end of August he was 19-5 before losing five of his last six decisions.
Factoids
Rick Reuschel was 75-57 with a 3.64 ERA in Chicago's Wrigley Field, as compared to 140-134, 3.22 elsewhere... After leaving the Cubs, Reuschel posted an 11-3 record against his old team, with an amazing 1.66 ERA in 18 games.
Where He Played
Despite his inconsistent performance in the middle of his career, Reuschel was a starting pitcher, almost exclusively.
Born
Rickey Eugene Reuschel was born on May 16, 1949, in Quincy, IL.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: CHN
College: Western Illinois
Major League Debut
June 19, 1972
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1972
Dwight Evans
Buddy Bell
Mike Schmidt
Bob Boone
Gary Matthews
Davey Lopes
Goose Gossage
Rick Reuschel
Garry Maddox
Nicknames
Big Daddy
Reuschel was a 6'3" and a 235+ pounder, so he looked like "Big Daddy."
Uniform Numbers
#48 (1972-1981, 1984-1991), #36 (1981 Yankees), #47 (1984-1984 Cubs)
Family Tree
His brother Paul also pitched in the big leagues. The two are the only siblings to combine on a shutout. On August 21, 1975, Rick started and went 6 1/3 against the Dodgers, followed by Paul, who pitched the final 2 2/3 for the Cub's 7-0 win.
Similar Players
Jim Perry, Jerry Reuss, Claude Osteen, Joe Niekro
Related Players
Brother Paul Reuschel, who pitched five seasons in the major leagues as a reliever. Paul's best season was his rookie campaign in 1975, when he collected five saves with a 3.50 ERA in 28 appearances. He and Rick were teammates for parts of four seasons.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1997 |
BBWAA |
2 |
.4% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1981 American League Division Playoffs
1981 World Series
1987 National League Championship Series
1989 National League Championship Series
1989 World Series
Awards and Honors
1985 NL Gold Glove
1987 NL Gold Glove
Milestones
- May 12, 1989: 200th Win...
Transactions
June 4, 1970: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 3rd round of the 1970 amateur draft; June 12, 1981: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later, Doug Bird, and $400000 cash. The New York Yankees sent Mike Griffin (August 5, 1981) to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade; June 9, 1983: Released by the New York Yankees; June 28, 1983: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs; November 8, 1984: Granted Free Agency; February 28, 1985: Signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates; August 21, 1987: Traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the San Francisco Giants for Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin; June 19, 1991: Released by the San Francisco Giants.
All-Star Selections
1977 NL
1987 NL
1989 NL
Replaced
Ken Holtzman, who was dealt to the Oakland A's, in the 1972 Cubs' rotation.
Replaced By
Trevor Wilson took his slot in the Giants starting rotation, in 1990
Best Strength as a Player
His sinkerball and split-finger.
Largest Weakness as a Player
No glaring weakness.
Learn More about Rick Reuschel
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