Reitz played just one season with the Giants before being traded back to the Cardinals for Lynn McGlothen on December 10, 1976.[10] He again led the NL in fielding percentage at third base in 1977, 1978, and 1980.[3] He also established the NL record for fewest errors by a third baseman (9) in 1977; he bettered that record by committing only eight in 1980.[11] He was a starter in the 1980 MLB All-Star Game.[12] He was subsequently traded to the Chicago Cubs for Bruce Sutter on December 9 of that same year. He led NL third basemen in fielding percentage for a sixth time in 1981, but played in just 82 games and was released prior to the 1982 season. He signed for the Pittsburgh Pirates in mid-May and went hitless in 11 plate appearances. He played his final major league game on June 3, 1982, several weeks short of his 31st birthday, and was released two days later.[3]
In his career, Reitz batted .260 with 68 home runs and 548 RBIs in 1344 games played.[3] He started the 1980 season batting over .400 until cooling off in the middle of May,[13] finishing the season at .270.[3] After batting .235 during his rookie season he finished below .250 only once over the next seven seasons. In each of his first five full seasons he increased his RBI production: 42 in 1973, 54 in 1974, 63 in 1975, 66 in 1976 (his only season with his hometown Giants), and 79 in 1977. Reitz established a career-high in home runs in 1977 with 17 – the same number he had hit in his previous three seasons total.[3]
Reitz played a key role in the second-longest major league game played in terms of innings.[14] On September 11, 1974, against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, with the Cardinals trailing 3–1 with two out in the ninth and pinch runnerLarry Herndon on base, he hit a home run off starter Jerry Koosman to send the game into extra innings. The score remained tied 3–3 until Bake McBride scored the winning run from first base on two Met errors in the top of the 25th inning.[15]
Later lifeedit
After retiring from baseball, Reitz undertook promotional work for the Cardinals,[11] taking part in the Cardinals Caravan during the offseason. He also took up golf and played on the celebrity tour.[16]
Ken Reitz died on March 31, 2021, at the age of 69. Survivors include a daughter, son, and six grandchildren.[11]
^"Third Base Fielding Average Records". Retrieved April 24, 2019.
^"Career Leaders & Records for Fielding % as 3B". Retrieved April 24, 2019.
^ abcdefgh"Ken Reitz Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"Ken Reitz Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"September 5, 1972 Montreal Expos at St. Louis Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. September 5, 1972. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^Feldmann, Doug (December 15, 2008). St. Louis Cardinals Past & Present. MVP Books. p. 70. ISBN9781616731069.
^Verducci, Tom (September 17, 2016). "San Jose Bees were the weirdest team ever". SI.com. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
^ abClair, Michael (January 16, 2017). "The stories behind 10 of the strangest forgotten nicknames in baseball history". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"Giants trade Falcone for Cardinal infielder," United Press International (UPI), Tuesday, December 9, 1975. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
^"Pro Transactions," The New York Times, Saturday, December 11, 1976. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
^ abcHummel, Rick (April 1, 2021). "Former Cardinals third baseman Reitz, the 'Zamboni,' dies at 69". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"1980 All-Star Game Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. July 8, 1980. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"Ken Reitz 1980 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^Duffy, Kevin; Costello, Rory. "September 11, 1974: Cardinals prevail over Mets in 25 innings at Shea Stadium". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"September 11, 1974 St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. September 11, 1974. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^Schildroth, Keith (May 26, 2011). "Catching Up With Former Cardinals Player Reitz". Patch Media. Hale Global. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
External linksedit
Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
reitz, kenneth, john, reitz, june, 1951, march, 2021, american, baseball, third, baseman, played, seasons, major, league, baseball, nicknamed, zamboni, played, louis, cardinals, francisco, giants, chicago, cubs, pittsburgh, pirates, from, 1972, 1982, gold, glo. Kenneth John Reitz June 24 1951 March 31 2021 was an American baseball third baseman who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball MLB Nicknamed Zamboni he played for the St Louis Cardinals San Francisco Giants Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1972 to 1982 He won the Gold Glove Award in 1975 and was an All Star in 1980 He retired with the highest all time career fielding percentage for National League third basemen at 970 after leading the National League in fielding percentage a record six times 1 2 Ken ReitzThird basemanBorn 1951 06 24 June 24 1951San Francisco California U S Died March 31 2021 2021 03 31 aged 69 St Charles Missouri U S Batted RightThrew RightMLB debutSeptember 5 1972 for the St Louis CardinalsLast MLB appearanceJune 3 1982 for the Pittsburgh PiratesMLB statisticsBatting average 260Home runs68Runs batted in548TeamsSt Louis Cardinals 1972 1975 San Francisco Giants 1976 St Louis Cardinals 1977 1980 Chicago Cubs 1981 Pittsburgh Pirates 1982 Career highlights and awardsAll Star 1980 Gold Glove Award 1975 Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional career 3 Later life 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editReitz was born in San Francisco on June 24 1951 He attended Jefferson High School in nearby Daly City He was subsequently drafted by the St Louis Cardinals in the 31st round of the 1969 Major League Baseball draft 3 Professional career editReitz played four seasons in the minor leagues from 1969 to 1972 4 He made his MLB debut on September 5 1972 at the age of 21 3 batting 2 for 3 with two runs scored and a run batted in RBI in a 5 3 win over the Montreal Expos 5 In his rookie season the following year he replaced Joe Torre as the Cardinals starting third baseman with Torre returning to first base 6 Reitz garnered the nickname Zamboni for his skill at scooping up ground balls on the artificial turf of Busch Memorial Stadium 7 8 He led all National League NL third basemen in fielding percentage in 1973 and 1974 and won the NL Gold Glove Award at the position in 1975 3 This ended Doug Rader s streak of five consecutive Gold Gloves 8 He was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Pete Falcone at the Winter Meetings on December 8 1975 9 Reitz played just one season with the Giants before being traded back to the Cardinals for Lynn McGlothen on December 10 1976 10 He again led the NL in fielding percentage at third base in 1977 1978 and 1980 3 He also established the NL record for fewest errors by a third baseman 9 in 1977 he bettered that record by committing only eight in 1980 11 He was a starter in the 1980 MLB All Star Game 12 He was subsequently traded to the Chicago Cubs for Bruce Sutter on December 9 of that same year He led NL third basemen in fielding percentage for a sixth time in 1981 but played in just 82 games and was released prior to the 1982 season He signed for the Pittsburgh Pirates in mid May and went hitless in 11 plate appearances He played his final major league game on June 3 1982 several weeks short of his 31st birthday and was released two days later 3 In his career Reitz batted 260 with 68 home runs and 548 RBIs in 1344 games played 3 He started the 1980 season batting over 400 until cooling off in the middle of May 13 finishing the season at 270 3 After batting 235 during his rookie season he finished below 250 only once over the next seven seasons In each of his first five full seasons he increased his RBI production 42 in 1973 54 in 1974 63 in 1975 66 in 1976 his only season with his hometown Giants and 79 in 1977 Reitz established a career high in home runs in 1977 with 17 the same number he had hit in his previous three seasons total 3 Reitz played a key role in the second longest major league game played in terms of innings 14 On September 11 1974 against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium with the Cardinals trailing 3 1 with two out in the ninth and pinch runner Larry Herndon on base he hit a home run off starter Jerry Koosman to send the game into extra innings The score remained tied 3 3 until Bake McBride scored the winning run from first base on two Met errors in the top of the 25th inning 15 Later life editAfter retiring from baseball Reitz undertook promotional work for the Cardinals 11 taking part in the Cardinals Caravan during the offseason He also took up golf and played on the celebrity tour 16 Ken Reitz died on March 31 2021 at the age of 69 Survivors include a daughter son and six grandchildren 11 See also edit nbsp San Francisco Bay Area portal nbsp Baseball portal nbsp Biography portal List of Major League Baseball career assists as a third baseman leaders List of Major League Baseball career games played as a third baseman leaders List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a third baseman leaders List of people from San Francisco St Louis Cardinals award winners and league leadersReferences edit Third Base Fielding Average Records Retrieved April 24 2019 Career Leaders amp Records for Fielding as 3B Retrieved April 24 2019 a b c d e f g h Ken Reitz Statistics and History Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved April 1 2021 Ken Reitz Minor League Statistics and History Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved April 1 2021 September 5 1972 Montreal Expos at St Louis Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC September 5 1972 Retrieved April 1 2021 Feldmann Doug December 15 2008 St Louis Cardinals Past amp Present MVP Books p 70 ISBN 9781616731069 Verducci Tom September 17 2016 San Jose Bees were the weirdest team ever SI com Retrieved September 17 2016 a b Clair Michael January 16 2017 The stories behind 10 of the strangest forgotten nicknames in baseball history MLB com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved April 1 2021 Giants trade Falcone for Cardinal infielder United Press International UPI Tuesday December 9 1975 Retrieved October 21 2022 Pro Transactions The New York Times Saturday December 11 1976 Retrieved October 21 2022 a b c Hummel Rick April 1 2021 Former Cardinals third baseman Reitz the Zamboni dies at 69 St Louis Post Dispatch Retrieved April 1 2021 1980 All Star Game Play by Play and Box Score Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC July 8 1980 Retrieved April 1 2021 Ken Reitz 1980 Batting Game Logs Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved April 1 2021 Duffy Kevin Costello Rory September 11 1974 Cardinals prevail over Mets in 25 innings at Shea Stadium Society for American Baseball Research Retrieved April 1 2021 September 11 1974 St Louis Cardinals at New York Mets Play by Play and Box Score Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC September 11 1974 Retrieved April 1 2021 Schildroth Keith May 26 2011 Catching Up With Former Cardinals Player Reitz Patch Media Hale Global Retrieved April 1 2021 External links editCareer statistics and player information from MLB or Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors or Retrosheet Awards and achievements Preceded byRon Cey National League Player of the MonthMay 1977 Succeeded byGeorge Foster Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ken Reitz amp oldid 1156439444, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
