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Regularly called, “the nicest man in baseball”, Jimmie Reese spent a lifetime in baseball. He first played professionally in 1920 for the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels. Though he’d play three season in the Major Leagues, two with the Yankees, and one with the Cardinals, it was his 14 years in the PCL that stand out as a player. After hanging up his spikes, Reese embarked on a long career as a minor league coach, manager, then as a scout and finally as a fungo-hitting coach for the Angels for the last 22 years of his life.

During his time with the Halos he made such an impression on Nolan Ryan that the Hall of Fame pitcher named his son “Reese” in his honor. Jimmie Reese was posthumously inducted into the Pacific Coast Hall of Fame in 2003, eight years after his jersey #50 was retired by the Angels.

Shown here is a letter from former Yankee Reese, Babe Ruth’s  teammate for two seasons. Reese outlines his “association with what I fervently believe was the greatest baseball player that ever played the game.”

Ruth’s roommate on the road, Reese famously said, “I didn’t really room with Babe Ruth. I roomed with his luggage.”.