Rick Reuschel

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Lore & Background

Reuschel was listed as 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. He could run surprisingly well for his size (logging four triples in his batting career) and was frequently used as a pinch runner on days he was not pitching. He was also a fair—though awkward-looking—hitter, batting well over .200 several times. His older brother Paul Reuschel also pitched for the Cubs from 1975 to 1978, as Rick's teammate. Paul's career ended with the Cleveland Indians in 1979. The Reuschel brothers were Illinois farm boys, with strong physiques and plain-spoken ways. The two are the only siblings to combine on a shutout. On August 21, 1975, Rick started and went 6+1⁄3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, followed by Paul, who pitched the final 2+2⁄3 innings for the Cubs' 7–0 win.

In Their Own Story

The bond between Rick and Paul Reuschel was unique in baseball history, stemming from their roots as Illinois farm boys with strong physiques and plain-spoken ways. They shared the rare distinction of being the only siblings to combine on a shutout. On August 21, 1975, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rick started and went 6+1⁄3 innings before handing the game over to Paul. Paul pitched the final 2+2⁄3 innings to seal a 7–0 win for the Cubs. This family dynamic played out on the field in Chicago, where they were teammates from 1975 to 1978. Rick's physical presence was as notable as his brother's; he could run surprisingly well for his size, logging four triples in his batting career and frequently serving as a pinch runner when not pitching. Despite being an awkward-looking hitter, he batted well over .200 several times, proving his value extended beyond the mound.

Reader's Guide

Reuschel attended Central High School in Camp Point, Illinois. After high school he played at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. He was the Cubs' 3rd Round pick (#67) in the 1970 Amateur Draft out of Western Illinois, after he went 10-0 with a 1.29 ERA as a junior in 1969. In 1970, Reuschel went 9-2 with a 3.53 ERA in fourteen starts for the Class A Huron Cubs of the Northern League. In 1971, he went 8-4 with a 2.31 ERA in sixteen starts for the Class AA San Antonio Missions of the Dixie Association, where he was teammates with his older brother, pitcher Paul Reuschel. With the Class AAA Wichita Aeros of the American Association, Reuschel was 9-2 in twelve starts with a 1.32 ERA, before being called up by the Chicago Cubs to make his major league debut on June 19, 1972. He began his Major League Baseball career when he was drafted in the third round of the 1970 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs, at a time when they were declining in the post-Durocher era, and provided a strong arm for the Cubs' increasingly mediocre staff. After spending two years in the minor leagues, he joined the Cubs' major league team in 1972. His best season was in 1977, when the Cubs made a brief run at the pennant. Reuschel won twenty games and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting behind Steve Carlton and Tommy John. In addition, Reuschel pitched in a memorable game for Cub fans on July 28, 1977, when making a rare relief appearance on two days' rest, he entered the 13th inning of a 15–15 tie between the Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Reuschel retired two batters to end the top of the 13th. Then, he singled and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th, also picking up the victory in the 16–15 contest. Reuschel was traded to the New York Yankees in 1981. He was 4-4 with a 2.67 ERA in eleven starts with the Yankees, pitched six innings, giving up two runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in the AL Division Series, and made his first World Series appearance, with a 4.91 ERA in two games. The 1981 World Series marked the last chapter of the Dodgers-Yankees trilogy of that era, this one won by the Dodgers. Reuschel was ineffective in that Series, and it appeared his career might be finished. Reuschel did not pitch in 1982 due to a rotator-cuff injury. He returned to the Cubs and went 6-6 combined in 1983 and 1984, spending a goo

Did You Know?

• Reuschel's nickname was "Big Daddy" because his speed belied his portly physique.
• He and his brother Paul are the only siblings to combine on a shutout, doing so on August 21, 1975.
• Reuschel was selected to the 1988 All-Star team but declined because he got married on the day of the game.
• He is one of only two pitchers to give up a home run to both Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.