Pee Wee Reese

Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese (July 23, 1918 – August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player who spent his Major League Baseball career as a shortstop for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. Born in Ekron, Meade County, Kentucky, he was raised there until he was nearly eight years old, when his family moved to Louisville. His nickname dated to his childhood as a champion marbles player, a "pee wee" being a small marble. He was so small in high school that he did not play baseball until his senior year, when he weighed only 120 pounds and appeared in just six games as a second baseman, and he graduated from duPont Manual High School in 1935.

Over his major league career Reese was a ten-time All-Star and contributed to seven National League championships for the Dodgers. He is also remembered for his support of his teammate Jackie Robinson, the first Black player in the major leagues' modern era, particularly during Robinson's difficult first years; most notably, he put his arm around Robinson during a pre-game warmup in front of a heckling crowd. Reese was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.