Pete Reiser won the batting champion in his first full season by hitting .343. He also led the league in triples, runs scored, slugging pct and started in CF for the NL in the All-Star Game. His great hitting and hustling made him an American Icon in 1942. Reiser out-hustled everyone, he simply ignored outfield walls - constantly crashing into them with his "I'm going to catch that ball; regardless of the outcome style of play". Reiser had to be carried off the field 11 times due to injuries. He is one of baseball's great unfinished heroes. Reiser's speed remains a standard by which baseball prospects are judged - he ran a 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds wearing spikes and a full uniform.

He separated his right shoulder playing for the Army team in 1943 and dislocated his left shoulder, broke his ankle and tore muscles while playing in the major leagues. Leo Durocher, Brooklyn's and later the Giants' manager had said, "He had everything but luck while Willie Mays was the greatest player, Reiser could have been". Due to injuries, Pete Reiser played only four full seasons, here's his career stats: .295 BA in 861 games, scored 473 runs, .380 on base pct and a sign of his speed stole 87 career bases and was thrown out only 3 times. Baseball History