TURNING UP THE HEAT: DA COLE interviews former MLB pitcher Jerry Reuss

Jerry Reuss is a former left-handed pitcher who enjoyed a 22-year career (1969-90) in Major League Baseball. The native of St. Louis was a two-time All-Star selection (in 1975 and ’80), was named National League Comeback Player of the Year in 1980 and was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 1981 World Championship team. 

He won 220 games with a career earned run average of 3.64 and 1,907 strikeouts while pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals (1969-71), Houston Astros (1972-73), Pittsburgh Pirates (1974-78 and 1990), Dodgers (1979-87), Cincinnati Reds (1987), California Angels (1987), Chicago White Sox (1988-89) and Milwaukee Brewers (1989).  He pitched a no-hitter for the Dodgers on June 27, 1980 against the San Francisco Giants. He is one of only two Pirates to have played for Danny Murtaugh, Chuck Tanner and Jim Leyland (John Candelaria is the other). He was the third oldest active player when he retired at age 41 in 1990.

He was one of only 29 players in Major League history to play in four different decades. In 1988, he became the second pitcher in history, joining Milt Pappas, to win 200 career games without ever winning 20 in a single season. He was later joined by Frank Tanana, Charlie Hough, Dennis Martinez, Chuck Finley, Mike Mussina (Mussina won 20 for the first time after recording his 200th win), Kenny Rogers and Tim Wakefield.

After his playing career, Reuss worked as a broadcaster with ESPN (1991-93) and the Angels (1996-98). He served as a pitching coach with the minor league Iowa Cubs before returning to broadcasting with the Dodgers in 2006 as a color commentator.

Jerry was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on January 31, 2016.

Currently, Jerry lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Chantal and broadcasts a limited schedule of games for the Las Vegas 51’s, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets.