On March 4, 1984 — Two outstanding defensive players, shortstop Pee Wee Reese and catcher Rick Ferrell, are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. Reese hit .269 in 16 seasons with the Dodgers while Ferrell batted .281 with just 28 home runs in 18 seasons for the Browns, Red Sox, and Senators.
Pee Wee Reese, the scrappy captain of the dominating Dodgers teams of the 1950s, was a quiet force both on the field and in the clubhouse. An outstanding defensive player, he led the National League in putouts four times, double plays twice and fielding percentage and assists once each. For almost a decade, he and Jackie Robinson formed one of baseball’s top double-play combinations. Reese led Brooklyn to seven pennants in his 16 seasons, his final year coming in Los Angeles, and never missed an inning of the seven World Series in which he participated.