A Response from Jerry Reuss

I sent Jerry Reuss a message to his website, letting him know of my posting and asking if I was accurate on my accounts of the pranks he pulled.  He was very nice in his response and...he set the record straight.  

No hot foots and it was Yeager and Johnstone that locked Lasorda in his hotel room with the tree.

Hi Evan,

Thanks for the tip on your blog! I appreciate the time spent reporting on my career. It's hard to believe that I retired over twenty years ago, yet the memories are so fresh I think they occurred yesterday.

I had to stop and think about the pranks that I've been given credit for. I probably ran Howe's underwear up the flagpole but I was never one to play with fire. I didn't have the patience for a hot foot. Finally, I didn't lock Lasorda in his hotel room. The credit (or blame) goes to Jay and Steve Yeager. One day, I'll tell the stories as I remember them.

I bet the stories you have in your field of law enforcement are as equally interesting as any I have. If you ever write about them and post them, let me know. I'd love to read them.

My best,

Jerry

Steve Yeager blocking the plate, 1978 World Series, Game 4.  Jerry drops the dime, it was Yeager and Johnstone that locked Lasorda in his hotel room.

And my response to Jerry about me having stories in the field of Law Enforcement is:  Yes, there are a lot of them, but unfortunately I’ll have to keep them under wraps until I retire.  There may be a book in there somewhere, but I’m not sure that there would be enough interest in it.  Though the story about a coworker almost blowing his hind quarters up while sitting on the toilet was kind of interesting.  (He cleaned the the commode with rubbing alcohol first, sat down to do his business, and then lit a smoking pipe.  Kaboom!).

A thank you to Jerry Reuss for taking the time to answer my email.  Hopefully he writes a book one day.  I can only imagine the great stories he could tell over his 4 decades in the game.