Final Card: Hal Reniff

Hal Reniff (#201) played his final season in 1967. After 6 1/2 seasons with the Yankees, he spent his final 3 months pitching for the Mets. He was strictly a reliever, never starting a game in the majors.

Hal was signed by the Yankees in 1956, and assigned to class-D Kearney, Nebraska. The only other recognizable name on that team was fellow 17-year-old Deron Johnson. After 5 1/2 seasons in the minors, he made his Yankees' debut on June 8, 1961. He pitched in 25 games (all in relief) during his rookie season.

He lost most of the 1962 season to military service, but pitched in 2 games for the Yankees and 6 games for their AAA team.

In 1963, Reniff began a string of 4 seasons as a key member of the Yankees' bullpen. In 1963 he led the staff in games and saves. Hal also pitched in the 1963 and 1964 World Series.



1967 was a transition year for the Yankees' pitching staff, as the newly-acquired Steve Barber, Bill Monbouquette, and Joe Verbanic replaced old standbys like Whitey Ford, Jim Bouton, and Hal Reniff. On June 28th Hal was sold to the Mets, where he pitched in relief until being released after the season.

Hal pitched for the Yankees' triple-A team in Syracuse from 1968 to 1972, before retiring from baseball.