Dutch Ruether

Walter Henry Ruether

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1½", Weight 180 lb.
• High School St. Ignatius College Preparatory
• Debut April 13, 1917
• Final Game September 29, 1927
• Born September 13, 1893 in Alameda, CA USA
• Died May 16, 1970 in Phoenix, AZ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Dutch Ruether pitched eleven seasons in the big leagues, winning 59% of his games. He went 19-6 for the 1919 Cincinnati Reds who opposed the Black Sox in the 1919 World Series; he went 21-12 for the 1922 Brooklyn Robins; he went 18-7 for the 1925 Washington Senators; and he closed out his major league career with a 13-6 record for the famous 1927 New York Yankees.

He pitched in two World Series, and while he did not pitch in the 1925 World Series, he was used as a pinch-hitter.

Ruether was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1913 but never appeared in a game with them, and afterwards pitched in minor league and semi-pro ball for several years before coming back to the majors. Among other teams, he pitched for Vancouver and Spokane.

After his major league days he pitched for years in the minors, mostly in the Pacific Coast League. In 1928 he went 29-7 for the San Francisco Seals. After his playing days he was manager of the Seattle Indians for several years.

Ruether was a prodigious hitter in the minors. In 1916, manager Nick Williams of the Spokane Indians from the Northwestern League often put Ruether (or Reuther as he was called in the paper) in the outfield or first base. Ruether was also loaned to Joe McGinnity's Butte Miners team for a few games to fill a hole in the outfield due to injuries. Ruether hit .297 that season. His major league batting average was .258.

Ruether worked as a scout for various clubs from 1947 until his death and signed a variety of future major leaguers.

Notable Achievements

• 15 Wins Seasons: 5 (1919, 1920, 1922, 1923 & 1925)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 1 (1922)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 7 (1919-1923, 1925 & 1926)
• Won two World Series with the Cincinnati Reds (1919) and the New York Yankees (1927; he did not play in the World Series)

Related Sites

• Dutch Ruether at the SABR Bio Project
• Ruether's early career
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Dutch Ruether