Former Yankees right fielder and all around clutch hitter, Tommy Henrich, passed away today. At the age of 96-years old he had been the oldest living Yankee. He was a member of seven Yankees championship teams, and in 11 seasons he hit .282/.382/.491 with 183 home runs and 795 RBI. The name "Old Reliable" came from Mel Allen, who gave the right fielder the name for all his clutch hits, obviously. For more on Henrich you can check out this article by Richard Goldstein.
Here's three quotes from former teammates via WFAN. The first comes from Yogi, the second from Jerry Coleman, and the third from Dr. Bobby Brown:
“Tommy was a darn good ballplayer and teammate. He always took being a Yankee to heart. He won a lot of championships and did whatever he could to help us win. When I came up in 1947, he taught me little nuances about playing the outfield. Being around Tommy made you feel good, whether playing cards or listening to him sing with that great voice. He was a proud man, and if you knew him, he made you proud too. ”
“Tommy was a terrific player. What made him so special was that he always played well in big games. You get him in a close or important game and he would always show up ready to play. It seemed like he never made any mistakes in the outfield. He was a true professional and an ultimate Yankee.”
“Tommy was incredible. They called him ‘Old Reliable,’ and he was just that. My first year with him was 1949, and it seemed like every home run he hit won the game. His career stats might not show it, but he was a great clutch player. When he hit, it counted. He was also a fine defensive player in the outfield."
