Books and articles about Harry Heilmann

Heilmann was a 6'1" 200-lb righthanded hitter who captured four American League batting titles in 15 seasons with the Tigers. Heilmann is among Detroit's all-time leaders in every major hitting category. He was working as a bookkeeper when he was offered his first baseball job. In 1913 he hit .305 for Portland (Northwest League) and was purchased by the Tigers for $1,500. He first joined Detroit in 1914, but stayed from 1916 through 1929, with only two gaps; he missed half of 1918 while on a Navy submarine, and several weeks of 1922 with a broken collarbone.

Image provided by Matthew Fulling

SHOPPING » Look for Harry Heilmann books at BN.com » Look for Harry Heilmann books at Amazon.com Your purchases keep BaseballLibrary.com online. Thank you!

RELATED LINKS » 1923: The Haunting Eviction Book Excerpts » "The last American Leaguer to reach the [.400] mark was Harry Heilmann, way back in 1923": Jim Prime » "He'd hit .390, .395, and over .400 one year ... Cobb couldn't hit any better than that, so he didn't fool with him. Besides, Heilmann was so big and strong I don't think Cobb would get very nasty with him: Charlie Gehringer » "Heilmann had hit .403 for the Tigers in 1921, and he was the opposing announcer, but he was for me": Ted Williams Around the Web » Harry Heilmann from baseball-reference.com » Harry Heilmann from thebaseballpage.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

A fair outfielder, Heilmann was moved to first base for 1919 and 1920 and led the AL in errors at that position both seasons. During the 1920s, he was a part of .300-hitting Tiger outfields in seven seasons. Joining him, at various times, were Hall of Famers Ty Cobb and Heinie Manush, and Detroit stars Bobby Veach and Bob Fothergill. Disgruntled pitcher Dutch Leonard wrote to Heilmann in December 1926, telling him of the two letters Leonard had sent to Ban Johnson implicating Joe Wood and Ty Cobb in betting on games. Heilmann showed the letter to Tigers owner Frank Navin and the story came out into the open.

Heilmann was involved in many close batting races. In 1921, he topped Ty Cobb by five points by hitting .394 with a league-high 237 hits. His .403 mark in 1923 bested Babe Ruth's .393. In 1925 he caught and passed Tris Speaker with a few games to go; he refused to come out of the lineup, and won the title, .393 to .389. He trailed Al Simmons by one point going into the last day of the 1927 season; in a doubleheader at Cleveland, he had four hits in the first game, and three in the second, finishing at .398 - six points above Simmons.

Arthritis in his wrists began bothering Heilmann in 1929. He was sold to the Reds after the '29 season, but was unable to play in 1931. He came back as a player-coach in 1932, appearing in 15 games. Popular with fans and players, with a keen sense of humor and a trove of stories, he was the radio voice of the Tigers for 17 years. During WWII, he traveled to the Middle East as part of a baseball group entertaining troops. He died of lung cancer at age 56 in 1951, and was elected to the Hall of Fame the following year. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » August 8, 1914: At Boston, center fielder Tris Speaker pulls off his 2nd unassisted DP of the year, this one coming against Detroit. Tiger runner Harry Heilmann is doubled off 2nd in the fourth inning when a hit-and-run play becomes a line drive to Speaker. Boston wins 5–2. Speaker had another unassisted DP on April 21 against the A's. » July 26, 1916: Tigers favorite Harry Heilmann gets an appreciative hand from the crowd for having dived into the Detroit River last night to save a woman from drowning. » July 8, 1921: In Detroit, RF Harry Heilmann hits a HR that measures 610 feet. » September 24, 1921: Harry Heilmann is 3-for-4 against Walter Johnson, but Washington wins the game over Detroit, 5–1. Ty Cobb is so incense by the umpiring of Billy Evans that he challenges him to a fight. The two future Hall of Famers go at it with Cobb getting the best of Evans. George Hildebrand, the 2nd ump assigned to the game, reports the incident to American League prexy Ban Johnson. When Johnson fails to act, Commissioner Landis steps in and suspends Cobb, but allows him to continue as a non-playing manager. » October 1, 1921: At Detroit, the Browns beat the Tigers, 11–6 in 11 innings. Detroit is without Ty Cobb who was suspended for an argument with an ump a week ago in Washington (though Detroit has not played since the 26th). Detroit's Harry Heilmann is 0-for-5 and down to .396. He'll go 1-for-4 tomorrow, but will lead the American League in hitting with a .394 average. » April 30, 1922: Johnny Mostil, fleet-footed White Sox CF, moves over to LF for the only time in his career, and makes two outstanding catches to save Charlie Robertson's 2–0 perfect game over Detroit. Robertson is the 3rd pitcher in the 20th century to pitch a perfect game. Play is stopped twice after Ty Cobb and Harry Heilmann complain that Robertson is doctoring the ball. The losing pitcher is Herman Pillette, whose son Duane will pitch in the American League. » May 29, 1922: The Browns top Detroit, 9–6, paced by Ken Williams grand slam in the 3rd inning. Harry Heilmann and Ty Cobb get into an argument with the umpires and will be suspended, missing tomorrow's twinbill. » May 17, 1923: Herman Pillette and the Tigers win, 6–2, at Boston, but Harry Heilmann's 21-game streak stopped by Red Sox P George Murray. » September 4, 1923: Yankee Sam Jones no-hits the Athletics, 2–0, beating Bob Hasty. Babe Ruth makes the only strikeout of the game as he slips a point behind Detroit's Harry Heilmann in the batting race. Not till Ken Holtzman's no-hitter in 1969, will another pitcher record a no-hitter with no strikeouts. » September 13, 1923: The Senators win 7–3 over Detroit, with Walter Johnson picking up the victory. Harry Heilmann is 2-for-4 and scores a run for the Bengals. » September 28, 1923: In another slugfest, the Tiger maul the Indians 17–3. Harry Heilmann is 4-for-4 to raise his average to .398. » October 2, 1923: In a 7–5 Detroit win over the White Sox, Harry Heilmann goes 2-for-2 to put his average over .400. He will sit for the rest of the season, except for a pinch single on the final day, and will win the batting title with a .403 average. Ty Cobb helps out today with a steal of home in the 7th inning, his first steal of home in more than three years. » October 16, 1923: Soon after Babe Ruth receives his World Series winner's share of $6,160.46, insurance agent Harry Heilmann, who beat Ruth for the batting title by 10 points, sells him a $50,000 life insurance policy. Beneficiaries are Mrs. Ruth and adopted daughter Dorothy. » October 4, 1925: Harry Heilmann gets six hits in Detroit's doubleheader sweep over the Browns, 10–4 and 11–6, to edge out teammate Ty Cobb for the batting crown, .393 to .389. Cobb bats over .300 for the 20th time. In the 2nd game, the final game of the season, managers George Sisler of the Browns and Ty Cobb of the Tigers both pitch in relief in for the two clubs, won by Detroit 11–6. Cobb is perfect in his one inning, while Sisler holds the Tigers scoreless in two. » November 29, 1926: Tris Speaker resigns as Indians manager. Stories of a thrown game and betting on games by Ty Cobb and Speaker gain momentum when Judge Landis holds a secret hearing with the two stars and former pitcher-OF Joe Wood. The story and testimony will not be released until December 21st. Former Tiger P Dutch Leonard wrote to Harry Heilmann that he had turned over letters written to him by Joe Wood and Ty Cobb to American League president Ban Johnson, implicating Wood and Cobb in betting on a Tiger-Cleveland game played in Detroit, September 25, 1919. He charged that Cobb and Speaker conspired to let Detroit win to help them gain 3rd-place money. At a secret meeting of AL directors, it was decided to let Cobb and Speaker resign with no publicity. But, as rumors spread, Judge Landis takes charge of the matter and holds the hearings, at which Leonard refuses to appear. Cobb and Wood admit to the letters, but say it was a horse racing bet, and contend Leonard is angry for having been released to the Pacific Coast League by Cobb. Speaker, not named in the letters, denies everything. Public sympathy is with the stars, but the matter will remain unresolved until January of next year. » May 9, 1927: Pounding five Boston pitchers for 22 hits, the 2nd-place Tigers outlast the Red Sox, 17–11. Harry Heilmann leads the cat attack with two homers and two singles. » October 2, 1927: In the first of 2 games, Detroit's Harry Heilmann hits 2 doubles, a bunt single, and a HR. With the batting title in his pocket, he chooses to play the 2nd game, and collects a single, double, and HR. His 7-for-9 put him at .398 to Philadelphia's Al Simmons's .392. It is the 4th time he will win an alternate-year championship. » October 11, 1927: Lou Gehrig, who established a new ML record with 175 RBI, is named AL MVP. With 56 points, Gehrig wins over Harry Heilmann's 35 and Ted Lyons's 34. Ruth is not considered because former winners are not eligible. » September 24, 1928: The Tigers draw 404 fans for their last meeting with the Red Sox, winning 8–0 behind Sam Gibson's 5-hitter. Pat Simmons is knocked out in the 7th when he gives up consecutive triples to Al Wingo, batting 9th, John Stone, and Charlie Gehringer. Harry Heilmann has a home run and double for Detroit. Jack Rothrock is busy for Boston playing LF, SS, and pitching a shutout last inning. » August 2, 1929: The A's spot the Tigers six runs in the first inning, then rally to win, 11–10. Harry Heilmann had four hits, including two homers, for the losers, as did McManus and Alexander. The Tigers outhit the A's 13–10. The A's victory increases their American League lead to 11 1/2 games over the Yankees, losers today to the Indians, 9–8. » October 14, 1929: Coming off a .344 season, Detroit's Harry Heilmann clears waivers and is sold to Cincinnati. The future Hall of Famer has been bothered by arthritis in his wrists, but will hit .333 in 1930 before retiring as a regular player. » June 8, 1930: The increased hitting in the NL is reflected in these batting averages: Riggs Stephenson .420; Babe Herman .414; Chuck Klein .401; Harry Heilmann .400; and Bill Terry .399. » June 15, 1931: Cut-down day for major-league rosters brings the retirement of Eddie Collins and Harry Heilmann. Collins becomes a coach for the A's. Heilmann will return briefly to the Reds in 1932. » November 23, 1944: Five groups totaling 23 players, managers, umpires, and writers visit war theaters as part of the USO program. Included are Mel Ott, Dutch Leonard, Frankie Frisch, Bucky Walters, Harry Heilmann, Carl Hubbell, Freddie Fitzsimmons, Bill Summers, Beans Reardon, Johnny Lindell, Tuck Stainback, Steve O'Neill, Leo Durocher, Joe Medwick, Nick Etten, Dixie Walker, Paul Waner, and Rip Sewell. » January 31, 1952: Harry Heilmann with 203 votes and Paul Waner with 195 become the newest members of the Hall of Fame.