Who's He?ilmann

[DOUGHBOYS]

I wasn't around in 1927, although some of you jerks will insist that I was. Man, I would have loved to have been a fly on the seats of baseball parks that year. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, 'Murderer's Row'...Love it.
But, there was a non-Yankee that I would have love to have seen. His name is Harry Heilmann.
Heilmann is possibly the greatest player in baseball that most people have never heard of.
Ted Williams noticed him.
At one time, Williams made a list of the 20 best hitters. Here it is...

20. Ralph Kiner
19. Mike Schmidt
18. Frank Robinson
17. Harry Heilmann
16. Mel Ott
15. Johnny Mize
14. Al Simmons
13. Tris Speaker
12. Mickey Mantle
11. Hank Greenberg
10. Willie Mays
9. Hank Aaron
8. Joe Jackson
7. Stan Musial
6. Ty Cobb
5. Joe DiMaggio
4. Rogers Hornsby
3. Jimmie Foxx
2. Lou Gehrig
1. Babe Ruth

Heilmann sticks out on this list as a 'Who's he?'
Heilmann won the batting crown four times during the 1920's. In '21, '23, '25, and '27.
When asked why he had such good years on odd years, Heilmann told a reporter that he received two year contracts and especially beared down hard in new contract years.

Twice, Heilmann denied Babe Ruth of a Triple Crown. The Babe garnering the home runs and RBI departments, but finishing second to Heilmann in batting average (Tris Speaker would do the same to the Babe once)...(In '24, Ruth would win the batting title, lead the league in homers, but lost the RBI Crown)....(Ruth never did achieve a triple crown.) ( In 1934, his teammate, Lou Gehrig, would).
The Babe and Heilmann were friends though and the Babe even helped Heilmann, through his 'real job' by buying a $50,000 life insurance policy from the insurance salesman.
Can you imagine?
Heilmann hit .403 and instead of endorsements, speaking engagements, and/or a large increase in salary, Heilmann depended on his real job of selling life insurance. Modern day players have it so good.

When Heilmann won the batting title in 1921, it stopped a peculiar streak. From 1906 to 1920, every American League batting Champion was left handed.
Most of those titles were won by Ty Cobb. Cobb was Heilmann's teammate and Manager in '21.
Cobb was happy because unofficial records had Cobb as the batting average winner that year. It was later, officially, that Heilmann received the title.
While Cobb was a slashing, speed and bunt player, Heilmann was known as a 'Slug'. One of the slowest players in baseball, he had to earn each base.
Heilmann, indeed, a wonder in that he hit .400 without discernible speed.
Later, Ted Williams would hit .400 without a lot of speed from the left side of the plate.
Heilmann was the last .400 hitter before Williams. Heilmann's season a footnote compared to Williams legendary playing on the last day of the season, going six for eight in a doubleheader and finishing with a .406 batting average.

Heilmann would finish his career as a .342 hitter. Eighth best in baseball history.

1 Ty Cobb............366
2 Rogers Hornsby ..358
3 Joe Jackson.......356
4 Ed Delahanty......346
5 Tris Speaker.......345
6 Billy Hamilton....344
Ted Williams......344
8 Dan Brouthers....342
Harry Heilmann..342
Babe Ruth.........342

Third best among all right handed hitters (Hornsby, Delahanty)

After Heilmann's career was over, he became the voice of the Detroit Tigers on radio. At the end of his tenure, he became sick. He only let close friends know that he had lung cancer.
Ted Williams tried hard to get the Hall of Fame to induct Heilmann while still living. The votes fell short.
Can you imagine?
A player who batted .400 and led his league in hitting four times and the Hall would not budge.
The other American League .400 hitters, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Cobb, and Williams all would quickly get into the Hall.
Like Ron Santo, the Hall inducted Heilmann less than a year after his passing.