Harry Edwin Heilmann

Harry Edwin Heilmann

Detroit Tigers Player (1914, 1916 - 1929)
Detroit Tigers Broadcaster (1934 – 1950)

Harry Heilmann was born in San Francisco, California and played football, basketball and ran track at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory graduating in 1912. In September 1913 he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers making his Major League in 1914 spending much of the next fifteen seasons playing with the Tigers. Heilmann became one of the best hitters in the game, winning four batting titles during the 1920s. He is one of only a half dozen American League hitters to have a single season batting average over .400. At the end of his playing career he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds and played parts of two seasons. During his career, Heilmann appeared in 2,147 games, compiled a .342 career batting average, 2,660 hits, 1,291 runs and 1,543 RBI. After his playing career ended, he started a new career as the one of the Tigers broadcaster, a position he held through the 1950 season. Harry Heilmann was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952, was selected as one of the greatest 100 players of All-time and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1956. He passed away on July 9, 1951 at 56 years of age.