HE WAS THE SECOND GREATEST TIGER OUTFIELDER OF ALL TIME!
“SLUG” as he was often called by fans, players and the media, was an outfielder
for the Tigers from 1914 through 1929 and he simply hit the BEJABBERS out of
a thrown baseball! As unbelievable as this might sound THREE TIGER RIGHT FIELDERS
HAVE BEEN ELECTED INTO THE HALL-OF-FAME!
They are: TY COBB, AL KALINE and “SLUG”. They are of course the three greatest
Tiger outfielders in history with HARRY HEILMANN the only one NOT HAVING A STATUE
AT COMERICA PARK!!!! We feel that there is no excuse for this cruel injustice. Join
us in our effort to have it corrected by writing to: MIKE ILITCH. OWNER, DETROIT
TIGERS, 2100 WOODWARD AVENUE, DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48201-3474. Send your
complaints to Mr. Ilitch, because he is the only one who can correct this sad malady.
In 1952 HEILMANN was elected into the hall-of-fame by receiving 203 votes out of
234!! Listen to these lifetime stats:
2,146 games played
1,291 times at bat
2,660 hits!
183 taters
1,537 runs batted in
.342 batting average!!!!!!
.520 slugging average!!!!!!
In 1922 COBB hit .401. Not to be outdone “SLUG” hit .403 the very next year!
In 1927 he came close to another .400 year by slugging .398!
In 1921 TY COBB became the Tiger’s manager and his first move was to implant
HARRY into right field where he comfortably played for the rest of his career. That
same year, 1921, he showed his appreciation by hitting .394.
In 2003 WBWF conducted a poll to find out who the greatest Tiger announcer was
of all time and HARRY HEILMANN won in a landslide. Even ERNIE HARWELL voted for
him. Out of all his famous quips the one most remembered was when the hitter took
a good pitch for a strike: “HE TOOK THAT ONE RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF
WOODWARD AVENUE.”
HE WAS A HALL-OF-FAME TIGER PLAYER & ANNOUNCER! C’MON MIKE LET’S HURRY
UP AND ERECT THAT STATUE IN TRIBUTE OF:
H A R R Y H E I L M A N N ! !
I am a Detroit native now living in Los Angeles and a Baseball Historian….I have joined the campaign to celebrate the GREATNESS of HARRY HEILMANN and have many contacts in Detroit
A local film documentary needs to done to make Detroiters aware of Harry’s grand contribution to their sports heritage.
HARRY DESERVES A STATUE , RAYMOND, BUT ALL OF OUR REQUESTS FALL UPON DEAF & DUMB
EARS OF IGNORENCE…here’s a man who hit over .400 and went into the HALL-OF-FAME as a
TIGER……………..but still no recognition by the TIGERS!!! But, we won’t give up. HARRY NEVER DID!
Bob …..after Neil Reuben’s article in the Detroit News……and a plug from Dave Lavel on Channel 20 News…..I got an email from Dave Dombrowski………He brought the fact that Harry’s name was on the outfield Wall and He’s mentioned as a batting Champion in some concourse at Comerica ….He than said that NO statue was in the planning…..I told him he needed to give serious consideration to restoring Mr. Heilmann to his proper place amoung Tiger Greats…….but your right these people seem to care less about the fact that a Legendary Hall Of Fame Player is getting snubbed in Detroit
Ray George RMICHAG@cs.com 1 337 263 1557