Harry Heilmann - Heilmann Wins Three More Batting Titles: 1922-1927

Heilmann Wins Three More Batting Titles: 1922-1927

Heilmann broke his collarbone in 1922, but still managed to hit .356 (fourth in the AL) with a .432 on base percentage (fifth best) and a .598 slugging percentage (fourth best). And despite missing more than a month with the broken collarbone, Heilmann hit a career-high 21 home runs – fourth best in the league.

Heilmann strung together 12 consecutive seasons of hitting at least .300, and was in the top 10 in batting average 10 times. In 1923, Heilmann won his second batting title, hitting .403 for the season, edging out Babe Ruth who hit .393. It was the second time Detroit’s batters had denied Ruth a triple crown. Ruth led the league in home runs and RBIs in both 1921 and 1923 but was edged out in batting average both years by Cobb and/or Heilmann. In 1926, another Tiger hitter, Heinie Manush, won the batting title to deny Ruth the triple crown yet again. Detroit manager Ty Cobb reportedly delighted in the fact that his batters three times denied Ruth a triple crown.

In addition to winning the 1923 batting crown, Heilmann had one of his best seasons as a slugger. He finished second to Ruth in on base percentage (.481) and slugging percentage (.632). He was also among the top five with 121 runs (fourth), 211 hits (third), 331 total bases (fourth), 44 doubles (fourth), 18 home runs (third), 115 RBIs (third), and 73 extra base hits (fourth). Despite breaking the .400 mark, Heilmann finished third in the 1923 American League Most Valuable Player voting behind Babe Ruth and Eddie Collins.

Heilmann worked as a life insurance agent during the off-season in the 1920s. On October 16, 1923, after Babe Ruth received his World Series winner's share‚ Heilmann‚ who was friends with Ruth despite having beaten him for the batting title‚ sold Ruth a $50‚000 life insurance policy.

In 1924, Heilmann “slumped” (by his standards) to a .346 batting average (sixth best in the AL), though his .445 on base percentage was second best in the league. He also led the league with 41 doubles and had another 100-plus RBI season. Heilmann had his best defensive season in 1924, collecting 31 outfield assists, more than any other outfielder that year. Heilmann never had more than 18 outfield assists in any other season.

In 1925, Heilmann won his third batting title, this time in a close race with Tris Speaker. At the beginning of September, Heilmann trailed Speaker by 50 points, but beat Speaker in the closing weeks. With a few games to go, Heilmann refused to come out of the lineup, and won the title .393 to .389. Again, Heilmann was among the leaders in most offensive categories, with 134 RBIs (second best), a .457 on base percentage (fourth best), .569 slugging percentage (fifth best), 225 hits (third best), and 326 total bases (fourth best). Despite Heilmann’s third batting title, the American League MVP award went to Roger Peckinpaugh, whose batting average was almost 100 points below Heilmann’s, and who had 70 fewer RBIs and 40 fewer extra base hits than Heilmann.

In 1926, Detroit’s outfielders took three of the top four spots in the batting race, with center fielder Heinie Manush winning the batting crown at .378, and Heilmann and left fielder Bob Fothergill both hitting .367. Heilmann’s .445 on base percentage was second best in the American League, and he once again hit more than 100 RBIs, finishing fifth in the American League MVP voting.

In 1927, Heilmann won his fourth batting crown, batting .398 and missing the .400 mark by just two hits. The 1927 batting title was decided in another close race, this one pitting Heilmann against Al Simmons. Heilmann trailed Simmons by one point going into the last day of the 1927 season. In a doubleheader at Cleveland, Heilmann had four hits in the first game, and three in the second, finishing at .398 - six points above Simmons. Heilmann also finished the 1927 season near the top in most offensive categories with a .475 on base percentage (second best), 120 RBIs (third best), 201 hits (third best), 50 doubles (third best), 73 extra base hits (third best), .616 slugging percentage (fourth best), 311 total bases (fourth best), and 106 runs (fifth best). Despite winning a fourth batting title, Heilmann still finished second in the MVP voting, this time behind Lou Gehrig.

Through the 1920s Heilmann led all American League batters with a .364 average. His .558 slugging percentage was topped only by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Al Simmons. For the decade, Heilmann averaged 220 hits, 110 runs, 45 doubles, 12 triples, 16 homers, and 130 RBI per 154 games.

When a reporter pointed out that he had won batting titles every other year from 1921 to 1927, Heilmann replied: “Mr. Navin gives me contracts on a two-year basis. I always bear down real hard when a new contract is coming up.”