Ferkovich: Heilmann’s last-day rush won him a batting title in 1927
From SABR member Scott Ferkovich at Detroit Athletic Co. on April 8, 2014:
It was Sunday, October 2, 1927, a day after the University of Michigan had christened the new Michigan Stadium (which boasted a seating capacity of 84,401) with a 33-0 victory over Ohio Wesleyan. Now, on the final day of the American League baseball season, the batting championship was still up for grabs. It would ultimately be decided in a hitting display for the ages.
The central characters were two future Hall of Famers, Al Simmons of the Philadelphia Athletics, and Harry Heilmann of the Detroit Tigers.
The 25-year-old Simmons, a budding star on manager Connie Mack’s squad, was a machine at the plate, having led the league with 253 hits his sophomore campaign of 1925, while driving in over 100 runs in each of his four seasons. Heilmann had previously won three batting titles, all in odd-numbered years (.394 in 1921, .403 in 1923, and .393 in 1925).
Read the full article here: http://blog.detroitathletic.com/2014/04/08/heilmanns-last-day-rush-won-batting-title-1927/
Originally published: April 11, 2014. Last Updated: April 11, 2014.