jeff heath april december canadian born american left fielder major_league_baseball mlb played career cleveland_indians american_league promising power hitters late 1930s early 1940s twice led triples batted runs batted rbis time selected star game season player american_league member club hit doubles triples home runs season star game selections heath played season national_league beginning incurred compound fracture ankle september subsequently braves starting left fielder world series heath season majors sportswriter wrote heath greatest players history temper manner tiger early life heath born april ontario family moved victoria british_columbia settling seattle washington attended seattle played baseball football freshman varsity baseball squad heath multi sport athlete offered scholarships schools play american football head coach said heath best country heath chose future baseball signed hit selected american amateur team member managed played games japan tour batting average heath faced difficulties allowed entry team arrival citizen cleveland indians scout helped sign heath contract organization said kid isn big wasted lot time learning baseball reported spring training hands infected indians moved class mid atlantic team hit league rbis average home runs second called join indians season ended cleveland indians heath batted left handed threw right handed broke indians age appeared games club recorded batting average seven extra base hits spring training leading season heath describing getting attention broadway chorus appeared games hit season spring training season indians manager said heath best natural hitter seen columnist described decision employ heath finally decided use muscles left pasture better hitters american league washington jeff graceful captivity toss wrong base bat hands opposition pitcher season batted batting champion leading league triples conclusion season heath joined fellow american_league players indians teammate exhibition games played country known cities major league team home runs rbis collected hits august league leaders slugging average total bases season january married finished batting average season included late season punch fan heath home game cleveland bad season mistakes heath said incident season heath said going flash pan year taking eye ball going season season heath reported players presented list grievances indians president bradley called meeting players end statement support players released indians signed document heath hospital time meeting instances players including heath continued past june heath suspended game august exchanged words following heath game pinch hitter indians vice president withdrew suspension indians finished regular season record season manager heath career low average indians lost pennant game detroit_tigers heath received blame released team manager replaced announced december heath remain starting outfielder club heath came season campaign led triples batted fourth league slugging finished second total bases rbis second hits star team finished eighth valuable player award voting player club having recorded doubles triples home runs season heath worked season leading years previous heath described lazy lacking season appeared different including investing extra time batting practice selected finished fourth home runs heath rejected military duty knee problems season heath mainly pinch hitter season underwent knee surgery entered contract dispute indians join team june season month despite missing beginning season named game played travel restrictions world war finished season batting average home runs fifth second player born outside hit home runs surpassed home run heath acquired nickname lord jeff called problem child indian player manager said heath greatest players ability run throw hit ball went walk december indians traded heath washington senators started right field washington senators senators president agreed send outfielder cleveland exchange heath trade said sacrificed plenty speed man tremendous hitting power spring training addition heath led senators described dark horse associated_press continued heath performance key senators fate canadian kind washington crying fall break ball game mighty bat mildly uncertain quality big jeff dissatisfied cleveland didn like didn like management didn like valuable hitter best game settled business heath appear games senators finished team hitting home runs rbis game june traded mid june game june went rbi time heath joined club finished season heath finished home runs rbis games heath tendency resentment trouble led trade washington utility nephew owner games heath ride bench calling owner pet reference possibility team relationship possibility better paid heath subject column washington_post heath gone longtime sports writer hated heath bat leave washington second team add black players roster indians signed july teammates heath season heath described committing display prejudice brown brown hit home run heath old bats brown preferred use heavy bat bring told team supply bats brown found heath damaged bats applied tape end bat tried use bat game umpire told use bat tape applied brown discarded loose fragments bat proceeded hit home run bat returned heath destroyed bat hit wall heath career high home runs season finished eighth place final game heath showers turn bat ninth inning conclusion season management looking overhaul team roster general manager tried shop heath national_league team leave december announced national_league acquired heath unlike braves contenders way end season game philadelphia_phillies september braves tied lead heath hit run home run braves went win game stayed place remainder regular season braves games standings games remaining regular season schedule braves match september according teammate heath asked braves manager night request denied game heath attempted score second base slid home plate try beat tag dodgers catcher slid foot got caught dirt caused ankle twist began slide feet plate funny thing generally spikes ground time didn looked foot twisted way honestly thought come right heath said day local hospital playing majors parts years forced miss world series later diagnosed fractured ankle called broken ankle biggest disappointment life widely published newspaper photograph play showed heath sliding plate mouth open shock leg bent mid ankle lower ankle rotated ninety degrees upper ankle quoted asking slide carried field later ambulance heath said guess didn leg sliding throw great arm mile said unnecessary slide game didn mean hell slide braves pitcher 23rd win wanted brooklyn place heath regular season came end batted home runs season braves season came end games world series lost indians games heath played minors following season eventually rejoining braves season game august heath helped tie cincinnati_reds home run ninth inning helped win game braves 10th inning ended final major league season games season batted rbis october braves placed heath general manager offered managing position team braves farm system accepted quinn offer manage baseball historian 1940s listed heath recipient designation better human said told got sure like like retirement retired professional baseball heath appeared games later fired team given trial basis signed sportswriter interviewed heath asked differently career given chance heath responded wouldn gag shouldn right little guys talk loud big like season major league career heath posted batting average slugging average home runs hits rbis runs doubles triples stolen bases games played surpassed major leagues home run leader foreign born players heath player hit home run named greatest indians inducted worked briefly scout cleveland_indians later worked color commentator advertising work seattle area game heath provided commentary cursed microphone air later apologized station manager later approached incident heath responded throwing manager flight stairs heath died heart attack seattle age suffered heart attack age survived daughters son
Jeff Heath