Heinie Manush

From BR Bullpen

Henry Emmett Manush

Bats Left, Throws Left
Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.

Debut April 20, 1923
Final Game May 22, 1939
Born July 20, 1901 in Tuscumbia, AL USA
Died May 12, 1971 in Sarasota, FL USA

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1964

[edit] Biographical Information

Heinie Manush played seventeen years in the big leagues with a lifetime batting average of .330. Although he never won the MVP award, he was second once (in 1928 with the Browns) and third twice (in 1932 and 1933 with the Senators). He was the 1926 batting champion while with the Tigers in the American League, and during his career led the league twice in hits, twice in doubles, once in triples, three times in singles, and twice in hit-by-pitch.

Manush was perhaps most famous for a couple close batting races. In 1926 he beat Babe Ruth, trailing Ruth before the last day of the season but making up for it with a big day in a doubleheader. In 1928 he lost the title by one point to Goose Goslin, for whom he would later be traded. He was also third behind Lew Fonseca in 1929, second behind Jimmie Foxx in 1933, and third behind Lou Gehrig in 1934.

Manush broke into the majors at age 21 with the 1923 Detroit Tigers, whose outfield consisted of Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, and Bobby Veach. Manush managed to get more games in left field than either Veach or Bob Fothergill, both of whom hit at least .315. The next year Veach was gone and Manush had the regular job.

After the 1927 season Manush was traded to the St. Louis Browns, where he had some good seasons, and then in the middle of the 1930 season was traded to the Washington Senators for Goose Goslin, in a trade of future Hall of Famers. They were both in mid-career at the time. Manush spent five and one-half years with the Senators, appearing in the 1933 World Series and being named to one of the earliest All-Star games in 1934.

As late as 1937, at the age of 35, Manush was still able to hit .333, good for ninth in the National League.

The similarity scores method shows the most similar player as his contemporary Kiki Cuyler, who also broke into the majors in the early 1920's and lasted through the late 1930's.

After his playing career ended, Manush was a Washington Senators coach in 1953 and 1954 and a Senators scout in 1961-1962.

"Don't you believe it that old ballplayers don't care whether they get in or stay out of the Hall of Fame. It's the perfect climax to the perfect way to live - playing baseball." - Heinie Manush

Brother of Frank Manush.