Jeff Heath
Born: 4/1/1915 in Fort William, ON, CAN
Died: 12/9/1975 in Seattle, WA, USA
MLB Debut: 1936-09-13 | Final Game: 1949-09-08
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: John Geoffrey Heath
Biography
Jeff Heath was an accomplished professional baseball player who made significant contributions to the game during his career from 1936 to 1949. Born in 1915, Heath established himself as a formidable position player, participating in 1,383 games and compiling a noteworthy batting average of .293. Over his career, he recorded 1,447 hits, 194 home runs, and 887 runs batted in (RBIs), showcasing his ability to drive in runs and contribute offensively to his teams. Heath also demonstrated speed on the bases, finishing with 56 stolen bases, which complemented his power-hitting style.
Heath's talents earned him two All-Star selections, reflecting his status among the elite players of his era. Playing primarily during a time when baseball was transitioning into the post-war period, Heath's performance helped pave the way for future generations of sluggers. His combination of hitting prowess and base-running ability made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, and his legacy continues to be remembered by baseball historians and fans alike.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87.0 | 76.0 | 12.0 | 22.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 23.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0.289 | 0.365 | 0.618 | 0.983 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 71.0 | 62.0 | 10.0 | 18.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 18.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0.290 | 0.362 | 0.613 | 0.975 |
| 1947 | 16.0 | 14.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.375 | 0.643 | 1.018 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1383 | 4937 | 777 | 1447 | 279 | 102 | 194 | 887 | 56 | 593 | 670 | 0.293 | 0.370 | 0.509 | 0.879 | 22032.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | CLE | AL | 12 | 41 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.341 | 0.0 |
| 1937 | CLE | AL | 20 | 61 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.230 | -233.2 |
| 1938 | CLE | AL | 126 | 502 | 104 | 172 | 31 | 18 | 21 | 112 | 3 | 33 | 55 | 0.343 | 3035.6 |
| 1939 | CLE | AL | 121 | 431 | 64 | 126 | 31 | 7 | 14 | 69 | 8 | 41 | 64 | 0.292 | 1123.2 |
| 1940 | CLE | AL | 100 | 356 | 55 | 78 | 16 | 3 | 14 | 50 | 5 | 40 | 62 | 0.219 | -330.9 |
| 1941 | CLE | AL | 151 | 585 | 89 | 199 | 32 | 20 | 24 | 123 | 18 | 50 | 69 | 0.340 | 4278.5 |
| 1942 | CLE | AL | 147 | 568 | 82 | 158 | 37 | 13 | 10 | 76 | 9 | 62 | 66 | 0.278 | 1780.0 |
| 1943 | CLE | AL | 118 | 424 | 58 | 116 | 22 | 6 | 18 | 79 | 5 | 63 | 58 | 0.274 | 2145.7 |
| 1944 | CLE | AL | 60 | 151 | 20 | 50 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 33 | 0 | 18 | 12 | 0.331 | 803.3 |
| 1945 | CLE | AL | 102 | 370 | 60 | 113 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 61 | 3 | 56 | 39 | 0.305 | 2252.7 |
| 1946 | SLA | AL | 86 | 316 | 46 | 87 | 20 | 4 | 12 | 57 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0.275 | 1108.6 |
| 1946 | WSN | AL | 48 | 166 | 23 | 47 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 36 | 36 | 0.283 | 1108.6 |
| 1947 | SLA | AL | 141 | 491 | 81 | 123 | 20 | 7 | 27 | 85 | 2 | 88 | 87 | 0.251 | 1974.1 |
| 1948 | BSN | NL | 115 | 364 | 64 | 116 | 26 | 5 | 20 | 76 | 2 | 51 | 46 | 0.319 | 2544.6 |
| 1949 | BSN | NL | 36 | 111 | 17 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 23 | 0 | 15 | 26 | 0.306 | 694.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1299 | 0 | 2705 | 85 | 80 | 21 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | CLE | OF | 12 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | CLE | OF | 14 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | CLE | OF | 122 | 0 | 254 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| 1939 | CLE | OF | 108 | 0 | 263 | 7 | 10 | 2 |
| 1940 | CLE | OF | 90 | 0 | 197 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 1941 | CLE | OF | 151 | 0 | 259 | 20 | 15 | 1 |
| 1942 | CLE | OF | 146 | 0 | 326 | 12 | 7 | 3 |
| 1943 | CLE | OF | 111 | 0 | 264 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| 1944 | CLE | OF | 37 | 0 | 76 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 1945 | CLE | OF | 101 | 0 | 214 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 1946 | SLA | OF | 83 | 0 | 147 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| 1946 | WS1 | OF | 47 | 0 | 92 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1947 | SLA | OF | 140 | 0 | 297 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| 1948 | BSN | OF | 106 | 0 | 223 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| 1949 | BSN | OF | 31 | 0 | 56 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 1127 |
| Center Field | 12 |
| Right Field | 165 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1941 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | RF |
| 1941 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | RF |
| 1938 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 31th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1945 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 20th | 10.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 37.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 7.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1938 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 24.0 | 336 | 0 |