Don Heffner
Born: 2/8/1911 in Rouzerville, PA, USA
Died: 8/1/1989 in Pasadena, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1934-04-17 | Final Game: 1944-04-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 155 lbs
Full name: Donald Henry Heffner
Biography
Don Heffner was born in 1911 and had a professional baseball career that spanned from 1934 to April 17, 1944. Primarily playing as a position player, Heffner became known for his versatility on the field during a time when the game was transitioning from the deadball era to a more dynamic style of play. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 743 games, compiling a total of 610 hits. His offensive contributions included 6 home runs and 248 RBIs, while he maintained a batting average of .241. Heffner also showcased his speed on the bases, finishing with 18 stolen bases.
Heffner's playing style was characterized by his ability to adapt to the evolving game, contributing both defensively and offensively to his teams. Throughout his time in Major League Baseball, he played for several clubs, demonstrating a workmanlike approach that endeared him to fans and teammates alike. While not a star in the traditional sense, Heffner's consistent presence in the lineup and his contributions during the early years of professional baseball's modernization made him a noteworthy figure of his era. His career concluded in 1944, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable player during a transformative period in the sport.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62.0 | 54.0 | 7.0 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.204 | 0.295 | 0.370 | 0.665 |
Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 14.0 | 11.0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0.273 | 0.429 | 0.273 | 0.702 |
| 1931 | 18.0 | 16.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.188 | 0.278 | 0.188 | 0.466 |
| 1932 | 13.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.100 | 0.250 | 0.100 | 0.350 |
| 1933 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.308 | 0.308 | 1.000 | 1.308 |
| 1939 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching
| Season | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 743 | 2526 | 275 | 610 | 99 | 19 | 6 | 248 | 18 | 270 | 218 | 0.241 | 0.317 | 0.303 | 0.620 | -6153.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | NYY | AL | 72 | 241 | 29 | 63 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 25 | 18 | 0.261 | -493.2 |
| 1935 | NYY | AL | 10 | 36 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0.306 | 0.0 |
| 1936 | NYY | AL | 19 | 48 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0.229 | -136.6 |
| 1937 | NYY | AL | 60 | 201 | 23 | 50 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 19 | 19 | 0.249 | -506.0 |
| 1938 | SLA | AL | 141 | 473 | 47 | 116 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 69 | 1 | 65 | 53 | 0.245 | -875.1 |
| 1939 | SLA | AL | 110 | 375 | 45 | 100 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 48 | 39 | 0.267 | -635.9 |
| 1940 | SLA | AL | 126 | 487 | 52 | 115 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 53 | 5 | 39 | 37 | 0.236 | -1601.3 |
| 1941 | SLA | AL | 110 | 399 | 48 | 93 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 38 | 27 | 0.233 | -1318.0 |
| 1942 | SLA | AL | 19 | 36 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1943 | PHA | AL | 52 | 178 | 17 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 18 | 12 | 0.208 | -587.3 |
| 1943 | SLA | AL | 18 | 33 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.121 | -587.3 |
| 1944 | DET | AL | 6 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0.211 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 7 | 0 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2B | 595 | 0 | 1416 | 1678 | 86 | 395 |
| 3B | 11 | 0 | 14 | 28 | 1 | 2 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 89 | 0 | 159 | 256 | 24 | 38 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | NYA | 2B | 68 | 0 | 158 | 179 | 10 | 46 |
| 1935 | NYA | 2B | 10 | 0 | 20 | 29 | 1 | 5 |
| 1936 | NYA | 2B | 5 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| 1936 | NYA | 3B | 8 | 0 | 11 | 22 | 1 | 2 |
| 1936 | NYA | SS | 3 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 1937 | NYA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | NYA | 2B | 38 | 0 | 107 | 94 | 4 | 28 |
| 1937 | NYA | 3B | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | NYA | SS | 13 | 0 | 16 | 32 | 2 | 2 |
| 1937 | NYA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | SLA | 2B | 141 | 0 | 365 | 363 | 22 | 103 |
| 1939 | SLA | 2B | 32 | 0 | 84 | 97 | 8 | 21 |
| 1939 | SLA | SS | 73 | 0 | 138 | 218 | 21 | 33 |
| 1940 | SLA | 2B | 125 | 0 | 311 | 426 | 17 | 102 |
| 1941 | SLA | 2B | 105 | 0 | 224 | 307 | 14 | 52 |
| 1942 | SLA | 1B | 4 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 1942 | SLA | 2B | 6 | 0 | 13 | 16 | 3 | 1 |
| 1943 | PHA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | PHA | 2B | 47 | 0 | 98 | 127 | 5 | 27 |
| 1943 | SLA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | SLA | 2B | 13 | 0 | 21 | 17 | 1 | 4 |
| 1944 | DET | 2B | 5 | 0 | 12 | 13 | 1 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 7 |
| Second Base | 596 |
| Third Base | 11 |
| Shortstop | 88 |
| Right Field | 1 |