Tommy Helms
Born: 5/5/1941 in Charlotte, NC, USA
Died: 4/13/2025 in Cincinnati, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1964-09-23 | Final Game: 1977-10-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Tommy Vann Helms
Biography
Tommy Helms was born in 1941 and enjoyed a notable Major League Baseball career from 1964 until 1977. Primarily known as a position player, Helms played in 1,435 games across his career, where he established himself as a reliable hitter and a tenacious competitor. He concluded his time in the league with a batting average of .269, amassing 1,342 hits, 34 home runs, and 477 RBIs. Helms was also recognized for his speed on the basepaths, totaling 33 stolen bases over his career.
Helms's contributions to baseball were highlighted by his selection as the Rookie of the Year and the TSN Rookie Player of the Year, showcasing his immediate impact upon entering the league. He was named an All-Star twice, further solidifying his reputation as one of the solid performers of his era. Playing primarily during a time of transition in the game, Helms exemplified the balance of skill and grit, making him a respected figure in baseball history. His ability to consistently perform at the plate and in the field left a lasting impression on the teams he played for, contributing to both their successes and his legacy in the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1435 | 4997 | 414 | 1342 | 223 | 21 | 34 | 477 | 33 | 231 | 301 | 0.269 | 0.300 | 0.342 | 0.642 | -6711.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | CIN | NL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1965 | CIN | NL | 21 | 42 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0.381 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | CIN | NL | 138 | 542 | 72 | 154 | 23 | 1 | 9 | 49 | 3 | 24 | 31 | 0.284 | 83.3 |
| 1967 | CIN | NL | 137 | 497 | 40 | 136 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 35 | 5 | 24 | 41 | 0.274 | -172.0 |
| 1968 | CIN | NL | 127 | 507 | 35 | 146 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 47 | 5 | 12 | 27 | 0.288 | 231.8 |
| 1969 | CIN | NL | 126 | 480 | 38 | 129 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 4 | 18 | 33 | 0.269 | -1067.1 |
| 1970 | CIN | NL | 150 | 575 | 42 | 136 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 2 | 21 | 33 | 0.237 | -2823.1 |
| 1971 | CIN | NL | 150 | 547 | 40 | 141 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 52 | 3 | 26 | 33 | 0.258 | -1190.0 |
| 1972 | HOU | NL | 139 | 518 | 45 | 134 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 60 | 4 | 24 | 27 | 0.259 | -599.9 |
| 1973 | HOU | NL | 146 | 543 | 44 | 156 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 61 | 1 | 32 | 21 | 0.287 | -230.2 |
| 1974 | HOU | NL | 137 | 452 | 32 | 126 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 5 | 23 | 27 | 0.279 | -326.5 |
| 1975 | HOU | NL | 64 | 135 | 7 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 0.207 | -699.1 |
| 1976 | PIT | NL | 62 | 87 | 10 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0.276 | 131.1 |
| 1977 | BOS | AL | 21 | 59 | 5 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0.271 | -49.9 |
| 1977 | PIT | NL | 15 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | -49.9 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 29 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.241 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | WS | CIN | 5 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.222 |
| 1970 | NLCS | CIN | 3 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.273 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1129 | 1097 | 2688 | 3237 | 101 | 807 |
| 3B | 143 | 126 | 119 | 238 | 16 | 20 |
| SS | 74 | 51 | 102 | 149 | 13 | 32 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | CIN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1965 | CIN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | CIN | SS | 8 | 7 | 15 | 21 | 1 | 5 |
| 1966 | CIN | 2B | 20 | 20 | 45 | 50 | 0 | 9 |
| 1966 | CIN | 3B | 113 | 113 | 110 | 208 | 13 | 16 |
| 1967 | CIN | 2B | 88 | 86 | 185 | 224 | 9 | 50 |
| 1967 | CIN | SS | 46 | 44 | 79 | 123 | 12 | 25 |
| 1968 | CIN | 2B | 127 | 125 | 322 | 370 | 15 | 82 |
| 1968 | CIN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | CIN | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | CIN | 2B | 125 | 125 | 320 | 344 | 17 | 87 |
| 1969 | CIN | SS | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970 | CIN | 2B | 148 | 147 | 350 | 410 | 13 | 107 |
| 1970 | CIN | SS | 12 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | CIN | 2B | 149 | 146 | 395 | 468 | 9 | 130 |
| 1972 | HOU | 2B | 139 | 139 | 353 | 441 | 17 | 115 |
| 1973 | HOU | 2B | 145 | 145 | 325 | 438 | 9 | 104 |
| 1974 | HOU | 2B | 133 | 130 | 308 | 360 | 10 | 99 |
| 1975 | HOU | 2B | 42 | 27 | 58 | 109 | 2 | 19 |
| 1975 | HOU | 3B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | HOU | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | PIT | 2B | 11 | 6 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 4 |
| 1976 | PIT | 3B | 22 | 10 | 8 | 27 | 3 | 4 |
| 1976 | PIT | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | BOS | 2B | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | BOS | 3B | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1129 |
| Third Base | 143 |
| Shortstop | 74 |
| Designated Hitter | 13 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Gold Glove | 2B |
| 1970 | Gold Glove | 2B |
| 1968 | TSN All-Star | 2B |
| 1966 | Rookie of the Year | |
| 1966 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 25th | 1.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1966 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 1st | 12.0 | 20 | 12 |