Heinie

Heinie Manush

Today, we might think of this nickname as referring to a person's posterior (i.e., their behind), but in Manush's day it was strictly an ethnic -- though not necessarily a derogatory -- name for someone with German heritage.

When he hit .378 in 1926, he barely edged out Babe Ruth for the American League batting title, going 6-for-9 in a doubleheader on the last day of the season.

Two years later, Manush hit .378 again, but this time he didn't win the batting crown, losing by the slimmest of margins to Goose Goslin, who hit .379.

In 1936, at age 35, he reported to the Red Sox (the fourth of  six teams he would play for in his career), full of confidence.

"I'm going out to right field to loosen up," he said on Opening Day. "I'm gonna have a year to top 'em all this season."

Unfortunately for Heinie, his muscles didn't share his enthusiasm. In one Herculean effort, he pulled his right knee up to his chest ... and promptly fell in a heap. No, he hadn't been shot. He had popped his back out of place!

July

Who is this slugging left fielder?

My first and middle names are Henry Emmett, but I am known by a politically incorrect, ethnic nickname -- not unusual for the era in which I played.

I was born in 1901 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. My parents were German immigrants.

I made my major league debut in 1923 with the Detroit Tigers, hitting .334 and playing in the outfield with Ty Cobb and Harry Heilmann.

My older brother, Frank, was also a big-leaguer, playing third base for the Philadelphia Athletics.

In 1926 I hit .378, but after an "off" year in 1927 (I hit .298), I was traded to the St. Louis Browns. This began the revolving-door aspect of my career, in which I played for a total of six teams (unusual then, commonplace today), finishing with the Pirates in 1939.

In 1934, I set the record (which still stands) for fastest player to reach 100 hits, doing it in my 60th game.

Overall, I had 2,524 hits in my career and my career batting average was .330.

I was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1964.

I died in Sarasota, Florida, on May 12, 1971, at age 69.