Herman Hill

Herman Alexander Hill (October 12, 1945 – December 14, 1970) was an American professional baseball player, an outfielder who appeared in 43 Major League games for the 1969–1970 Minnesota Twins. Hill's life and baseball career were prematurely ended when he accidentally drowned in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela during the 1970 winter baseball season.[1]

Herman Hill
Centerfielder/Pinch runner
Born: (1945-10-12)October 12, 1945
Tuskegee, Alabama
Died: December 14, 1970(1970-12-14) (aged 25)
Puerto Cabello, Venezuela
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 2, 1969, for the Minnesota Twins
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1970, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
Batting average.083
Runs scored12
Hits2
Teams

Born to Charles and Milobelia Hill, among 12 other siblings, Hill was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, and grew up in Farmingdale, New Jersey.[2]

Hill threw right-handed, batted left-handed, stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg). He signed with the Twins in 1966 and rose through their farm system. He was described in March 1969 by Baseball Digest as a "Good prospect. Has hustle, desire, determination. Speedy baserunner and hits with power."[2] After batting .300 with 31 stolen bases in 1969 for the Denver Bears of the Triple-A American Association,[3] Hill was recalled that September. He served as a pinch runner in his first 11 MLB appearances before Twins' manager Billy Martin used him as a pinch hitter and backup centerfielder.[4] He went hitless in two at bats and scored four runs.

In 1970, he split the season between the Triple-A Evansville Triplets and Minnesota, appearing in 27 MLB games in June, July and September. On June 29 at Metropolitan Stadium, Hill started in centerfield and collected his first two Major League hits, both singles off Dick Drago of the Kansas City Royals. Hill also scored two runs in a 5–4 Minnesota victory.[5] Hill started again the next day, but was hitless in five at bats and the remainder of his MLB career was a pinch runner, pinch hitter or late-inning defensive replacement.[6] During his Minnesota career, Hill batted 24 times with two hits (both on June 29, 1970), no runs batted in, one stolen base and two caught stealings. He scored 12 runs.

After being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in October 1970, Hill played winter baseball in Venezuela. He drowned while swimming near Puerto Cabello at age 25.

See also

References
  1. Jet, December 31, 1970, p. 52
  2. Minnesota Twins Rookie Scouting Reports, Baseball Digest, March 1969, page 90
  3. Minor league statistics from Baseball Reference
  4. Retrosheet
  5. 1970-6-29 box score from Retrosheet
  6. Retrosheet
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