Russ Heman

Who is Russ Heman?

Russell Frederick Heman is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.

The 6 ft 4 in, 200 lb right-hander was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent before the 1952 season. He went 34-34 with a 4.07 earned run average in four seasons in their farm system when he was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles on January 31, 1958. The White Sox had sent Larry Doby, Jack Harshman and Jim Marshall to the Orioles for Billy Goodman, Tito Francona and Ray Moore on December 3, 1957. When it was discovered by the Orioles that Harshman was suffering from a slipped disc, Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick ordered the Chisox to send either $20,000 or an acceptable player to the Orioles. Heman was sent to Baltimore to complete this deal.

Heman went 9-12 with a 3.20 ERA for Baltimore's triple A affiliate, the Vancouver Mounties in 1958. After the season, he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians for Bobby Avila. This trade also ran into some complications when Avila retired from baseball just after the deal. Eventually, the deal was worked out, and Heman went 6-12 with a 4.26 ERA for the Pacific Coast League's San Diego Padres in 1959. One of those six wins was a no-hitter against the Mounties.