Herman Hill

Who is Herman Hill?

Herman Alexander Hill 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.

A native of Tuskegee, Alabama, who grew up in Farmingdale, New Jersey, Hill threw right-handed, batted left-handed, stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 190 pounds. 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." After batting .300 with 31 stolen bases in 1969 for the Denver Bears of the Triple-A American Association, 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. 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.