In his first full season he hit a homer in Monessen, PA that was measured by the town's major at 512 feet. In 1933, while playing for the Pittsburgh Crawfords, Josh Gibson batted 512 times, hit 55 homers and drove home an awesome 239 runs.

In his last full season, 1945, he won another Negro League batting crown with .393. Josh Gibson was diagnosed with a brain tumor but continue to play baseball and died in his sleep - January 1947 at the age on 37.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Because of unreliable statistics during his early years, baseballhistorian.com, relying on sketchy records, guesses that Josh Gibson's career stats are: .340 batting average, 700 doubles, 800 home runs and 2,000 RBIs. baseballhistorian.com Research Dept.

The History of Baseball

Harry Heilman won four batting titles and ranks as one of top hitters in baseball history. His career .342 batting mark is second only to Rogers Hornsby among right-handed hitters.

Playing for the Detroit Tigers Heilmann hit over .300 for 12 consecutive years and four times he hit over .390. In 1921 he hit .394, then in 1923 hit .403, and in 1925 hit .393, and in 1927 hit .398 that's amazing numbers!

Heilman played 17 seasons without appearing in a World Series, as the Tigers lacked pitching during his era. On July 26, 1926, Heilmann drove in eight runs in a single game.

The only flaw in this Hall of Famers great career was he was a slow runner and he was not regarded as a top fielder. As a fact: his teammates nicknamed him Slug' for his slowness at foot.

Harry Heilmann's career: .342 BA, 2260 hits, 542 D's, 151 T's, 183 HRs and 112 stolen bases. Heilmann struck out only 550 times in 7787 at bats.

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