TUSCUMBIA – One of the greatest players to ever swing a bat in Major League Baseball will be honored in his hometown April 5-7.
As part of the Alabama Bicentennial Celebration, Heinie Manush will be remembered with three-days of activities, including a vintage baseball game featuring members the Cumberland Baseball Club of Nashville, tours of Manush’s childhood home and a book talk and signing by Dan D’Addona, author of “In Cobb’s Shadow: The Hall Of Fame Careers Of Sam Crawford Harry Heilmann And Heinie Manush”.
Henry Emmett “Henie” Manush was an outfielder who spent 17 years in the big leagues. In 1926, he won the American League Batting Championship with a .378 average, beating out Babe Ruth for the title. Manush grew up on Third Street in Tuscumbia. He died in Sarasota Fla., in 1971.
“It’s going to be big,” said Annie Perry, a, organizer of the celebration. “Heinie Manush is a baseball legend. As I have called around the country to alert the teams he played for and others about Heinie Manush Days, everyone has been excited that we are honoring him. We have people coming from all over to join the celebration.”
The Detroit Tigers will tout Henie Manush Days in Tuscumbia on their scoreboard at Comercia Park.
Manush, who was known as The Hitting Machine, was born in Tuscumbia in 1901. He played professional baseball from 1920 to 1939 for the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers an Pittsburgh Pirates and then worked as a manager, scout and coach.
Manush was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1964 and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1972.
“Heinie’s final career numbers are often overlooked, but he was one of the most dominating hitters of his time. He slapped 200 hits four times, 40 doubles five times, and finished his 2,008-game career with a .330 batting average, 2,524 hits, 491 doubles, 1,288 runs scored and 1,183 runs batted in,” D’Addona wrote.
The celebration begins Friday, April 5 with education day at Deshler Middle School, featuring a general assembly with D’Addona as keynote speaker and a baseball clinic for the students.
On Saturday, April 6, Frank Manush, Manush’s nephew, will throw the first pitch as the Deshler Tigers play the Wilson Warriors in a double header at Deshler High’s Heinie Manush Field. The first game begins at 10:30 a.m. The second game is at 2:30 p.m.
Vintage baseball team members and Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame all-stars will be at Coldwater Books, 101 W. 6th St., for a meet and greet beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The Tuscumbia trolley will shuttle baseball fans from the bookstore to the Manush home. The tours are free. The final trolley tour leaves the store at 4 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., D’Addona will be at the bookstore to talk about his book and Manush’s career.
On Sunday, April 7, A ragtag team of players from Cumberland Baseball Club, along with local celebrities and relatives of Manush, will play a vintage baseball game at Heinie Manush Field, using old-time baseball rules. Frank Manush will throw the first pitch. Organ grinder Ted Guillaum will entertain during the game. Fans can earn an honorary organ grinder certificate by cranking out a tune on the organ. Concessions will be available. Admission is free. Perry said tailgating before the game is encouraged.
For more details about the celebration, call Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau at 256-383-0783.
