Baseball Way Back: How John Hiller revived his career after heart attack
In 1973, the Sporting News named Detroit Tigers reliever John Hiller the American League Comeback Player of the Year and the Fireman of the Year.
Expressing surprise at the diagnosis, Hiller told the press he hadn't been doing any heavy work or running. He said he woke up one day, had a cup of coffee and lit up a cigarette."It was strange -- a heaviness in my chest." He said it reminded him of when had pneumonia in 1966, so he put out the cigarette.
by signing up you agree to our terms of service It turned out that high cholesterol, not smoking, was the culprit in Hiller's attack, even though he had been a smoker since age 13.Hiller was optimistic in his prognostication to Detroit Free Press on March 26, talking about pitching by midseason.
Talk of a comeback revived in August 1971, with Hiller telling the Associated Press he weighed 160 pounds and was active during his extended offseason."I have a job in Duluth selling furniture. I play golf and paddleball whenever I can. I've been throwing and running, too." "For one thing, Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions died of a heart attack last fall on the same field where I'd be pitching. I'm sure this is in their minds," he said.
In Chicago against the White Sox July 8, Hiller made his"second" major league debut, pitching the middle three innings in relief. The results were mixed -- he struck out Carlos May and Pat Kelly but yielded a two-run homer to Dick Allen -- but considering the odds against him ever pitching, it was an incredible triumph.The win was a complete-game, five-hit victory over Milwaukee on Oct. 1, following which he said,"I go at this game with a little different attitude than I used to.
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