Frank Hiller – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Frank Hiller stands out as one of baseball’s many dedicated journeymen who gave it their all during the sport’s golden era. He was born on July 13, 1920, in Irvington, New Jersey. This right-handed pitcher put together a solid seven-year career in Major League Baseball from 1946 to 1953.

Hiller pitched for four major league teams: the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds. He finished with 30 wins, 32 losses, and appeared in 138 games. Folks called him “Dutch.” At six feet tall and 200 pounds, he brought a sturdy presence to the mound every time he played.

His story gives you a peek into the life of a pro athlete who bounced between teams, fighting to keep his spot on major league rosters during a super competitive era. Starting from his days at Lafayette College, all the way to his last season with the Giants in 1953, Hiller’s path through pro baseball shows just how much grit you needed to survive at the top.

Early Life and Education

Frank Walter Hiller grew up in a working-class immigrant family in New Jersey. He honed his athletic skills in high school before shining as a three-sport athlete at Lafayette College.

His baseball record at Lafayette—22 wins and just 2 losses—caught the eye of Major League scouts.

Family Background

Frank Walter Hiller and his twin brother William were born on July 13, 1920, in Irvington, New Jersey. They were the second and third sons of Theodor and Catherine (Kremer) Hiller.

Theodor Hiller, born in 1894 to German immigrants in New York City, worked as an electrician. Catherine came from Austria-Hungary in 1908 when she was just 12.

The Hiller family put a lot of value on education and the arts. Frank was the only one among his siblings who really loved sports. His family pushed him toward music too, and Frank found himself juggling both athletics and musical pursuits.

Irvington High School Achievements

Frank made his mark at Irvington High School. He earned seven letters in baseball, basketball, and football.

On the baseball field, he was a pitcher who never lost a game in high school. That perfect record made him a local sensation and got college recruiters interested.

He also led as president of the glee club. Frank played clarinet in the school band, showing off his musical side.

Through 2014, Frank remained the only Irvington High School grad to reach the major leagues. That’s a pretty wild stat and really points to his athletic ability.

Multi-Sport Talent at Lafayette College

Frank kept up his athletic streak at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He played three sports and even joined the school choir.

Coach Bill Coughlin, a former big leaguer himself, watched Frank put together an eye-popping 22-2 pitching record. Scouts took notice. Philadelphia Phillies manager Bucky Harris said Frank had real mental toughness.

Harris once said Frank had “intestinal fortitude, the most important thing for a pitcher to have next to a steel arm.” Still, Yankees scout Paul Krichell swooped in and signed Frank in 1943. Krichell had a knack for finding talent—he’d already discovered Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri.

Professional Baseball Career Beginnings

Frank Hiller’s pro baseball career kicked off in 1943 when the New York Yankees spotted his college talent. He built his early career in the minors, learning the ropes with the Newark Bears of the International League.

Signing with the New York Yankees

The Yankees signed Frank Hiller as an amateur free agent before the 1943 season. He was just 22.

He came straight from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, where he had racked up 22 wins and only 2 losses.

Frank didn’t just stick to baseball in college—he played football and basketball, too. The Yankees liked what they saw and brought him into their system.

This signing set him on the path to his pro baseball journey.

Minor League Years with Newark Bears

After joining the Yankees, Frank started his pro career with the Newark Bears. It was a hometown move for the New Jersey native.

He played for the Bears from 1943 to 1945 and picked up 39 wins over those three seasons.

The Newark Bears played in the International League at the time. This league gave Frank his first taste of organized professional baseball.

His years in Newark helped him grow as a pitcher. He picked up the skills he’d need to move up.

International League Performance

The International League was known for getting players ready for the majors. Frank’s success with the Bears showed he could handle pro ball.

Over three seasons, he won 39 games as a starter. That’s a pretty good sign he was ready for bigger things.

Teams used this league to test if players could hack it in the big leagues. Frank’s strong showing made the Yankees take notice.

His time in the International League led to his big break in 1946.

Major League Career Highlights

Frank Hiller spent seven years in the majors, from 1946 to 1953. He played for four teams, but his best stretch came with the Chicago Cubs in 1950. That year, he posted a .706 winning percentage. His time with other clubs had its ups and downs.

New York Yankees Debut

Hiller made his major league debut on May 25, 1946, with the Yankees against the Boston Red Sox. He threw two innings of relief, gave up two hits, struck out one, and didn’t allow any earned runs.

Injuries cut his debut season short. He hurt his elbow in the minors, and it nagged him throughout 1946. Team doctors found he had a neuroma of the ulnar nerve, which made every pitch painful.

He still made his first start a week later against the St. Louis Browns but took the loss. After a rough relief outing on June 9, the Yankees sent him down to Newark.

Doctors decided he needed surgery for his elbow. He wore a cast for about a month, then worked out with the University of Southern California baseball team for the rest of 1946.

Chicago Cubs Success

The Yankees traded Hiller to the Cubs on February 10, 1950, for $25,000. This move changed the course of his career.

Pitching coach Charlie Root helped Hiller develop his forkball, which became a nasty pitch against National League hitters. When starters Bob Rush and Johnny Schmitz struggled, manager Frankie Frisch leaned more on Hiller.

On May 26, 1950, Hiller threw his first major league shutout, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0. That performance dropped his ERA to just 0.68 at that point.

He really hit his stride with a six-game winning streak in July. On September 19, he tossed a two-hit shutout against the Phillies, capping his best season.

Hiller wrapped up 1950 with a 12-5 record and a 3.53 ERA in 153 innings over 38 games. His .706 winning percentage was second only to Sal Maglie of the Giants among NL pitchers.

Cincinnati Reds Tenure

The Cubs traded Hiller to the Reds on January 3, 1952, for knuckleballer Willie Ramsdell. Reds manager Luke Sewell felt good about the deal, saying Hiller told them his back issues were behind him.

Hiller started 1952 strong, tossing 20 scoreless innings over his first three starts. He held a 4-2 record and a 3.17 ERA going into a May 26 game against Pittsburgh.

But injuries just wouldn’t leave him alone. He hurt his knee on an infield hit in that game but tried to hide it. After three rough starts, the Reds finally sidelined him.

Then, on August 22, Hiller broke his nose in a collision with Phillies outfielder Richie Ashburn at first base. These injuries made the rest of his season tough—he finished with a 1-6 record and a 5.89 ERA.

New York Giants and Final MLB Season

Fifteen days after the 1952 season ended, the Reds shipped Hiller to the Giants for 22-year-old outfielder Gail Henley. Giants manager Leo Durocher liked the move, saying Hiller was “a lot better pitcher than most people think.”

Hiller started 1953 in the bullpen with future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm. His first eight outings were almost perfect—he posted a 0.93 ERA over 9⅔ innings.

His last big league appearance came on June 23, 1953, against the Cardinals. He came in after starter Dave Koslo couldn’t get an out. The Cardinals kept hitting, and the Giants lost 15-8.

During the fourth inning, Hiller let six straight batters reach base before getting pulled. He finished the year with a 2-1 record but a rough 6.15 ERA in only 19 innings.

Notable Teams and Trades

Hiller bounced around four major league teams thanks to trades and transactions. He also spent time with some well-known minor league clubs in the American Association.

Kansas City Blues and the American Association

Frank Hiller logged significant time with the Kansas City Blues. The Blues played a big role in the American Association.

The American Association was a top minor league back then, helping players get ready for the majors. A lot of future stars came through this league.

Hiller’s stint in Kansas City gave him valuable experience. The Blues organization helped shape him before his MLB debut in 1946.

The club had a reputation for developing pitchers, and Hiller learned plenty from the coaches and competition there.

Key Trades and Transactions

Hiller moved between four big league teams from 1946 to 1953. He suited up for the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds.

Major Team Changes:

• Started with New York Giants (1946)
• Went to the Chicago Cubs
• Played for the New York Yankees
• Traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1952

That 1952 trade to the Reds was a big shift for him. The Reds gave him regular chances to pitch late in his career.

Hiller wrapped up his major league days with the New York Giants in 1953. After leaving the majors, he pitched for the San Francisco Seals in the Giants’ minor league system in 1954.

Trades like these were common back then. Teams swapped players all the time to fill roster gaps or shake things up.

Career Statistics and Records

Frank Hiller finished with a 30-32 win-loss record and a 4.42 ERA over seven MLB seasons from 1946 to 1953. His best numbers came with the Chicago Cubs, where he notched most of his career wins.

Win-Loss Record and ERA

Hiller’s MLB career saw him win 30 games and lose 32, giving him a .484 winning percentage. His 4.42 ERA was just a bit below league average for his time.

His standout season was 1950 with the Cubs. That year, he went 12-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 38 games. He started 17 games, finished nine, and threw two shutouts.

The 1950 season was the best of his career. He pitched 153 innings, walked just 32 batters, and put up a 119 ERA+, meaning he was 19% better than league average.

MLB and Minor League Stats

Hiller played in 138 MLB games over seven seasons. He started 60 games and finished 22 of them, picking up five shutouts and four saves.

He logged 533.2 innings, striking out 197 batters while walking 158.

Career Totals by Team:

• New York Yankees (1946, 1948-1949): 5-6 record, 4.32 ERA
• Chicago Cubs (1950-1951): 18-17 record, 4.16 ERA
• Cincinnati Reds (1952): 5-8 record, 4.63 ERA
• New York Giants (1953): 2-1 record, 6.15 ERA

In the minors, Hiller spent time with teams like the Newark Bears and San Francisco Seals. Those years shaped him into the pitcher who finally debuted with the Yankees in 1946.

Postseason Performance and Milestones

Hiller never got to pitch in the postseason. None of the teams he played for made the playoffs while he was there.

He made his MLB debut on July 14, 1946, with the Yankees. In 1948, he finally picked up his first big league win.

He threw his last MLB pitch in 1953 with the New York Giants. After that season, he called it a career at age 33.

Life After Baseball and Legacy

Frank Hiller left professional baseball and moved into insurance, spending over twenty years as a regional manager. He passed away in 1987, but researchers and baseball fans still talk about his contributions.

Massachusetts Life Insurance Company Career

After hanging up his glove in 1954, Hiller decided to try something new. He joined Massachusetts Life Insurance Company as a regional manager.

He stuck with the company for 27 years. Honestly, that’s impressive—especially since so many former players struggled to find steady work after baseball.

The insurance business gave Hiller a steady paycheck and room to grow. He oversaw regional operations across several territories.

In 1981, he retired from Massachusetts Life Insurance Company. Folks there knew him as a reliable manager, and his baseball work ethic definitely helped.

Recognition by SABR and Baseball Community

The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) has played a big part in keeping Hiller’s baseball legacy alive. SABR researchers have dug up his stats and achievements, adding them to various databases.

Baseball historians still look back at Hiller’s time with four different major league teams. His 30-32 record over seven seasons kind of sums up the journeyman pitcher life in the ’40s and ’50s.

Modern baseball sites keep detailed records of his games, including his 4.42 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 138 appearances.

Lafayette College inducted Hiller into its athletics Hall of Fame in 1982. That honor recognized both his college days and his time as a pro.

Lasting Impact and Remembrance

Hiller died on January 8, 1987, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was just five days away from turning 67.

His baseball career really captures that era when players bounced around from team to team. Over seven years, Hiller played for the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds.

Modern baseball databases keep Hiller’s full stats alive. In the minor leagues, he racked up an 82-54 record and posted a 3.18 ERA across eight seasons.

Hiller’s story feels pretty familiar if you think about players from the 1940s and 1950s. After baseball, he found success in insurance, proving that those ballpark skills could actually carry over into a whole new career.