Pitcher John Hiller never flinched after health crisis

It has been said of big league athletes that they have "no fear of failure." Ironic, certainly, because every contest ends in a loser that is on most public display. Maybe it's the very fishbowl nature of their endeavors that makes the athletes shut out fear. Maybe it's a necessity because it would drive you nuts otherwise.
Or, is there simply an aspect to their minds that embraces supreme confidence? Is that how they got to the highest level? I wouldn't know - I'm a mere fan. In my own life, neither successes nor failures bring ballyhoo. We all fail more than we care to admit. More of us leave jobs in an "involuntary" way than we realize. Our shroud of privacy gives us cover. Even the people who dismiss workers don't wish to have their acts be public knowledge.
The anonymous crowd has the luxury of sifting through the lives of their sports heroes. As if it's everybody's business. So in the case of John Hiller, noted Detroit Tigers pitcher, his unfortunate heart emergency of 1971 became public news. At first it seemed nothing but depressing. It was a serious heart attack, actually a series of heart attacks. What began as a sad story gradually grew ever more inspiring. Was it partly due to the intangible of the innate confidence of big league athletes? How they fail to acknowledge the possibility of failure?
Whatever the explanation, Mr. Hiller survived to live long-term - right up to now! - and revived his baseball career in an unexpected way.
 
His resume includes No. 1
Pre-heart attack, Hiller was part of the cast of the 1968 world champion Detroit Tigers. You'll recall the names of Denny McLain and Mickey Lolich on the pitching staff. McLain had his issues with his personal behavior and decisions over the years. A non-athlete could have dealt with such things in such a low-profile way. McLain has had to explain his missteps. Fortunately he appears to be on a steady course now, and does a great job as part of the triumvirate that does the "No Filter Sports" podcast. Listen to this a few times and you'll realize he's not on the show just for his name. He's good.
He explains some of his problems as stemming from his daughter getting killed by a drunk driver. The thing is, he has had to give explanations. The ace pitcher on an MLB champion squad will have to answer to the public forever.
McLain, you might recall, won an incredible 31 games with manager Mayo Smith's 1968 Tigers. I've emailed the "No Filter" show wondering if the possibility of a movie had been discussed, a movie called "31" like the movie "61" about Roger Maris. (The "61" title included an asterisk.)
Thanks guys for reciting my thoughts on your show! I recall the great Denny saying the possibility of a movie "had been discussed." I would be surprised if it hadn't. His 31 pitching wins was the equivalent of what Maris did with the bat.
Also, although I didn't mention this, the severe up-and-down nature of Denny's life would give fodder. He's a very intelligent guy and we wish him the best.
Mickey Lolich? In addition to having a great pitching career, he picked up an image of an overweight guy. That was his image from an age when our standards for judging "overweight" were less forgiving than today. Today I seriously doubt that his physical profile would call for any comment. A blessing.
 
Staying power on mound
Now, on to John Hiller whose career story suggests he ought to be better remembered. Let's salute Mr. Hiller for staying with the same ballclub over his whole extended career! A Tiger to the core. He was the last of the '68 Tigers to retire in 1980. He was signed by the organization in 1962. By '67 he was known to all of the big club's fans. He was a reliever and on-demand starter.
In the stellar 1968 season he actually made his biggest impression in his starting opportunities. He was handed the ball 12 times to start. Early in August he struck out the first six Cleveland batters! Later that month, he tossed a one-hit shutout against the White Sox. He was so-so in the World Series but his team did win. His name is ensconced on the title roster. As time passed, Hiller was fashioned into more of a reliever. Detroit had such well-established starters. McLain and Lolich were complemented by Earl Wilson. Wilson had helped break the color barrier earlier in his career with Boston, the last team in MLB to properly integrate. Shame. (Pumpsie Green was Boston's breakthrough player.)
Mayo Smith came to appreciate Hiller because of flexibility, as the hurler could start games capably and also be a "fireman." Hiller was slightly upstaged in the relief department by Don McMahon, Pat Dobson and Tom Timmerman. I remember Timmerman with his glasses! (The term "nerd" is just too dated, n'est-ce pas?) I remember when the Orioles picked up Dobson to become their fourth 20-game winner in the same season! Actually I think that was an overdose of pitching, but it sure was memorable. It was 1971.
 
Heart attack at age 27
Hiller had the pivotal moment in his life in January of 1971. He drained a cup of coffee and lit up a cigarette. He experienced a massive heart attack. His age was just 27. His health had seemed sound. But the specter of his cigarette habit loomed, not as well appreciated then as now. My, Hiller had picked up the habit when only 13. He recalled never hearing the proper warnings through the early years.
A compounding factor might have been weight gain since 1968. The factors were behind two blockages in his heart valve. He recovered and then followed preventative measures. He heeded a recommendation for intestinal bypass surgery. The procedure was experimental at the time. It helped, as the southpaw hurler dropped down to 148 pounds from 220!
He quit smoking and reduced alcohol consumption. And it seemed he never lost resolve to show command on the pitching mound again. Yes, no fear of failure. What is failure?
Detroit was skeptical of comeback chances. They made him a minor league pitching instructor. Hiller doggedly worked out. He showed command throwing batting practice. When the Tigers had their pitching thinned in July of '72, they were aware of what Hiller might offer. On came Hiller to the 25-player big league roster. The manager was the volatile Billy Martin. Martin truly belongs in "another age," doesn't he?

Hiller was so savvy mixing his pitches. Martin had savvy with baseball judgment despite his peccadilloes. So Martin gave Hiller three starts. But it was back in relief where Hiller made an impression in the playoffs vs. the A's. He excelled in two appearances which might have gained greater notice had the Tigers not bowed to the A's in five.
Hard throwing was not Hiller's forte. He had the big league asset of shrewdness as he applied his slider and changeup. His best season was 1973, my first summer after high school, and Martin still had the reins. Hiller struck out 124 batters in 125 innings! His ERA was a microscopic 1.44.
Relief pitching hadn't taken the form of what we see today. Closers weren't reserved for the ninth inning alone, they might work two or three innings as Hiller often did.
The pitcher became philosophical. He said the "tight" situations like with runners on base, hardly seemed like anything to get worked up over. Consider what happened to him in 1971.
Hiller found 1973 to be his peak but he continued on a high level. Today we remember the likes of Willie Hernandez and Mike Henneman as supreme Tiger closers. Or maybe Todd Jones. Here's a vote cast for John Hiller as No. 1, conquerer of the pitching mound as well as life itself. Fear of failure? It doesn't exist.
 
More thoughts on my podcast!
I invite you all, Detroit Tiger fans or not, to call up my "Morris Mojo" podcast episode which sheds light on the 1968 "year of the pitcher" and the Tigers' triumph:
https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/1968-and-the-Detroit-Tigers-ehdesn
 
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

No joy to bat against this guy