August Julius "Gus" Hetling (November 21, 1885 – October 13, 1962) was a professional baseball player from 1904 to 1917. He appeared in two games for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

in October 1906 and played 14 years of minor league baseball, including three seasons in Springfield, Missouri (1904–06), four years in Wichita, Kansas (1907–1908, 1915–1916), and four years with the

Oakland Oaks Oakland Oaks may refer to one of the following sport teams, listed chronologically: * Oakland Oaks (PCL), a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 to 1955 *Oakland Oaks (ice hockey), a professional ice hockey t ...

in the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

(1911–14). After compiling more than 200 hits and a .297 batting average in 1912, he was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the Pacific Coast League.

Early years

Hetling was born in November 1885 at

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

. His father, Henry Hetling, was born in Missouri in 1856, and his mother, Bertha Hetling, was also a Missouri native born in 1865. At the time of the 1900 U.S. Census, the family lived in St. Louis, and Hetling's father was employed as a day laborer.

Baseball player

Major leagues

Hetling played only one day in Major League Baseball, appearing as a third baseman in both games of a double-header for the

on October 6, 1906. Hetling had one hit in seven at bats for a .143 batting average. He handled five total chances with three putouts, two assists, and no errors.

Minor leagues

Hetling spent most of his baseball career, totaling 14 years, in the minor leagues. He played for the

Springfield Midgets The Springfield Midgets were a minor league baseball team that played from 1903 to 1904 in the Missouri Valley League and from 1906 to 1909 and 1921 to 1930 in the Western Association. Based in Springfield, Missouri, they were affiliated with the St ...

(1904, 1906), Springfield Highlanders (1906),

Wichita Jobbers Wichita ( ) may refer to: People *Wichita people, a Native American tribe *Wichita language, the language of the tribe Places in the United States * Wichita, Kansas, a city * Wichita County, Kansas, a county in western Kansas (city of Wichita i ...

(1907–08), Kansas City Blues (1909), and Spokane Indians (1910). In 1906, he had 30 doubles, 12 triples and three home runs in 140 games for Wichita. In 1908, he hit .318 in 140 games for Wichita. His .318 batting average was second best in the Western Association in 1908, and he led the league with 116 hits. Early in the 1909 season, while Hetling was playing for Kansas City in the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

, ''Sporting Life'' wrote:

"Gus Hetling is the real article at third. Here is the star of the flock of Blue 1909 recruits. Hetling is a finished product. He handles himself with natural ease born of ability and confidence. He wings the pill to first with unerring accuracy, although he has a peculiar motion in throwing. In the exhibition games he has been hitting as if he intends to show the A. A. pitchers a sample of the .318 batting pace he stepped in the Western Association."

He spent several years of his career in the

playing for the Portland Beavers in 1910, the

from 1911 to 1914, and the Vernon Tigers in 1915. He appeared in a career high 202 games with 708 at bats and a .297 batting average for the Oaks in 1912. He helped lead the Oaks to the 1912 Pacific Coast League pennant and was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the league by a vote of the league's six official scorers. He was given an automobile for winning the MVP award. Hetling concluded his career with the Wichita Witches (1915–16) and San Antonio Bronchos (1917).

Family and later years

In September 1918, and at the time of the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Censuses, Hetling was living in Wichita, Kansas, with his wife Rose E. (Young) Hetling. He was employed in 1918 as a salesman, in 1920 as a travelling salesman, and in 1930 in the cigar business.Census entry for Gus Hetling, age 45, born in Missouri. Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Wichita, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: 720; Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 0041; Image: 43.0; FHL microfilm: 2340455. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census atabase on-line Hetling died in October 1962 at Wichita, Kansas.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hetling, Gus Detroit Tigers players Major League Baseball third basemen Baseball players from St. Louis 1885 births 1962 deaths Springfield Midgets players Wichita Jobbers players Kansas City Blues (baseball) players Portland Beavers players Spokane Indians players Oakland Oaks (baseball) managers Oakland Oaks (baseball) players Venice Tigers players Vernon Tigers players Wichita Witches players Colorado Springs Millionaires players San Antonio Bronchos players Iola Gasbags players