Hank Riebe

Riebe, an all-around athlete who grew up in Euclid, Ohio, lived his baseball dream during the 1940s. Signed off Cleveland’s sandlots by the Tigers in 1939, Harvey first made the major leagues with Detroit in August 1942. He hit .314 in 35 at-bats for the remainder of the season.

After the 1942 season ended, Riebe joined the Army. He served for three years, finishing with a tour of duty in France in 1945. The following February he rejoined the Tigers for spring training. Harvey spent 1946 with Dallas of the Texas League, helping the Rebels win the “Dixie” World Series.

Following another year in the minors, Riebe became Tigers bullpen catcher in 1948 and 1949. Honored with his own baseball card by Pacific Cards in 1995, Harvey averaged .212 lifetime in a career that was interrupted for three years by World War II.