Remembering one of Allentown’s all-time greats: Bob ‘Butch’ Heffner was a two-sport star

Allentown/Allen High School has produced more than its share of great teams, coaches and players over the years.But if the school did a Mount Rushmore of all-time greats, Robert Butch Heffner definitely deserves one of the four spots.Heffner died Wednesday at the age of 86, but his legend lives on as one of Allentowns greatest athletes and personalities.He is widely considered one of the schools all-time greats in basketball.

Milo Sewards said of him in a 1957 Morning Call story, Hes the best I ever had, and Ive had some great ones kids like [Bob] Benner, [Ed] Cahn, [Bill] Snyder, [Dale] Smith, [Leroy] Katz and [Joe] Berghold.

He can do everything.The 1957 graduate finished his career with 1,369 points, the most in Canaries history at the time, and he compiled that total in three seasons.

He set the schools mark for points in a season (617), field goals in a career (506), foul shots made in a career (357), and scoring average (25.8) and best East Penn League scoring average (29.0).To put those records in perspective, before Heffner played for Sewards, the Canaries had already won five state championships, although two were later vacated because of PIAA rule violations.Allentowns Butch Heffner, a former Red Sox pitcher, attended Fenway Parks 100th anniversary celebration in 2012.

Heffner died last week at the age of 86.

(Contributed photo / Janet Heffner).Heffner, who scored 41 points twice in games, was twice named first-team all-state in basketball and a Parade All-American, honors he shared with Palmerton great Bob Mlkvy.The two of them were intertwined as the greatest players of the 1950s.The late Paul Reinhard, a longtime Morning Call sports writer and editor, said, Those two went hand-in-hand.

Heffner [who was 6-foot-4] was a more rugged player and could do everything, but Mlkvy was a more polished player.Reinhard pointed out that Allentown was an amazing 76-4 in Heffners four seasons, and the Canaries beat the Blue Bombers in two of their three matchups.

In 1955, Allentown beat Palmerton for the District 11 title, but the Blue Bombers gained revenge the following year with a 58-57 win in the district finals in a thriller at the Penn Palestra.

It was Allentowns lone loss after 25 consecutive wins.Robert Butch Heffner, Allentown native who played for a pro baseball team in Allentown that played at Breadon Field, now the site of the Lehigh Valley.

Heffner holds up a childs uniform from 1963 which his son, Terry, used to wear for Halloween when he was a child.

Heffner also holds a ball from a game he played years ago it reads 8-21-64 NY-0 Boston- 7.

Heffner died last week at the age of 86.

(Monica Cabrera / The Morning Call).In Heffners final season, 1956-57, the Canaries won their fifth straight East Penn title and beat Palmerton and Mlkvy 69-52 to regain district gold before losing to Chester in the state tournament.Mlkvy went on to a storied college career at the University of Pennsylvania.

Heffner went into professional baseball.After leading the Herbert Paul Lentz Post of Allentown to the 1956 American Legion baseball state championship, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and spent six seasons in their minor-league system, and then spent three years with the Red Sox from 1963 to 1965.Before getting to Boston, however, he shined with the Boston minor-league affiliate that played in Allentown, winning 16 games with 163 strikeouts while pitching for his hometown team in 1960.His best year was in 1964 with Boston when he had career-highs in wins (7), strikeouts (112), saves (6), games (55) and innings pitched (158.2).Allentown High graduate Butch Heffner played for the Red Sox from 1963-65.

He is holding baseball cards of himself from his playing days in a 2012 photo.

Heffner died last week at the age of 86.

(Denise Sanchez / The Morning Call).He pitched for Cleveland in 1966 and for the California Angels in 1968.

In five MLB seasons, he had an 11-21 record, 4.51 ERA, and 240 strikeouts, and two shutouts.In Evan Burians book Sports Legends of the Lehigh Valley, Heffner talked about his best game and the aftermath of it.This game was in 1964 while I was pitching for the Red Sox, Heffner said.

We were in Cleveland and beating the Indians 1-0.

I had a no-hitter for 8 and 2/3 innings when Tito Francona hit a home run to tie the game.

I got the next batter, Joe Adcock, on a popup to end the inning, and then was taken out of the game for a pinch-hitter.

Prior to the game, I received permission from our manager to hop on a plane to return to Allentown after the game to see my newborn daughter.

I hadnt seen her yet because we had started a long road trip.

We were going to New York next to play the Yankees and I could meet the team in New York.So after the game, I took a shower and headed for the airport while the game went into extra innings, Heffner continued.

While at the Cleveland airport, I heard the Indians won the game 2-1 in 15 innings.

My roomie, Dick Radatz, gave up a home run to Francona.

When I was on the plane, the man sitting next to me kept talking about the 15-inning Cleveland victory and the heroics of Francona.

I never said a word to the man and told him that I was aware of Franconas exploits because I was the guy who gave up the first home run to him.

If I tried to explain the situation, he never would have believed me.Heffner told that story and many more while working for Banko Beverage for nearly 40 years.

A popular figure at oldtimers gatherings, he never forgot his Allentown High days or his times in the Little Palestra playing for Sewards in front of capacity crowds.

He also had a memorable road game.I had scored 41 points against Bethlehem and the next week we played at Hazleton, he said in Burians book, Coach Birney Crum and Allentown High.

During warmups their students were chanting You wont do it now!, You wont do it now! Milo was ranting and raving.

I just told him to give me the ball.

And I scored another 41 points and we beat Hazleton.

My halftime comment made the newspaper the next day, and whenever people saw me after that, they would just say to me, Give me the ball.

I wasnt being cocky when I said it.

I just had confidence in my ability, and that confidence was passed down to AHS athletes for generations from one Canary great to another.A private service will be held at the convenience of the family.

Stephens Funeral Home in Allentown is in charge of arrangements..

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