{{short description|American baseball player (born 1950)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography | image = Dave Heaverlo.jpg | name = Dave Heaverlo | position = Relief pitcher | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|8|25}} | birth_place = Ellensburg, Washington, U.S. | bats = Right | throws = Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate = April 14 | debutyear = 1975 | debutteam = San Francisco Giants |finalleague = MLB | finaldate = September 27 | finalyear = 1981 | finalteam = Oakland Athletics |statleague = MLB | stat1label = Win–loss record | stat1value = 26–26 | stat2label = Earned run average | stat2value = 3.41 | stat3label = Strikeouts | stat3value = 288 | teams = *San Francisco Giants ({{Baseball year|1975}}–{{Baseball year|1977}}) *Oakland Athletics ({{Baseball year|1978}}–{{Baseball year|1979}}) *Seattle Mariners ({{Baseball year|1980}}) *Oakland Athletics ({{Baseball year|1981}}) | highlights = }} '''David Wallace Heaverlo''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|æ|v|ər|l|oʊ}} {{respell|HAV|er|loh}};<ref name="bmrksnnbhof&m">[https://baseballhall.org/discover/card-corner/1978-topps-dave-heaverlo Markusen, Bruce. "#CardCorner: 1978 Topps Dave Heaverlo," National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.] Retrieved August 2, 2021</ref> born August 25, 1950) is an American former right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher. His out pitch was a forkball. He is noted for shaving his head at a time when it wasn't popular and wearing a uniform number usually assigned to players not expected to make the major leagues coming out of spring training.<ref name="lolsondr190122t">[https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/sports/dave-heaverlo-enjoying-life-after-baseball/article_00ae4aae-201e-5adf-9839-e14b688a7b2b.html Olson, Luke. "Dave Heaverlo enjoying life after baseball," ''Daily Record'' (Ellensburg, WA), Tuesday, January 22, 2019.] Retrieved August 2, 2021</ref>
Heaverlo attended Moses Lake High School in Moses Lake, Washington, graduating in 1968. He then went on to Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, Washington, where he graduated in 1973. He is a member of the athletics hall of fame at both his high school<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chiefathletics.org/dheaver.html |title=Moses Lake High School Chief Pride |access-date=June 29, 2007 |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928091823/http://www.chiefathletics.org/dheaver.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and university.
Heaverlo pitched for the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, and the Seattle Mariners. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1975 for the Giants and pitched his last game on September 27, 1981 for the Athletics. He earned a reputation as a jokester. He shaved his head because he couldn't stand the Arizona heat in spring training and insisted on keeping his non-roster uniform number 60 so he didn't have to change it on his glove or cleats.<ref name="lolsondr190122t"/> His bald head earned him the nickname '''Kojak''' after the television detective played by Telly Savalas.<ref name="bmrksnnbhof&m"/>
After going 5–1 with a 2.55 ERA in 1977, he along with Gary Thomasson, Gary Alexander, John Henry Johnson, Phil Huffman, Alan Wirth and $300,000 was traded from the Giants to the Athletics for Vida Blue on March 15, 1978.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/17/archives/seven-players-traded-to-as-meeting-the-limit-giants-obtain-blue.html "Seven Players Traded to A's," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Thursday, March 16, 1978.] Retrieved October 22, 2020</ref> Mario Guerrero was sent to the Athletics just over three weeks later on April 7 to complete the transaction.
In his career, Heaverlo made 356 major league appearances, all as a relief pitcher. He pitched 537 career innings and earned 26 saves with a 3.41 ERA.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dave Heaverlo Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heaveda01.shtml |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
Heaverlo now works as the pitching coach for the Big Bend Vikings in Moses Lake. He also hosts a radio talk show.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.visittri-cities.com/index.cfm?regid=%23%2F%40%20)%0A&fwnavid=%23%2F%40%3C(%0A&navMode=(%3FT%3D%3A(Y%3EJ%3B1%5C%20%0A |title=Tri-Cities Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=June 29, 2007 |archive-date=April 29, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060429085031/http://www.visittri-cities.com/index.cfm?regid= |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Heaverlo's son, Jeff, pitched in the minor leagues in the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-30 |title=Jeff Heaverlo Stats & Scouting Report |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/78604-jeff-heaverlo/ |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=Baseball America}}</ref>
==References== <references/>
==External links== {{Baseballstats|br=h/heaveda01}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heaverlo, Dave}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Baseball players from Washington (state) Category:Central Washington Wildcats baseball players Category:Sportspeople from Ellensburg, Washington Category:San Francisco Giants players Category:Oakland Athletics players Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Fresno Giants players Category:Amarillo Giants players Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Phoenix Giants players Category:Tacoma Tigers players