April 14 (UPI) -- Former Cincinnati Reds infielder Tommy Helms, the 1966 National League Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star, has died, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum announced. He was 83.
Helms died Sunday in Cincinnati. A cause of death was not provided.
Helms made his MLB debut for the Reds in 1964, but was not a full-time player until 1966. He hit .284 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs over 138 appearances in 1966. He hit a career-best .288 in 1968. Helms recorded a .269 average with 34 home runs and 477 RBIs over 1,435 career appearances.
He was a two-time Gold Glove Award winner as a second baseman. Helms played alongside several baseball legends while with the Reds, including Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez.
"One hell of a second baseman and a great man has left us," Bench wrote Monday on X. "Tommy Helms helped me so much as a rookie. I am forever grateful! Thank you, Tucker."
Helms only made one postseason run, which ended with a Reds loss to the Baltimore Orioles in the 1970 World Series. He went 4 for 18 (.222) in that five-game series.
The Reds traded Helms to the Houston Astros in 1971. The Astros traded Helms to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1975. The Oakland Athletics signed Helms in 1976. They traded Helms back to the Pirates in 1977. Helms spent his final season with the Boston Red Sox.
