▁and ▁managed ▁for ▁several ▁more ▁seasons . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Har per ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ar ling ton , ▁Kentucky , ▁and ▁he ▁attended ▁Ford y ce ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Ford y ce , ▁Ark ansas . ▁He ▁entered ▁professional ▁baseball ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁with ▁the ▁Paris ▁Bo ost ers ▁of ▁the ▁Texas - Ok lahoma ▁League . ▁Stand ing ▁ 5 ' 8 " ▁tall ▁and ▁we igh ing ▁ 1 6 5 ▁pounds , ▁Har per ▁threw ▁right - hand ed ▁and ▁batt ed ▁left - hand ed . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁major ▁league ▁debut ▁with ▁the ▁Detroit ▁Tig ers ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁he ▁played ▁ 9 1 ▁games ▁in ▁right ▁field ▁for ▁the ▁Detroit ▁Tig ers , ▁next ▁to ▁Ty ▁C obb ▁in ▁center ▁field . ▁Har per ▁played ▁right ▁field ▁for ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁as ▁they ▁transition ed ▁the ▁position ▁from ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁member ▁Sam ▁C raw ford ▁to ▁another ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁member ▁Harry ▁Heil mann . ▁▁ ▁After ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁League , ▁Har per ▁was ▁three ▁times ▁among ▁the ▁league ' s ▁leaders ▁in ▁batt ing ▁average ▁and ▁on - base ▁percentage : ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁Har per ▁started ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁Gi ants ▁in ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁termin ally ▁ill ▁Ross