Heath De Fount-Haberlin was inducted to the Marin County Athletic Hall of Fame on November 2, 2013 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Rafael, California becoming the first athlete of Azorean-Portuguese decent ever to be inducted into the HOF. After 31 years, Heath still holds four of the All-Time Tamalpais High School baseball records for: batting average: .519, hits: 27, runs scored: 22 and stolen bases: 25. De Fount-Haberlin also holds the All-Time Tamalpais High School record for the most home runs (overall) during a season (6) in 1988. Heath was the first athlete to play varsity baseball all four years since 1960. Heath was All-League MCAL all four years as well at Tam High. Heath continued to play baseball at College of Marin as a Music major, and Division 1 college baseball at UC Berkeley for the Cal Bears, and later received a Division 1 college baseball scholarship at the University of San Francisco playing for the Dons.
Heath received several MLB offers from the Twins and Dodgers. Heath was offered a verbal $70,000 MLB free agent offer by a scout for the Minnesota Twins out of high school. Heath also tried out for the Philadelphia Phillies. Heath was also heavily recruited by colleges in high school and received multiple collegiate baseball scholarship offers from around the country from such colleges as University of Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford, UC Berkeley, USF, UC Davis, UC Riverside, St. Mary's, Loyola Marymount, Long Beach State, San Jose State and Chapman College.
Heath was just weeks away from attending college at Arizona State before he was persuaded by College of Marin Head Baseball Coach Al Endriss to attend school at College of Marin and play baseball for College of Marin Mariners. Legendary coach Al Endriss' main reasoning was that Heath had a better chance of being drafted in the MLB Draft in his first 2 years at College of Marin then at a 4 year college from which a college baseball player could only be drafted after his senior season campaign at the time. Heath attained 3.7 GPA again and made the Honors List again at College of Marin before he transferred to University of San Francisco in the Spring of 1992. Heath received a baseball scholarship to University of San Francisco for both the 1992 and 1993 seasons. Heath was an Honor Roll Student-Athlete three times while attending University of San Francisco.
University of San Francisco head coach Ken Bowman's 1992 University of San Francisco media guide quote, "(De Fount-) Haberlin is an exceptionally well-rounded player who can run, hit, throw and simply play very smart baseball."
Heath suffered torn right ankle ligaments while playing basketball in the off-season a week before the start of the WAC Season for University of San Francisco. In fear of losing his baseball scholarship, Heath soldiered on through the season re-injuring the ankle 30 plus times during the very wet, rainy college baseball season of 1992. It was taped daily for the entire season. Heath hit a disappointing .183 which was his all-time low batting average in his baseball career. "I learned a lot about myself that season and about others (who your real friends are) when adversity comes," Heath stated.
Heath's baseball redemption at University of San Francisco came in the form of a comeback in 1993 to his previous glory days in hitting .295, third in batting average on the USF team, his senior season after leading both the WAC and the University of San Francisco Dons in average for most of the 1993 season. Heath started in every game for University of San Francisco in centerfield and in right field as well until a season and career ending hand injury from a beaning.
Heath broke both of his hands (boxer breaks-fifth metacarpals) in two separate beanings during the last weeks of his senior campaign. Heath's career ending injury was shattering his left hand while protecting his face. It ended Heath's college baseball career and his baseball dream, a MLB tryout a few weeks later with the Florida Marlins for the 1993 MLB Draft.Â
Heath graduated from University of San Francisco with a BA Degree in Sports Administration in 1995.
Heath De Fount-Haberlin is a professional musician (vocalist/guitarist), music teacher, author and chef who currently resides in both San Francisco, California and Tamalpais Valley, California (HeathHaberlin.com).
