Jim Hegan
| Jim Hegan | |
|---|---|
Hegan in about 1953 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: August 3, 1920 Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| Died: June 17, 1984 (aged 63) Swampscott, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 9, 1941, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 4, 1960, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .228 |
| Home runs | 92 |
| Runs batted in | 525 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
James Edward Hegan (August 3, 1920 – June 17, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and scout. He played for 17 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1941 to 1942 and 1946 to 1960, most notably for the Cleveland Indians with whom he won a World Series in 1948.
Although Hegan was a light-hitter as a player, he earned acclaim within the game (amongst both peers and journalists) as one of the best defensive catchers of his era and a capable handler of pitching staffs. Hegan ultimately earned five All-Star selections.
After retiring as a player, he continued to serve as a major league coach in a baseball career that spanned almost 40 years. Hegan was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 1966.