Facts, Trivia, Memories and More about Jim Hegan

Transactions

Acquired: September 2, 1960 - Jim was signed as a free agent.

Trivia

• Jim's son Mike played with the Yankees in 1964, 1966-67.
• Mike and Jim became both the first father-son combination to be elected to an All-Star Game (Mike was named in 1969 with the Seattle Pilots, Jim was named in 1947, 1949-1952) and to win a World Series.  Jim in 1948 with the Indians and Mike with the 1972 A's.

Biography

Jim's playing career spanned 17 years, 14 of which were with the Cleveland Indians where he was the primary catcher for a line of terrific starting rotations, at times featuring Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Early Wynn.  For ten years from 1947-56, he caught 17 20-game winners, made five all-star appearances and was widely considered one of the finest defensive catchers in the league.

In his final season in 1960 after bouncing around from Detroit to the Phillies to the Giants ifrom 1958-59, Jim signed with, but played sparingly with the Chicago Cubs, who eventually released him on July 27th.  When Yankee bullpen coach Bill Dickey fell ill, Hegan, praised by Dickey, was signed to replace him.  While the Yankees activated Hegan in September, he never appeared in a single game.  When Dickey decided not to return, Hegan took over as the Yankee bullpen coach, a role he'd fill through the 1973 season, leaving after the firing of Ralph Houk, returning briefly for the 1979-80 seasons.

For a more detailed biography, check out his page on the SABR website