Jim Hegan

James Edward Hegan (August 3, 1920 – June 17, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and scout who spent 17 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he attended Lynn English High School and was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1938. After four seasons in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut with Cleveland on September 7, 1941, at the age of 20. Hegan appeared in 68 games in 1942 before joining the United States Coast Guard for the remainder of the Second World War.

He played in the majors from 1941 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1960, most prominently with the Indians, where he was an integral member of the 1948 World Series-winning team. A five-time All-Star, Hegan was a light-hitting player offensively but distinguished himself as one of the best defensive catchers of his era and a capable handler of pitching staffs.

After retiring as a player, Hegan continued as a major league coach, in a baseball career that spanned almost 40 years. He was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 1966.