Mike Hegan
Encyclopedia
James Michael "Mike" Hegan (born July 21, 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio
) is an American
former Major League Baseball
first baseman
and outfielder
and later radio announcer for the Cleveland Indians
. In 1969, Hegan hit the first home run
in Seattle Pilots
history in his first at-bat.
He is the son of longtime Indians catcher
Jim Hegan
. A graduate of Saint Ignatius High School, Hegan began his major league career with the New York Yankees
in 1964, also playing for the Seattle Pilots
, Milwaukee Brewers
, and the Oakland Athletics
as an outfielder and first baseman. He holds the distinction of being the only All-Star
to represent the Pilots in their only year in Seattle
. He was a member of the 1972
World Champion Oakland Athletics, chiefly as a pinch hitter
and defensive replacement for starting first baseman Mike Epstein
. Hegan was the last batter in the (pre-renovation) Yankee Stadium, flying out to center field as the Yankees lost to Detroit
, 8-5 on September 30, 1973. On September 3, 1976, he hit for the cycle. Hegan also held the American League record for most consecutive error
-less games as a first baseman (178), until it was broken by Kevin Youkilis
on September 7, 2007.
After his retirement from baseball as a player, Hegan spent the next twelve seasons as a color commentator
for the Brewers. He joined the Indians in 1989 and has served as a broadcaster on both radio and television. Beginning in the 2007 season, he worked exclusively on radio broadcasts, paired with Tom Hamilton
and later with Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus
in 2010 as part of a three-man broadcast team. In 2012, Hegan will transition from the broadcast booth to a role with the Indians as an alumni ambassador.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and later radio announcer for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. In 1969, Hegan hit the first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
history in his first at-bat.
He is the son of longtime Indians catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Jim Hegan
Jim Hegan
James Edward Hegan was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played for seventeen seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to and from to , most notably for the Cleveland Indians. After his playing career was over, he became a coach and scout in a baseball...
. A graduate of Saint Ignatius High School, Hegan began his major league career with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1964, also playing for the Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
, Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
as an outfielder and first baseman. He holds the distinction of being the only All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
to represent the Pilots in their only year in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He was a member of the 1972
1972 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning the American League West with a record of 93 wins and 62 losses. In the playoffs, they defeated the Detroit Tigers in a five-game ALCS, followed by a seven-game World Series, in which they defeated the Cincinnati Reds for their first World...
World Champion Oakland Athletics, chiefly as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
and defensive replacement for starting first baseman Mike Epstein
Mike Epstein
Michael Peter Epstein , nicknamed SuperJew, is a former Major League Baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, and California Angels from –....
. Hegan was the last batter in the (pre-renovation) Yankee Stadium, flying out to center field as the Yankees lost to Detroit
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, 8-5 on September 30, 1973. On September 3, 1976, he hit for the cycle. Hegan also held the American League record for most consecutive error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
-less games as a first baseman (178), until it was broken by Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
on September 7, 2007.
After his retirement from baseball as a player, Hegan spent the next twelve seasons as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for the Brewers. He joined the Indians in 1989 and has served as a broadcaster on both radio and television. Beginning in the 2007 season, he worked exclusively on radio broadcasts, paired with Tom Hamilton
Tom Hamilton (broadcaster)
Tom Hamilton , a native of Waterloo, Wisconsin, is the chief radio announcer for the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team, and during the off season, serves as a college basketball commentator for The Big Ten Network....
and later with Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus
Jim Rosenhaus (broadcaster)
Jim Rosenhaus is the engineer/producer and third broadcaster for the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team. Rosenhaus also hosts Indians Warm Up and TribeTalk on the Indians Radio Network....
in 2010 as part of a three-man broadcast team. In 2012, Hegan will transition from the broadcast booth to a role with the Indians as an alumni ambassador.
See also
- List of second generation MLB players
- List of Cleveland Indians broadcasters
- List of current Major League Baseball announcers