Hal Naragon
| Hal Naragon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: October 1, 1928 Zanesville, Ohio, U.S. | |
| Died: August 31, 2019 (aged 90) Barberton, Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 23, 1951, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 5, 1962, for the Minnesota Twins | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .266 |
| Home runs | 6 |
| Runs batted in | 87 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| As player
As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Harold Richard Naragon (October 1, 1928 – August 31, 2019) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians (1951; 1954–59) and Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins (1959–62). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Early life and career
[edit]Naragon was born in Zanesville, Ohio, and graduated from Barberton High School in Ohio.[1] After signing with the Cleveland Indians organization, he began his career in 1947 with the Pittsfield Electrics. He split the 1948 season between the Watertown Athletics and Harrisburg Senators. He spent 1950 with the Oklahoma City Indians, and 1951 with the San Diego Padres.[2]
Professional career
[edit]Naragon was promoted to the Indians late in the 1951 season and played in three games. After the season, he entered the United States Marine Corps and was stationed at Quantico during the Korean War.[1] He returned to the Indians in 1954, where he remained through the beginning of the 1959 season. His best season with the Indians was 1955, when he played in 57 games and had a .323 batting average.[3][4] He also caught one inning for the Indians in Game 3 of the 1954 World Series against the New York Giants.
On May 25, 1959, Naragon was traded to the Washington Senators with Hal Woodeshick for Ed Fitz Gerald. He spent the remaining four years of his career with the Senators, who became the Twins in 1961.[3] He spent much of his career backing up starting catchers Jim Hegan in Cleveland and Earl Battey in Washington/Minnesota.[4] He was released from the Twins after the 1962 season, ending his playing career.[5] In his 10-season MLB career, Naragon was a .266 hitter, with 262 hits, 27 doubles, 11 triples, six home runs and 87 RBI in 424 games played. He recorded a .991 fielding percentage.[3]
Later life
[edit]Following his playing career, Naragon was the bullpen coach for the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers from 1963 to 1969. He was closely associated with pitching coach Johnny Sain, and was a member of the 1965 American League champion Twins and the 1968 world champion Tigers. After his baseball career ended, he operated a sporting goods store in Barberton, where he lived with his wife and daughter.[1] Naragon died August 31, 2019, at the age of 90.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hal Naragon at the SABR Baseball Biography Project, by Tracy J. R. Collins. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ "Hal Naragon Minor League Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Hal Naragon Stats and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
- ^ a b Marlowe, Dick (March 29, 1961). "Second Fiddle". Orlando Evening Star. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hal Naragon in line as Twins coach". Post-Bulletin. October 13, 1962. p. 13.
- ^ "Former Cleveland Indians catcher Hal Naragon dies at 90". News 5 Cleveland. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet
- 1928 births
- 2019 deaths
- Cleveland Indians players
- Detroit Tigers coaches
- Harrisburg Senators players
- Major League Baseball bullpen coaches
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Minnesota Twins coaches
- Minnesota Twins players
- Oklahoma City Indians players
- Baseball players from Zanesville, Ohio
- Pittsfield Electrics players
- San Diego Padres (minor league) players
- Washington Senators (1901–1960) players
- 20th-century American sportsmen
- Watertown Athletics players