Ed Hearn | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Catcher | |
Born: Stuart, Florida, U.S. | August 23, 1960|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 17, 1986, for the New York Mets | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 2, 1988, for the Kansas City Royals | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .263 |
Home runs | 4 |
Runs batted in | 14 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Edward John Hearn (born August 23,1960) is an American professional baseball catcher who played for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball from 1986 to 1988. He won the 1986 World Series with the Mets.
Hearn was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth round of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft after attending Fort Pierce Central High School. After four seasons in their organization in which he failed to reach higher than the double A level,he was released by the Phillies on January 7,1983. However,he was soon signed as a minor league free agent by the New York Mets.
Hearn spent most of 1983 with the Single-A Lynchburg Mets before being promoted to Double-A Jackson,batting .274 with five home runs and 49 runs batted in between the two clubs. [1] In 1984,he led the Jackson Mets with a .312 batting average and tied for second with eleven home runs. He earned his promotion to Triple-A in 1985,spending the whole season with the International League's Tidewater Tides.
Hearn began the 1986 season in Tidewater when Barry Lyons won the back-up catcher job out of spring training. Manager Davey Johnson,however,reversed that decision in early May,and Hearn made his major league debut with the Mets on May 17 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. He went two for three with a single and a double off Bob Welch,and caught Greg Brock,who had stolen a base off him in the third inning,stealing in the seventh. [2]
While Hearn was on the Mets' World Series roster,he was the only player to not make a post-season appearance,as the backup to future Hall of Famer Gary Carter during the teams' 1986 season. He appeared in the team's 1986 music video "Let's Go Mets Go".
On March 27,1987,the Mets traded Hearn,reliever Rick Anderson,and minor league pitcher Mauro Gozzo to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher David Cone and minor league outfielder Chris Jelic. In retrospect,with the all-star career of Cone and the journeyman careers of Hearn,Anderson and Gozzo,this trade is often listed as one of the most lop-sided in major league history. [3]
Hearn was on the opening day roster,and was slated to be the Royals' starting catcher in 1987,until a serious shoulder injury ended his season only nine games into it. After rehabbing his injury,Hearn spent the start of the 1988 season playing in the Florida State League before returning to the Royals. However,he only saw action in 7 more games,and for his career,Hearn only appeared in thirteen games over two seasons for the Royals,batting .257 with no home runs and four runs batted in.
Hearn spent the next four seasons attempting to get back with the majors while toiling away at AA and AAA in the Royals' and Cleveland Indians' organizations. Following 17 games with Cleveland's AAA team,the Colorado Springs Sky Sox,Hearn retired from baseball. [4]
Expecting to spend his retirement selling insurance in Overland Park,Kansas,in 1992 Hearn was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Hearn immediately underwent a kidney transplant and was required to take several types of medication on a daily basis. Due to the debilitating effects of the disease,and mood swings caused by the medication,in 1993 Hearn almost committed suicide,but was able to fight his way past it through faith and a chance request for him to give a motivational seminar. [5] Finding a renewed strength,Hearn struggled on despite being treated for skin cancer twice,undergoing two more kidney transplants,and being diagnosed with sleep apnea (requiring mechanical assistance to breathe while sleeping) - all of which forces him to take more than fifty types of medication on a daily basis.
Hearn currently works as a motivational speaker. In 2001,Hearn was awarded the prestigious Certified Speaking Profession designation from the National Speakers Association. He is the first and only professional athlete to receive this designation (only 8% of speakers throughout the world have received this distinguished honor).
Hearn also operates a charity:the Bottom of the Ninth Foundation, [6] which is a mentorship program for children.
Hearn has written an autobiography entitled Conquering Life’s Curves –Baseball,Battles &Beyond. [7] He resides in Shawnee,Kansas with his wife,Trish and son,Cody.
Hubert "Hubie" Brooks is an American former professional baseball right fielder,third baseman,and shortstop. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1980 to 1994 for the New York Mets,Montreal Expos,Los Angeles Dodgers,California Angels,and Kansas City Royals. Brooks was selected third overall in the 1978 Major League Baseball draft by the New York Mets and went on to play for five different teams over a 15-year career,and was twice named an All-Star. MLB pitcher Donnie Moore was Brooks' cousin.
Barry Stephen Lyons is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 1995 for the New York Mets,Los Angeles Dodgers,California Angels,and Chicago White Sox.
Gregory Scott Jefferies is an American former infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1987 to 2000. He was a highly touted prospect who became the first two-time winner of the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award. In 2017,Baseball America called him their most highly regarded prospect until Andruw Jones. He went on to become a two-time All-Star.
Walter Kevin McReynolds is an American former baseball player who was an outfielder with a 12-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 1994. A two-time All-America from the University of Arkansas,he played professionally for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets of the National League and the Kansas City Royals of the American League.
Clinton Merrick Hurdle is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and manager. Hurdle played for the Kansas City Royals,Cincinnati Reds,New York Mets,and St. Louis Cardinals,and managed the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Daniel Wayne Ardoin is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2008 for the Minnesota Twins,Texas Rangers,Colorado Rockies,Baltimore Orioles,and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Luis Bienvenido Pujols Toribio is a Dominican former professional baseball player coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 1977 to 1985,most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where he helped the franchise win its first-ever National League Western Division title and postseason berth in 1980. He also played for the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers. Although Pujols didn't produce impressive offensive statistics,he excelled defensively which enabled him to sustain a nine-year career as a back-up catcher.
Damon Scott Berryhill is an American former professional baseball catcher and former manager of the AAA Gwinnett Stripers. He played ten seasons for the Chicago Cubs,the Atlanta Braves,the Boston Red Sox,the Cincinnati Reds,and the San Francisco Giants of the Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 1997. He threw right and was a switch hitter.
Timothy James Leary is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher.
John Hardin Stearns,nicknamed "Bad Dude",was an American professional baseball catcher and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the New York Mets from 1975 to 1984 after playing a single game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974.
Richard Arlen Anderson is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. He played for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 1988. He served as the pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers of MLB from 2002 to 2020.
Eliseo Rodríguez Delgado is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1968 to 1976 for the New York Yankees,Kansas City Royals,Milwaukee Brewers,California Angels,and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 1987 Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing second in the American League West with a record of 83 wins and 79 losses.
William Paul Sudakis was an American Major League Baseball infielder. He was primarily a third baseman,but also appeared as a catcher and first baseman.
The 1992 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 103rd for the franchise in Major League Baseball,and their 35th season in Los Angeles,California.
Lucas James May is an American former professional baseball catcher who played for the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Lawrence Thomas Owen was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played all or parts of six seasons in the major leagues,between 1981 and 1988,for the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.
Ross A. Jones is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played for the New York Mets,Seattle Mariners,and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Ronn Dwayne Reynolds,is an American former professional baseball catcher,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets,Philadelphia Phillies,Houston Astros,and San Diego Padres. He batted and threw right-handed.
Andrew Edward Butera is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently on the coaching staff of the Chicago White Sox. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins,Los Angeles Dodgers,Los Angeles Angels,Kansas City Royals,and Colorado Rockies.