Jim Pagliaroni

James Vincent Pagliaroni
(Pag)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 210 lb.
• High School Woodrow Wilson High School (Long Beach)
• Debut August 13, 1955
• Final Game September 30, 1969
• Born December 8, 1937 in Dearborn, MI USA
• Died April 3, 2010 in Grass Valley, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Jim Pagliaroni, who played over a decade in the majors, was a pretty good hitter for a catcher. Playing much of his career during the second dead-ball era, he hit over .250, drew quite a few walks, and had some power, giving him a career OPS+ of 109.

Pagliaroni was signed by the Boston Red Sox in 1955 and made his pro debut that summer as a 17-year-old, appearing in just one game on August 13th. After several years in the minors, he rejoined the Red Sox in August 1960 and was a regular in 1961, the same year that Carl Yastrzemski also played his first year with the club. The following summer, 1962, he was behind the plate when Bill Monbouquette threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox on August 1st.

Following the 1962 campaign, Pagliaroni was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of the deal that brought Dick Stuart to Boston. A teammate of Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente, he was the Pirates' starting catcher for four seasons and finished second among the regulars in batting average (.295) in 1964 and second in homers (17) in 1965. After appearing in just 44 games for the team in 1967, his contract was sold to the Oakland Athletics.

With the A's, Pagliaroni was primarily a backup behind Dave Duncan and Phil Roof but was the catcher when Jim "Catfish" Hunter pitched a perfect game against the Minnesota Twins on May 8, 1968.

Pagliaroni closed out his major league career in the inaugural season of the Seattle Pilots in 1969, a team made famous by teammate Jim Bouton's book Ball Four.

He is not to be confused with Mike Pagliarulo, a player with a similar last name whose nickname was "Pags".

Pagliaroni is the third-youngest catcher in American League history, after Harry Hanson (who played only one major league game) and Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx.

Related Sites

• Jim Pagliaroni at the SABR Bio Project
• An interview of Pagliaroni