Malachi Hogan

Malachi Sylvanus Hogan

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown

• Debut August 13, 1901
• Final Game August 13, 1901
• Born April 16, 1878 in Broadway, OH USA
• Died March 4, 1945 in Cleveland, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Malachi Hogan played one game as an outfielder for the Cleveland Blues on August 13, 1901, in the first season of the American League, going 0 for 4. For the longest time, he was listed in Baseball Encyclopedias as Harry Hogan, with a birth and death in Syracuse, NY. However, researchers in 2020 confirmed that this was a long-standing mistake and that the player in question was in fact Malachi Sylvanus Hogan, as reported in contemporary news stories.

Further research uncovered a few facts about the real Hogan's life. He was from Marion, OH and was frequently mentioned in the Marion Star in the late 1890s as M.S. Hogan and was a telegraph operator for the Erie Railroad in civilian life. He was later transferred to Cleveland, OH and played sandlot ball there. After his brief trial with the Blues, he apparently tried out with the South Bend Green Stockings of the Central League in 1903. His brief stay with Cleveland was mentioned in the Marion paper and his obituary published in 1945 in the same newspaper contained the same information. That doesn't explain how the name of Harry Hogan and that man's life details got attached to his playing record, but it was clear that the mistaken identity could now be rectified.

Further Reading

• "Malachi Hogan Found", in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Committee Report, SABR, July/August 2020, p. 1.

Related Sites

• Malachi Hogan at the SABR Bio Project