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Longtime Indians broadcaster Mike Hegan died this morning.

(Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Longtime Cleveland Indians broadcaster Mike Hegan died Tuesday morning, according to the team.

Hegan, 71, who was inducted into the

in 2011, partnered with broadcaster Tom Hamilton to call Indians games on the radio for 14 years until he stepped down at the end of the 2011 season.

Hegan, who was a star athlete at St. Ignatius High School, started his broadcasting career in Milwaukee after playing 12 years in the big leagues with the Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Brewers and Oakland as a first baseman/outfielder.

Hamilton said he had talked to Hegan Saturday and knew his former broadcast partner's health was failing, but his death is still a shock.

"Mike was as good a broadcaster as anyone who has done the game of baseball," Hamilton said. "I was lucky to work with him, but the listeners were lucky to hear him."

Hamilton said his 14 years working alongside Hegan were "tremendous."

"He was a phenomenal person to work with," he said.

Click HERE for a full profile of Hegan from The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes at the time he stopped broadcasting.

See his Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame profile HERE.



A press release just issued by the Indians states:

On this special day of spending time and appreciating our families, the Cleveland Indians organization is deeply saddened to lose a member of our family with the loss of Mike Hegan this morning down in Hilton Head, SC with family by his side. Mike spent 50 years of his life in the game of baseball with almost half of that covering Cleveland Indians baseball (23 years total) in the TV and Radio booths. He was the son of Indians great catcher Jim Hegan. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Nancy and the entire Hegan family. No plans have been set at this time.



More details as they are available.