Dale Roger Coogan (August 14, 1930 – March 8, 1989) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 53

games A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (such ...

in the Major Leagues as a first baseman for the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

in . A native of Los Angeles, California, Coogan threw and batted left-handed and was listed as tall and . He signed with the Pirates in 1948 after attending Washington High School and made the big-league Pirates after two seasons in their

farm system In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

. He notched his first hit on April 29, 1950, by singling off Eddie Erautt of the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

Crosley Field Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second (1937) an ...

. Other highlights included a four-hit game on May 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals and his only big-league home run, a three-run blast off Ralph Branca in a game suspended by rain that began June 24 and finished August 1. Coogan's belt happened during the June contest, but by August 1, he was back in the minor leagues. The

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

eventually won the game, 21–12. During his three-month tenure in the National League in 1950, Coogan registered 31 hits, with six doubles and one

triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a "treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * In ...

accompanying his one home run. He continued his playing career in the minors through 1958, including brief service with his hometown Hollywood Stars of the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

in 1951. Coogan attended college during the off-seasons of his baseball career, and earned

bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...

and master's degrees from

Long Beach State University California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is a public research university in Long Beach, California. The 322-acre campus is the second largest of the 23-school California State University system (CSU) and one of the largest universitie ...

, and a doctorate from the University of Southern California. He was a teacher or administrator with three Southern California public school districts, and was superintendent of the Ocean View Elementary School District at the time of his death, at 58, from cancer in

Mission Viejo, California Mission Viejo ( ; corruption of ''Misión Vieja'', Spanish for "Old Mission") is a commuter city in the Saddleback Valley in Orange County, California, United States. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities eve ...

.Newman, Maria, "Ocean View's Superintendent Coogan Dies"
'' Los Angeles Times'', 1989.03.09

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1930 births 1989 deaths Baseball players from Los Angeles Deaths from cancer in California California State University, Long Beach alumni Hollywood Stars players Indianapolis Indians players Keokuk Pirates players Major League Baseball first basemen New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players Pittsburgh Pirates players Shreveport Sports players USC Rossier School of Education alumni Victoria Rosebuds players Williamsport Grays players {{baseball-first-baseman-stub