ATLANTA -- ``Big Jim'' Hearn, who pitched for 13 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Giants, died Wednesday, June 10th of Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 77. Hearn, an Atlanta native, died at his winter home in Boca Grande, Fla. His body was cremated and a memorial Mass will be held Tuesday. Hearn's best season was 1951 when he went 17-9 for the National League champion Giants. He started and won Game 3 of the World Series, but the New York Yankees won the series in six games. He tore a back ligament in 1959 and retired from baseball with a career record of 109-89. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound right-hander signed with the Cardinals as a third baseman after two seasons of varsity baseball at Georgia Tech. He discovered his talent as a pitcher while playing with the minor league Columbus team in 1942. After serving in the Army during World War II, Hearn joined St. Louis and was 12-7 as a rookie in 1947. He was traded to the Giants in 1950. Hearn opened the Jim Hearn Golf Center, a driving range, in 1961. He retired from the range about 10 years ago. |