By the 1920s, the Pacific Coast League was the premier minor league. If you were signed to one of their clubs and received a starting gig, you could pretty much sit back and wait for the Major League Baseball contracts to roll in. However, some players fell through the cracks of MLB scouts. One of those players, Les Sheehan, patrolled the outfield for various PCL clubs from 1920 to 1928 without making an appearance in an MLB game.
Sheehan was born Leslie Maurice Sheehan on July 30, 1894 in Sacramento, California. His parents, Timothy Sheehan and the former Mamie O'Rorke, both had families that hailed from Ireland. Timothy, who was originally from Portland, Maine, worked as a blacksmith in the Sacramento area. Early in his life, Les played with local sandlot teams. He attended Sacramento's public schools where he honed his baseball skills. He considered joining the outfield tandem for the PCL's Oakland Oaks in 1915, but declined.
In 1916, Sheehan served as the captian of the University of Santa Clara baseball team. After the collegiate season, he joined the minor league Great Falls Electrics of the Class-B Northern League where in 66 games he batted a respectable .311. His average was good enough for a trial with the PCL San Francisco Seals. He batted .281 in 24 games played.
Sheehan ventured south in 1917 and signed with the Birmingham Barons of the Class-A Southern Association. He served as a starting first baseman for the Barons, who gave him his first full season of pro-baseball. On the season, he batted just .225 in 151 games played. It would later prove to be the only season of Sheehan's career as a first baseman.
At the height of World War I, Sheehan was drafted into the U.S. Military, subsequently putting his baseball career on hold. He finished his service in 1919 and joined the semi-pro Woodland Yippers of the Trolley League. After the '19 season, he was released by the Yippers so he could join his home-town Sacramento Senators of the PCL for the 1920 season. Before the start of the season, Sheehan traveled to Japan and China for a baseball tournament.
On May 1, Sheehan was forced into service as a pitcher after the Senators used up their pitching staff. He pitched three full innings and gave-up one earned run. Most of his season was spent at third base. He batted .225 in 145 games played. He re-signed with the Senators during the '21 season and on June 14, Sheehan hit two home runs in a game against the Oakland Oaks which put Sacramento within one and a half games out of first place in the PCL. He raised his batting average to .277 that season. All of his games that year were spent in the outfield.
In February 1922, Sheehan married the former Madelyn Huss of Sacramento. Although friends of the couple knew of their engagement, the two eloped without alerting anyone. Despite initial reports that he was to appear as the Senators' first baseman for the '22 season, he played the majority of the season in right field. He also served as a utility infielder. He finished the season with a .273 average in 175 games played.
For the price of $1,000, Sheehan was sold by the Senators to the PCL Salt Lake City Bees. Sheehan was slated to start at second base for the Bees. He had a break-out season in '23. He hit .338 in 196 games played. Amongst league batters, he led in doubles (72), was second in total bases (460), third in home runs (36) and fifth in hits (272).
Following-up his best season on record was going to be difficult for Sheehan. At the start of the season, it was announced that he was going back to his former position in right field. He exceeded the standard he set during the 1923 season as he batted .346 in 168 games played. After the season, The Oakland Tribune wrote that Sheehan wasn't getting noticed by any MLB team because the market he was playing in was too small. Despite the report, Sheehan re-signed with the Bees for the '25 season.
He had another stellar season in the Bees' outfield. Sheehan was second in the league in doubles (69) and fourth in home runs (33). His average that season didn't miss a beat from the previous year as it was just four points lower. In March 1926, Sheehan signed with the PCL Hollywood Stars. In July, he broke his finger and was out until early-August. His statistics took a dip that season, but were still on a respectable level as he hit .306 in 116 games. His power numbers declined as he only hit 23 doubles and five home runs.
The 1927 season proved to be another down-hill campaign for Sheehan, who was still on the Hollywood roster. In 117 games, he batted .288. On January 29, 1928, Sheehan was sold by the Stars to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class-A Southern Association. William Lane, the Stars president and the man who orchestrated the deal, said that Sheehan had to go because Hollywood was in a re-building phase, but also said that he was a "good worker" over his two-seasons with the club.
Sheehan refused to report to his new team and was effectively a free agent. On May 11, he signed with his old team, the PCL Sacramento Senators. On the year, he batted .261 in 51 games played. His role that season was primarily as a utility player and pinch hitter. Sheehan started the '29 season with the Senators, but was eventually sold to the PCL Portland Beavers. He played just one game that season, going hitless in one at-bat. Sheehan, who was 34, effectively retired from pro-baseball after that season.
By 1930, Sheehan was living in Sacramento with his wife, Madeline, and their daughters Marilyn and Marvine. He was working as an oil-company salesman. In 1942, Sheehan was living at 841 46th Street in Sacramento with his wife. He was working for the Veteran's Welfare Board. He died on August 12, 1961 in his home-town of Sacramento.
References:
"1900 United States Census". ''U.S. Census Bureau''. U.S. Federal Government. 1900.
"1910 United States Census". ''U.S. Census Bureau''. U.S. Federal Government. 1910.
"1930 United States Census". ''U.S. Census Bureau''. U.S. Federal Government. 1930.
"Leslie Sheehan U.S. Passport Application". ''U.S. Department of Labor''. U.S. Federal Government.
"[Untitled]". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p.42. 19 September 1915.
"Les Sheehan May Join the Capital Yippers". "Woodland Daily Democrat" (Woodland, California). p. 4. 24 February 1920.
"Baseball Season Opens on April 6". "Woodland Daily Democrat" (Woodland, California). p. 8. 31 March 1920.
Murphy, Eddie (2 May 1920). "Oaks Make Merry At Expense of B. Rodgers Pitchers". The Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California). p. 46.
"Les Sheehan Signs Life Contract". "Woodland Daily Democrat" (Woodland, California). p. 1. 9 February 1922.
"Sacramento Coasters". "Woodland Daily Democrat" (Woodland, California). p. 4. 18 March 1922.
"Coast Teams Swing Into Action". "Ogden Standard Examiner" (Ogden, Utah). p. 14. 2 April 1922.
"Salt Lake Expects Much of Les Sheehan". "Woodland Daily Democrat" (Woodland, California). p. 5. 14 March 1922.
"1923 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders". "Baseball-Reference.com". Sports Reference LLC.
"Bees Lineup For First Game With Oaks". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p.34. 4 April 1924.
"Sheehan Good Player". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p. 41. 10 October 1924.
"1924 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders". "Baseball-Reference.com". Sports Reference LLC.
"1925 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders". "Baseball-Reference.com". Sports Reference LLC.
"1926 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders". "Baseball-Reference.com". Sports Reference LLC.
"Visner-Nelson Rematched". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p. 13. 31 March 1926.
"Statz's Great Play Helps Los Angeles Win Crucial Series". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p. 13. 31 March 1926.
"Les Sheehan Sold by the Stars to Chattanooga Club". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). Associated Press. p. 12. 30 January 1928.
"Les Sheehan Signs With Senators". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p. 30. 12 March 1928.
"Many P.C.L Players Are After Batting Title". "The Oakland Tribune" (Oakland, California). p. 31. 26 March 1929.
"World War II Draft Registration Card". "U.S. Military". U.S. Federal Government. 1942.
"Social Security Death Index". U.S. Federal Government. 1961.
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