James Alexander Tyng (May 27, 1856 – October 30, 1931) is known as the first baseball player to wear a catcher's mask while playing for Harvard College in 1877.

The team manager, Fred Thayer, received a patent for the mask in 1878.

In 1879, Tyng became the first Harvard player selected to play in the majors, when he was picked up by Harry Wright and the Boston Red Caps as an emergency pitcher.

Tyng continued to pitch as an amateur for the Staten Island Athletic Club and repeatedly turned down offers to play in the major leagues.

He played in the 1897 U.S. Open held at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois.