WHY I THINK GIL HODGES SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK GIL HODGES SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Gil Hodges was one of the top sluggers of his era and one of the best defensive first basemen who ever lived. On those famous “Boys of Summer” Brooklyn Dodgers teams of the 1940s and 1950s, Hodges was both a superstar and a beloved hero. He started his big league career in 1943 for one game, going hitless but drawing a walk and stealing his first career base. Hodges spent the next two seasons in Military Service, winning a bronze star medal, and took the 1946 season off entirely. He played in only 28 games (24 as the catcher) in 1947, the year that teammate Jackie Robinson first came up, and finally earned regular status in 1948. Hodges caught 38 games that season but with his emergent power and fine defense at first he was planted there for good. He had his breakout season in 1949, with 23 homers and 115 RBI’s, and was an all-star and 100-RBI man for the next seven seasons. He earned the love of all of Brooklyn during that streak of consistent excellence, with five straight 30 homer seasons out of six overall and two with over 40. The Dodgers faced the Yankees in the World Series on six occasions since Hodges came up, losing every time, until 1956 when, to the joy of all in Brooklyn, they beat them for their first title ever. Hodges batted .304 with a homer and eight RBI’s during the Series. He had another fine season in 1957, earning his eighth all-star selection with 27 homers and 98 RBI’s, before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. He was one of the few Dodgers to have a good offensive season in 1958, connecting for 22 longballs in the oddly shaped Los Angeles Coliseum. Hodges had one more good season in 1959, picking up 25 homers and a second World Series ring (he batted .391 with a home run in the Series), before slumping in his next two seasons. He had nine homers for the Mets in 54 games in 1962 and retired after eleven games in 1963. After his retirement as a player, Hodges managed two clubs, including the Miracle Mets of 1969, before his death of a heart attack on April 2, 1972, one day before his 48th birthday. Gil Hodges was one of the greatest first basemen in the history of the game with one of the most amazing peaks of any player ever. For all of his home runs and his place in Brooklyn Dodgers lore, he really should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,071 season high: 158 in 1951 led NL: 158 in 1951, 154 in 1954 

At Bats career: 7,030 season high: 596 in 1949 

Hits career: 1,921 season high: 176 in 1954 

Doubles career: 295 season high: 29 in 1956 

Triples career: 48 season high: 7 in 1957 

Home Runs career: 370 season high: 42 in 1954 

Runs career: 1,105 season high: 118 in 1951 

Runs Batted In career: 1,274 season high: 130 in 1954 

Stolen Bases career: 63 season high: 10 in 1949 

Walks career: 943 season high: 107 in 1952 

Strikeouts career: 1,137 season high: 99 in 1951 led NL: 99 in 1951 

Batting Average career: .273 season high: .304 in 1954 

On Base Percentage career: .359 season high: .393 in 1953 

Slugging Percentage career: .487 season high: .579 in 1954 

Total Bases career: 3,422 season high: 335 in 1954 

Sacrifice Hits career: 56 season high: 11 in 1950 

Fielding Percentage career: .992 season high: .998 in 1961 led NL 1B: .995 in 1949, .994 in 1950, .992 in 1959 

Double Plays career: 1,632 season high: 171 in 1951 led NL 1B: 142 in 1949, 159 in 1950, 171 in 1951, 134 in 1958 

Putouts career: 15,722 season high: 1,381 in 1954 led NL 1B: 1,336 in 1949, 1,381 in 1954, 1,317 in 1957 

Assists career: 1,365 season high: 132 in 1954 led NL 1B: 126 in 1951, 116 in 1952, 132 in 1954 

Games Managed career: 1,414 season high: 163 in 1968 

Wins career: 660 season high: 100 in 1969 

Losses career: 753 season high: 100 in 1964 

Ties career: 1 season high: 1 in 1968 

Winning Percentage career: .467 season high: .617 in 1969 

Ejections career: 7 season high: 2 in 1966, 1970, and 1971 

Pennants 1969 NL 

World Series 1969 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-won the first three NL Gold Glove awards at first base 

-won the 1959 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award 

-was the first Dodger ever to hit 40 home runs in a single season, and also knocked in the last run in Brooklyn Dodgers history 

-hit the first home run in New York Mets history 

-drove in a run in his final MLB game 

-knocked in the only two runs for the Dodgers in Game 7 of the 1955 World Series 

-knocked in the Dodgers’ only run in their 1-0 win in Game 2 of the 1949 World Series, which was their only Series win that year 

-twice led the NL in sacrifice flies, setting a still standing season record in 1954 (19)

-hit for the cycle on June 25, 1949 

-hit a record four home runs in one game on August 31, 1950, and additionally had a single 

-finished seventh in the NL MVP Award voting in 1957, eighth in 1950, tenth in 1954, 11th in 1949, 14th in 1953, 16th in 1951, 18th in 1959, 19th in 1952, and 30th in 1948 

-batted .364 in the 1953 World Series and hit homers in five different Series 

-had a .571 career caught stealing percentage in 64 games as a catcher 

-led NL first basemen in games in 1949 (156), 1951 (158), 1954 (154), and 1956 (138) 

-his 171 double plays as a first baseman in 1951 are the seventh most of all time, and his 159 in 1950 rank 15th, and in both years he set the NL record 

-ranks 39th in career putouts and 17th in grand slams (14) 

-among MLB first basemen, ranks 28th in career games, 14th in double plays, 42nd in putouts, and 26th in assists 

-also played one game at second base, 32 at third base, 80 in the outfield, 94 as a pinch hitter, and four as a pinch runner 

-was the 1969 NL Sporting News Manager of the Year 

-was inducted into the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1982

-his uniform number 14 is retired by the Mets