I never rooted for anyone like I did Gil Hodges.
I grew up in Ozone Park, Queens and there were only Giants
and Dodgers fans there. The Yankees were some super human team that played
against other teams in another league. I was a Dodger fan and there eight teams
in my ‘league’, but all of us know there really was only one team you had to
beat each year and that was the New York Giants. You could come in 7th
in the division as long as Durocher’s assholes finished 8th.
Do you like the Mets infield?
What about 1B Gil Hodges, 2B Jackie Robinson (followed by Junior
Gilliam), SS Pee Wee Reese, and 3B Billy Cox-Don Hoak-Don Zimmer?
There were a lot of great players on this team, but one of
them were their clubhouse leader, Gil Hodges. There simply was no better
defensive first baseman on the field in his day and (I still remember) he
retired as 3rd in home run hitters as a right hander. As you all know,
he went on to be a very successful Mets manager, yet the Hall of Fame refused to recognize him as one of the giants on the game for years.
In my day as a kid, the last thing a pitcher wanted to do
was face him followed by Duke Snider.
I was so happy when the Mets first made Hodges a player and
then, a manager. I expected him to be attached to the team for years to come.
Mr. Hodges was elected to the Hall of Fame yesterday.
17 comments:
Thanks John for posting this oldie but goodie.
This guy was a pretty good writer.
Wonder what ever happened to him 🤔
Lol Mack. Great stuff.
So happy for Gil Hodges. Looking forward to seeing the plaque in Cooperstown.
Alot of oldies but goodies on this site and congrats Gil.
Great memories of an all-time fave and an all-time great. I still am in shock that it finally happened, as I had long grown skeptical they would ever right this wrong. New York Mets & Hope - 2 things that remain intertwined forever!!! Great stuff, Mack, then and now.
Nice article by you, Mack. Me? I don't write from Ozone Park, but rather from the ozone layer.
%/8 position players--Gil, Jackie, Campy, Duke & PeeWee--together, every day, for a DECADE, in the HOF. Does any other team compare>
Hard to pick one favorite when I lived 2 blocks away. Billy Cox knew my name, so there was that.
Inspired by this, I read the Wikipedia for the Campanella story. Until his last few seasons, he threw out OVER 60% of would-be stealers! Geesh!
Had baseball not paid its stars so poorly, I wonder if Campy would have gotten hurt. Per Wikipedia, he operated a liquor store in Harlem, and lived in Glen Cove. That winter night, not speeding, he hit an ice patch - and the rest is history.
Today, he would have been a mega millionaire and the last thing he would have needed to do to earn more $$ is operate that store in the winter.
Mack, i am older than you and thus a Gil Hodges fan longer. He was my main guy. I've made my reservations to be there on July 24th with three of my sons.
Very nice Ray. See you there. I usually go to the parade the day before. Less crowded.
ENJOY THE HOF, FELLAS.
ANOTHER REASON WHY GIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE HALL SOONER.
I looked up his stats - he missed two full years due to WW II. He might have been in the minors those two years, but he'd probably have had another 1000 prime career at bats if not for WW II. You'd think the HOF voters would have fully factored that in.
Mack, if you were starting a team and could have Synder, Hodges, Newcomb and Campanella in their prime, or Carter, Keith, Doc and Straw in their prime, which foursome would you choose?
TOM--
Great question, and difficult to answer the way you put it.
Of course Gil & Duke, Campy & Newk DID play together in their prime. Not so for the intersection of careers for that Met crew. Add Jackie, PeeWee, Jr. & Furillo (v the longevity of Hojo, Santana, Bachman & Dykstra) and it's no contest.
We need to connect at some point. I'll be arriving on Friday.
Easy answer. Three HOF vs one. Newk was a really good pitcher.
Don't forget Oisk, i meant Ersk.
Good observations, Ray. I only saw Duke and Gil play briefly, and don't remember them at all. SO it is good to hear from someone who's seen them all. Based on their records, as much as I like our 1980's guys, I'd side with you if I had to pick a quartet of players - those Dodgers were something.
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