Former New York Mets catcher Ron Hodges has died at the age of 74.
Β Β He died after a short illness. Ron Hodges, who played for the New York Mets for 12 major league seasons, died last Friday. He is 74 years old. Hodges died at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital after a brief illness, according to Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz. Patrick Mahomes Mr. never forgot his humble match with Ken Griffey Jr.
Β Β Parker Johnson. Selected by the Mets in the second round of the 1972 Players Draft, Hodges hit .240 with 19 home runs and 147 RBI in his major league career from 1973-84. Hodges posted a .342 ERA with 224 walks and 217 strikeouts. He managed seven Mets managers, including Yogi Berra, Roy McMillan, Joe Torre, George Bamberger, Frank Howard and Davey Johnson.
Β Β Hodges, a native of Rocky Mount, Virginia, was the seventh of nine children born to Daisy and Tony Hodges. He attended Franklin County High School and then Appalachian State. Hodges came to the Mets from Double-A Memphis in 1973 due to injuries to Jerry Grote and Duffy Dyer. Hodges started on June 13, 1973, nine days before his 24th birthday, and Tom Seaver got the win against San Francisco in his first appearance. He hit .260 with a homer and 18 RBIs in his rookie season and had a single in the 13th inning against the National League East in Pittsburgh on September 20.
Β Β In the top of the inning with a catcher on first base, Dave Augustine connected. on Ray Sadecki’s double that crossed the 358-foot mark and bounced off the left-field wall. Cleon Jones threw a ball to Wayne Garrett, the shortstop went over Hodges and Richie Zisk, who was trying to score from first, was called the ball-in-the-pad. The Mets ended up on top in the half and took the lead the next day behind Siberland’s five hits.
Β Β I remember the many great hits he made for us. Jones said in a statement: aquot;Every time we play, Ron always does something to help us win.” Ron Hodgesand#039; Will I lose my MLB career? Hodges had a postseason appearance against Oakland and Rollie Fingers in the first game of the World Series. Playing that season with ’73 and the September pen are some of my fondest memories of my baseball career.
Β Β Hodges said in a 2018 interview with the Society for American Baseball Research: Hodges was one of the players whose career was interrupted by a 50-day hitting streak in mid-1981. If nothing happens in the arms negotiations, I put everybody in the car and returned to Virginia. he told the New York Times. There is not much demand for substitute teachers for summer school. But in the winter, I make $25-$30 a day teaching high school PE. andquot;I discovered that I had a passion for math and science. When you become a surrogate, you take away what they have. Hodges was behind the plate when Severand returned to the Mets on Opening Day 1983 after the star had spent five and a half seasons in Cincinnati.
Β Β Due to an injury to John Stearns, Hodges appeared in 110 games that season, his only season with more than 80 plate appearances. Hodges is survived by his wife, Peggy; sons Riley, Gray, Nat and Casey; sisters Aubrey, Carmen, Pat and Donna; and two grandchildren.