OT: Gil Hodges elected to Hall of Fame
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Hodges was a good player , but his overall stats weren’t the kind that deserved HOF recognition.
Gil's overall offensive stats for a first baseman wasn’t the type hat would get others in, but nostalgia for Brooklyn Dodgers was his ticket in
A case could be made for his defensive play, but I don’t feel that was enough to earn entrance to Cooperstown, even if he was one of the best defensive 1’st basemen in his heyday
As for manager, good 4 year run with the Mets, especially 1969, but lifetime between NYM and Senators, not HOF.
Zap I believe Hodges was was a very good player , but didn't have the lifetime to be considered a true HOF candidate.Even though a case could be made for his defensive play, that wasn't enough for him to get in.
Hodges was revered by his teammates and opposing players.
Here’s dad helping him get something out of his eye
From your opinion as a former MLB player, am I wrong about that ?
( disclaimer: never was a Brooklyn Bum fan and the Yankees never were never on my Christmas card list either 😇)
Gil was a good first baseman, not great His one flaw was on a ball thrown in the dirt he would pull his glove back & more often than not the ball would bounce over his glove & wrist/arm. Can see it in my minds eye. Furillo was a great right fielder.
Gil hit in the heart of Dodger lineup that won multiple pennants and a World Series.
He averaged over 100 RBI’s ten straight season and spent two years in the military.
Revered by teammates and opponents alike I think he belongs
I care about who is in the Baseball Hall Of Fame about as much as I care who is in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Both have lost credibility as the door to entry has widened and widened. I don't care who is in either one.
But a .273 career batting average ? Come on.
What was his ERA ?
And BTW, being revered by your teammates shouldn't be a qualification for entry.
"The Reading Rifle" was Carl's handle . I remembered his arm being the type to nail a runner from deep right field. ( double checking on google helped remember nickname , but sort of remember another and not that)
Was too young to really understand Hodges defensive play before those bums went with my Giants out west and left me teamless .
Yankees and Phillies weren't an option.
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These are the offensive stats that should be considered
Stats for Hall of Fame First Basemen : A Research List by Baseball Almanac
Shortstops and Catchers offensive stats don’t tell the whole story while 1’st base and 3’rd base are considered ones that have the better offensive players there
( Tony Perez’s stats are comparable to Gil’s offensive stats.Tony aso played some 3rd base
Jim Thome’s HRs set him apart from Gil even though BA comparable.
Harmon Killebrew the same even if lower BA)
https://www.baseball-almanac.com/hof/hofst1b.shtml
"Skoonj" was his other nickname because he liked scungilli [snails].
Furillo hit .299 over 15 seasons. One more hit & he would have had a .300 lifetime average. Plus he won a batting title. Really no comparison between the two. Hodges was a good ballplayer in a great lineup. Trust me, Jackie was the unquestioned leader & heart of that ballclub. A lot of good sentiment for Hodges has been carrying him.
You can't compare players from different era's That is just bad analysis.
If going by era.
Joe Adcock has similar stats.
Heck Ted Kluszeski deserves consideration had 3-4 great years and lifetime .298 BA
Mickey Vernon is another from Gil's era had a good career (20 years .286) and not in
You just named 3 people no one has ever heard of yet multiple generations have heard of Gil Hodges because he was an iconic player/manager. Did any of those 3 win a world series as a manager? Have no clue of your hatred of Gil Hodges but it is very clear you do.
No hatred, just feel his HOF credentials are a little lacking, both as a player and as a manager
Just because I wasn't a Dodger fan doesn't mean I hated the players on the team.
Didn't hate the Mets or their players either.Was a big fan of "Hot Rod" and "Choo Choo."
Both played for the Mets before Gil's time and were far from HOF material
As for no one hearing about the players I mentioned, those who followed baseball in the 50s and 60s heard about the "Big Klu" out of Cincinnati and any Milwaukee fans of that era on here knew about Joe Adcock being one of the big 3 in the Braves line-up
Mickey was a long time Senator first baseman who hit for average without really having the power that most playing first in his era was expected to have.
Obvious hatred. You go out of your way. Guy was a very good player and took the worst team in baseball and won a World Series. Are you old enough to live through 1969?
Gil was good as a player, no hate in admitting that.
But hate isn't the reason I don't think he belongs in HOF
Seems like you throw out the hate accusation and overlook the facts presented when I stated my reason.
As for being a HOF Manager.
yes he had a spectacular 1969, but the next two were not first place finishes ,nor a second place finish
Also his Washington Senator tenure must be taken into consideration
321-444 (5 years) there isn't a record to get someone HOF credentials as a Manager
add his Met 4 year record of 339-309 and you get a lifetime 660-751 with one NL first place (1969) and one WS (1969)Title.
One spectacular season shouldn't get someone in the HOF, but is something that deserves to be mentioned in the Cooperstown Exhibition .
Don't try to use your hate excuse to argue the facts I presented, try to dispel what I said with some facts of your own.
Hate is easy word to throw out, but facts will prove a point.
I'll never forget Gil walking out to what people thought was the mound to take out the pitcher, but he kept walking all the way out to LF to take out Cleon Jones after Gil felt he didn't hustle after a fly ball. Cleon went on to hit .340 to help lead the Mets to the 69 Title. Old school o doubt. In this day and age, I can only imagine how the press would have cut Gil to shreds.
My man Fred McGriff.
493 HRs
1550 RBI
Six times in the top 10 in MVP voting
One of only two players to lead both leagues in HRs
Never raised his voice, never yelled and never threatened.
Gil put his arm around Cleon and told him to wait for him in his office after the game. He quietly told Cleon how important he was, how good he could be and how he needed to be a leader.
Tommy Agee told me from that day forward there were no words that could describe the respect he and Cleon had for Gil.
Great player and hall of famer imo.
Jeff Kent right with him
In his era, he never finished higher than 7th in MVP voting and his career WAR is mediocre.
The thing is I assume he is on an equal playing field with most players of his Era. I would believe a majority of players during that Era were juiced and no one cared cause chick's dig the long ball. Only once baseball was back on good footing after the lockout then they cared. Without Sosa and Mcguire bringing fans back is baseball where it's at now.
Mcgriff belongs in strictly for the tom emanski video.
I guess those #'s in 1954 weren't a big deal. He didn't lead the league in any major categories.
I remember seeing a picture in the paper of Gil with his arm around Cleon. As it happened people thought Cleon was hurt or something.
And just why is it that he was voted in? Don't forget the Hall says that you can be voted in either on your credentials as a player or of those as a manager not a combination of both. Madhat1 has it exactly right.
Excellent article on Gil by Jerry Isenberg in todays Ledger.
That's why you get a vote and not a long-form answer. I suspect that some voters found that instruction, I don't know, stupid. He's in. So be it.
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