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Dodgers News: Two-Time World Series Champ Gil Hodges Elected to Hall of Fame

In absolutely wonderful news on Sunday, former Brooklyn and LA Dodgers All-Star Gil Hodges was elected to the MLB Hall of Fame by the Golden Days Era committee.

The legendary first baseman of the boys of summer played 2,006 of his 2,071 career games as a Dodger, hitting .274 with 361 home runs and 1,254 runs batted in between Brooklyn and Los Angeles. He helped lead the Dodgers to the club’s only World Series championship in Brooklyn in 1955 and its first in Los Angeles in 1959.

Later, he played parts of two seasons with the Mets before retiring and becoming a manager for the Washington Senators and later the Mets who he led to the organization’s first world championship in 1969.

Unfortunately, Hodges passed away at the age of 47 after suffering a sudden heart attack.

Related: Vin Scully Recalls and Praises Gil Hodges

The new Hall of Famer will also be joined by Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso and Tony Oliva as part of the Golden Days Era inductees. Hodges’ teammate Maury Wills was on the ballot this year but was not voted in.

In Dodger tradition, the uniform number 14 should be retired this season.

Dodgers Legend Gil Hodges Elected To Hall of Fame! How Great was Hodges & Why HOF Take So Long?

NEXT: Former LA All-Star Yasiel Puig Admits Past Mistakes, Has Wish for Latin Players in MLB

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

17 Comments

  1. Great news. I go back to the Brooklyn Dodgers game as a kid who grew up in Brooklyn. Unlike today’s players, the players were part of the community. The players lived locally and would frequently walk to Ebbets Field. Along the way, they would readily meet and greet the kids and sign autographs until their arms got tired. One of my favorite stories about Hodges was when he was in a horrible slump the local Catholic church collectively prayed for him. I don’t recall whether it worked or not, but ‘those were the days.” This now puts the entire infield from the Boys of Summer into the Hall.

    1. They were the days indeed. I was under 10 when the Dodgers left Brooklyn and to this day I am sad that I never had the opportunity to get to Ebbets Field.

      And Gil will finally get his due from the Dodgers and have his number retired. Will be a great day when they officially perform that long overdue tribute to Gil and his family members.

  2. This is great news. Not only for his family and the Dodgers family, but also those who grew up as young Brooklyn fans following those ‘Boys of Summer’.

  3. Great news !!!

    Now we need to get Maury Wills in the HOF. Maury was and is one of the greatest Dodgers of all time, and any mistakes he might or might not have made had nothing to do with his baseball greatness.

  4. Grew up in Bklyn. Went to Madison H.S. Hodges lived on Bedford Ave. right around the corner from the school. He was a true Dodger and befriended Jackie R. Well deserved and long overdue!

  5. I have been a Dodger fan from 1947 and a Gil Hodges fan my whole life. The only # I wore was 14 and played 1st base. It’s about time the boys of summer are together again. I am glad Mrs. Hodges lived long enough to see what we all knew.

  6. Way overdue! One of baseball’s greats. It never looked right to me to see a present day Dodger wearing #14, not even other good players. That can now be remedied . Some good news out of baseball today!

  7. After listening to the pod cast didn’t realize he was actually elected in 1993 but Ted Williams didn’t allow it because Campy was in the hospital and had to be present even though he voted for Gil. His numbers show he should have been voted in a long time ago! Also, Mrs. Hodges still lives in the same house on Bedford Ave. as I mentioned before around the corner from Madison H.S. She is 95. God allowed her to see this day! How proud she must be to see this honor finally bestowed on Gil!

  8. Other than my Dad, Gil Hodges was my first hero as a young boy in growing up in NYC. My father would talk about his strength, his superb fielding, his clutch hitting. On July 19, 1957 my father took me to Ebbets Field for Gil Hodges Night. Twi-night doubleheader with the Cubs. We sat way back, high up in the left field stands. Home plate looked a million miles away to an 8 year old, but Sandy Amoros, playing left, seemed a lot closer. That night, some kid named Koufax pitched the first game and struck out 11. Gil got his 1,000th career RBI. Duke hit a HR in each game. Dodgers won two.
    Gil was honored between games. He received many gifts, including a new car. But the thing that
    stands out was a telegram from President Eisenhower which stated that Gil was a fine ballplayer and also a credit to the game of baseball. That pretty much summed it up.

  9. Loved Gil Hodges, here in LA……Vin Scully famously said, “Big bouncer over the mound, Hodges scored, We go to Chicago” and so it went….we headed to play the White Sox and eventually won the 1959 Series. I have the record and have played it often.

  10. Finally? About damn time! I could never understand why he was not voted in before now. As a Dodger fan since 1950 (when I was six) I was always upset when I saw Dodger players wearing #14 (that includes you, Kike Hernandez). I’m so glad Mrs. Hodges lived to see it.

  11. That is outstanding news especially for all of us fans who grew up in Brooklyn as Dodgers fans, then Mets fans. Gil Hodges was always a fan favorite when he played for the Mets and even more so as their manager. He was lost way too soon. Rest in peace now that you have been officially recognized as one of the best ever.

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