Comments on: MMO Flashback Friday: The Quiet Man Behind “The Miracle”

By: theonlymaskman

theonlymaskman — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:56:34 +0000

This is a truly wonderful article. Gil was my hero all through my youth. I was thrilled when he was chosen for the original Mets and as their manager. Joan is very gracious and I was very thrilled when she signed one of Gil’s photos for me at a show. The autograph says “Mrs Gil Hodges” and I cherish it as I was never fortunate to have one from Gil himself. I wish that Tom Seaver could somehow find the clout to influence others on the veteran’s selection committee to have Gil voted into the HOF. He deserves it, not only for his accomplishments on the field, but also for his influence upon others. There is no one more deserving.

By: rob

rob — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:40:31 +0000

Thank you very much, Kay. I greatly appreciate that

By: TJ

TJ — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:16:53 +0000

I’ve always said that it should be the Gil Hodges rotunda with a big 14 in the middle of it… Robinson may have been special to baseball but he was not a NY Met. But thats what happens when your owner is a Brooklyn Dodger 1st….

By: Des

Des — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:06:04 +0000

I forgot to say that during the game I was in a small restaurant in Queens which was owned by a pair of brother-in-laws, one a Yankee fan, the other a Giants fan. When the Cards had their seven runs outburst, those two guys smiled, maybe even with a hint of a smirk. But when the Dodgers came back in the bottom of the ninth, I yelled and cheered. They then imitated their adult sensibilities and reminded me that it was only a baseball game and it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. But I knew both the despair and the victory of the Cards runs followed by the Dodgers comeback win.

Great game, spearheaded by Number 14.

By: Pete

Pete — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:05:15 +0000

Who voted thumbs down? That’s why the thumbs are so stupid it makes no sense to have them.

By: Des

Des — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:53:18 +0000

My favorite memory of Gil takes me back to the summer of 1957 when I was a teenager. The Cardinals were fighting for first place and went into Brooklyn in July to play the Dodgers. Until the late innings it was a close game but the Cards scored seven runs in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers came back to tie the game when Gil hit a grand slam. The Dodgers won in extra innings.

By: Kay

Kay — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:21:07 +0000

Unfortunately there are immature people on this board that click according to name and not content, shame.

By: Metstheory22

Metstheory22 — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:58:54 +0000

I can’t understand who is voting thumbs down on these.

By: Petey Pete

Petey Pete — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:42:54 +0000

Great read. If you haven’t read it yet, click the link for Jim Mancari’s interview with Mrs. Hodges. It is one of the best pieces you will ever read. This is what I wrote in the comment thread when that one came out last month.

September 16, 2011 at 6:44 pm

Amen Jim. What a great piece! Gil was such an amazing individual. His stats alone are worthy of election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Especially taking into account the era in which he played. 20 HR’s were a lot in those days. Not to mention Gil’s fielding ability, and leadership both as a player and a manager. If not for Gil Hodges, there would have been no Miracle of ’69. The players of that ’69 team would not have achieved the things they did playing for Gil that magical year. No championship, no 25-7 record for Seaver, and considering how instrumental that season was for Seaver’s growth as a pitcher, who’s to say he would have been as successful as he was in his career without Gil’s early influence? Same for Koos, Ryan and McGraw. Cleon Jones might not have pulled his head out of his butt in order to make a run at the batting title. And Tommie Agee, God bless him, would never have soared to the heights of a modern-day superman if not for Gil Hodges. Gil Hodges changed Major League Baseball. He put an indelible mark on baseball that will live forever. The fact that he has not yet been voted into the HOF is a travesty and an injustice and it needs to be righted. Let’s go Veteran’s Committee, you’ve already waited decades too long, time to wake up.

By: Kay

Kay — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:31:38 +0000

This is my favorite blog ever, and I’ve said that before………

Every time I read anything about Gil Hodges and it reminds me of my Dad (rip), No. 14 was always his favorite

I clearly remember, pre-Al Gore’s internet, my Dad got the paper every day and the day the HOF List would come out he’d turn to that page first and unfortunately would be disappointed year after year.

God Bless Gil Hodges, he was a baseball treasure……….

I recommend the read “Praying for Gil Hodges”

By: t agee

t agee — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:28:54 +0000

I have my framed autographed baseball card of Gil I got when I was 8 proudly displayed in my pub. He couldn’t have been any nicer either.

By: Metstheory22

Metstheory22 — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:15:44 +0000

I always wore #14 on all my uniforms for him.

By: William H.

William H. — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:12:57 +0000

They don’t make them like Hodges anymore. We lost him far too early.