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Dodgers icon and Indiana native Gil Hodges belongs in the Hall of Fame. Is this the year?

matthew vantryon, indianapolis star
·3 min read
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If you want to talk about tough luck, talk about Gil Hodges.

The Indiana-born eight-time All-Star who spent 18 years as a major leaguer has received 3,010 Hall of Fame votes since first appearing on the BBWAA ballot in 1969. That’s the most Hall of Fame votes for any player not enshrined in Cooperstown.

Will this year be any different?

If history is any indication, the odds aren’t in his favor. And that’s a shame, because he certainly belongs among the game’s greatest.

Hodges, born in Princeton, Indiana, in 1924, played 16 seasons for the Brooklyn (and then Los Angeles) Dodgers during the franchise’s glory days. He won three Gold Glove awards and hit 370 home runs, good for second among National League right-handed batters upon his retirement in 1963. The first? Willie Mays.

Doyel: No Cooperstown for Gil Hodges? Absurd

Despite missing nearly three full seasons early in his career due to his service in World War II, he was part of seven Dodgers teams that won the National League pennant, and won two World Series titles in 1955 and 1959. While playing on those championship teams, he hit .340 in the Fall Classic.

The 1955 Dodgers team had six Hall of Famers on the roster — Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Tommy Lasorda (elected for his managing career), Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider. The 1959 team had Don Drysdale, in addition to Koufax and Snyder.

Gil Hodges, 35-year-old first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, connects in the eighth inning for a home run over the left field fence in Los Angeles, Calif., Oct. 5, 1959. The homer gave the Dodgers a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox and three victories to one in games in the 1959 World Series.
Gil Hodges, 35-year-old first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, connects in the eighth inning for a home run over the left field fence in Los Angeles, Calif., Oct. 5, 1959. The homer gave the Dodgers a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox and three victories to one in games in the 1959 World Series.

Of those players primarily known for their offensive exploits, Hodges fared similarly in career WAR (a number used to calculate a player’s value as compared to a replacement-level player) and was just behind Robinson in WPA (put simply, the numbers of wins the player added to their team based on their offensive production). Only Duke Snider had more postseason RBIs than Hodges, among the Dodgers players from those teams in the Hall of Fame.

Hodges’ impact didn’t end once his playing career was done. In 1969, he won a World Series managing the New York Mets.

In 34 chances on the ballot, voters have deemed him not worthy of baseball’s highest honor. In 11 of his 15 seasons on the BBWAA ballot, he received more than 50% of the vote. Yet his highest vote total came in 1983, when he received 63.4%. Enshrinement requires 75%. His various appearances on the Veterans Committee (now the Eras Committee) ballot have been equally fruitless. During his last appearance in 2014, Hodges got less than three votes from 16 committee members.

Carl Erskine, at right, as the starting pitcher for Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954. Other famous faces, from left, are: Junior Gilliam, Peewee Reese, Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, manager Walter Alston, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Carl Furillo, Billy Cox.
Carl Erskine, at right, as the starting pitcher for Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954. Other famous faces, from left, are: Junior Gilliam, Peewee Reese, Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, manager Walter Alston, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Carl Furillo, Billy Cox.

Along with Hodges, Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Jim Kaat, Roger Maris, Minnie Miñoso, Danny Murtaugh, Tony Oliva, Billy Pierce and Maury Wills will appear on the ballot for 2022 enshrinement. Twelve “yes” votes are the threshold. Voting results will be announced Dec. 5.

Multiple Facebook groups totaling nearly 7,000 members exist to promote Hodges’ Hall of Fame credentials. In August of this year, Hodges and his Dodgers teammate Carl Erskine (from Anderson, Indiana) were inducted into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

It was an honor that Hodges’ son, Gil Hodges, Jr., appreciated. But an induction to nearby Cooperstown would be even sweeter.

“Hopefully this gives him a little nudge to go the last 90 miles,” Rene LeRoux, president of the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame said during the induction ceremony.

A documentary recognizing Hodges and promoting his Cooperstown candidacy was released in November. It includes interviews with legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, Lasorda, Erskine and others.

Follow IndyStar trending sports reporter Matthew VanTryon on Twitter @MVanTryon and email him story ideas at matthew.vantryon@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Gil Hodges Hall of Fame: Indiana native belongs in Cooperstown