The Los Angeles Dodgers retiring the No. 14 jersey in honor of Gil Hodges during a pregame ceremony on Saturday, June 4. The celebration at Dodger Stadium fittingly comes with the New York Mets in town, as that was the team Hodges managed to a World Series in 1969.
While he guided the 1969 “Miracle Mets” to a championship, Hodges is regarded as a Dodgers icon. Hodges spent 16 of 18 seasons in the Majors playing for Brooklyn or Los Angeles before finishing his career with two years on the Mets.
“When you mention all-time greats in Dodger history, Gil Hodges is among the finest to ever don Dodger blue,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement. “We are thrilled that he will finally take his place in Cooperstown alongside the games greats and look forward to honoring him.”
On July 24, Hodges will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was voted into Cooperstown by the Veterans Committee, and becomes the 61st Hall of Famer from Dodgers organization as a player, manager, coach, scout, executive or broadcaster.
Hodges played in 2,071 games and hit .273/.359/.487 with 295 doubles, 370 home runs and 1,274 RBI. He was named to seven consecutive All-Star Games from 1949-55, and was on Dodgers teams that won a National League pennant in 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1956, and the 1955 World Series roster.
Hodges is second on Dodgers all-time lists in in homers (361) and RBI (1,254); third in total bases (3,357), extra-base hits (703) and walks (925); fourth in games played (2,006) and fifth in runs scored (1,088). He’s the Dodgers’ all-time leader in games played at first base with 1,851.
When Gold Glove Awards were handed out for the first time in 1957, Hodges won three in a row.
Hodges passed away on April 2, 1972, two days shy of his 48th birthday. Hodges is survived by his wife, Joan, son Gil Jr., and daughters Irene and Cynthia. Gil Jr. and Irene will participate in the retirement ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
June 4 had previously been designated Gil Hodges Hall of Fame bobblehead night.
Hodges joins illustrious list of Dodgers retired numbers
Hodges’ No. 14 is getting added to a list of Dodgers retired numbers that already includes: Pee Wee Reese (No. 1), Tommy Lasorda (No. 2), Duke Snider (No. 4), Jim Gilliam (No. 19), Don Sutton (No. 20), Walter Alston (No. 24), Sandy Koufax (No. 32), Roy Campanella (No. 39), Jackie Robinson (No. 42) and Don Drysdale (Np. 53).
Broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín have also been recognized by the Dodgers with retired microphones.
Twenty-three players wore No. 14 for the Dodgers after Hodges did. Kiké Hernandez was the last to do so from 2015-2020.
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