Will Gil Get His Due?

By Jay Horwitz

To a man, the players from the 1969 Mets have told me they believe their manager Gil Hodges would be the Baseball Hall of Fame already if he didn’t have a fatal heart attack 49 years ago today.

Coming off the ‘Miracle’ World Series, the guys felt certain that more championships were on the horizon which would have certainly enhanced his Hall of Fame candidacy.

His credentials on the field seem undeniable.

• 8 All-Star appearances
• 3 Gold Gloves
• 370 home runs
• 3 World Series Championships (2 as a player, 1 as a manager)
• His number 14 is retired by the Mets
• He was inducted to the Mets Hall of Fame in 1982

All of this and how he gave our organization credibility.

Gil will be up for selection to the Hall again when the Golden Days Era Committee meets after the upcoming World Series. Hoping this time Gil finally gets his rightful due.