Former catcher Ron Hodges, a veteran of 12 Main League seasons, has died following a short sickness, the Mets introduced on Friday. He was 74.
Hodges, a local of Rocky Mount, Va., was drafted by the Mets within the Secondary Part of the 1972 MLB January Draft out of Appalachian State College.
He would go on to spend his total profession with the Mets, serving primarily as a backup catcher and pinch-hitter. Although a low-key determine, Hodges is a footnote in an enormous day in Mets historical past, as he acquired the beginning on Opening Day in 1983, which additionally marked the return of Tom Seaver after a five-year stint with the Reds.
Throwing to Hodges, Seaver logged six scoreless innings with three hits, one stroll and 5 strikeouts.
Hodges appeared in 666 video games from 1973-84, posting a profession .240 batting common with 19 house runs and 147 RBIs.