Former New York Mets Backup Catcher Dies at 74

Ron Hodges spent his entire career with the New York Mets and was part of their 1973 NL East winning team as a rookie.

Ron Hodges, who was a catcher for the New York Mets for more than a decade, has died. He was 74.

The New York Mets announced his passing on Friday.

Hodges played his entire career with the Mets, as he broke into the league in 1973 and retired in 1984. Primarily a back-up, he slashed .240/.342/.322/.663 with 19 home runs and 147 RBI.

Hodges was never an All-Star, but he was part of the Mets’ late-season turnaround that helped them win the NL East title in 1973 after he batted hitting .260 with one homer and 18 RBIs, including a 6-for-13 clip in the season’s final month.

He was also best known for applying the tag to Pittsburgh’s Richie Zisk on Sept. 20, 1973, a game that went extra innings and helped the Mets win that division title. Later, he had a walkoff RBI single that ended the game and set off a celebration led by manager Yogi Berra.

The Mets won the NL pennant that season. losing to Oakland in the World Series.

Hodges also caught Tom Seaver’s opening start in his return to the Mets in 1983.

After retirement, Hodges moved into realty.

The Rocky Mount, Va., product went to Appalachian State and had the distinction of being drafted four different times by four different teams.

The Baltimore Orioles selected him in the sixth round of the 1970 MLB Draft but he chose to stay in school. The Kansas City Royals then selected him in the first round of the MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase draft in 1971. He remained in school and was then taken by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 1971 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase.

After staying one more year at Appalachian State, the Mets drafted him in the second round of the 1972 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase.