Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-08
WIN, LOSE OR
DKAW By FRANCIS s1ANa
Enter, a BeIuted Hero

CHICAGO OCT 8.-Not many ball players ever got
off to such hot World Series start as Ted Kuszewsk of
the White Sox. In the first game Klu opened with
single and successive home runs scoring twice and driving
across five runs.
But the thought occurs that the Dodgers have a
pretty good first baseman going for them too. All the
35-yearod Gil Hodges hitting, the series returned
to real ball park today, classic 444 He won last
Mondays game with a home which would have been
legitimate almost everywhere. And wasn't his fault
that Gil didn't win the 10 squeaker the next day that
kept the White Sox alive
Most baseball writer's who have been around for a
while for Hodges regardless of whether they're from
Chicago Angeles other points 1t is not instance
of pulling for hardship case; just matter of liking
q guy no matter the uniform he
You could read goat-to-hero, ragsto-richeS story
into what far has been great series for Hodges
But wouldn't be genuine Gil doesn't need any bleeding
hearts for past SERIES He's had good ones and
some that were horrible.
THIS is HODGES seventh series with the Dodgers
Brooklyn Los Angees-and that means he's picked up
extra COIN More than most other ballplayers
let's say, if not much of the Yankees. But
because he is large raw-boned guy with muscles he
always seemed be asked to contribute added effort
to the Dodger ohense.
The 1947 series doesn't count. Gil boy, half
catcher haffirst baseman He pnch-hit and drew
a blank. But in 49 he regular and hit only 1885,
The black year SO. Poor snakebiten Gil went to
bat 81 official times without coming close to hit. He
tied World Series record for futility
The fans looked askance Brooklyn-thiS before
Walter OMaey sold out baseball artistic endeavor
in favor of 92OO0-pus crowds-and they even booed
Hodges although he always had been of their heroes
and they knew him to be NICE quiet guy No popoff
actor
With Hodges it's all business on the field. Most
FANS remembering only that he had hit as many as AZ
home at EbbetS Field forgot that for tremendous
man he ieded gracefully and surely
JOAN HODGES is HIS WIFE. When the Dodgers
were moved to Los Angeles she bemoaned the OMaley
switch Joan conded to ntimates that she frequently
cried all during 1853 She lonesome for Brooklyn.
Gill; it is presumed took this domestic problem to the
ball park with him every day last year. He batted only
259 for the season. Dodgers finished in seventh place.
and most everybody said that Hodges Carl Furio and
other antiques that left from the old Brooklyn regime
were better written off,
This season it was different to hear Mrs Gil Hodges
story 1t capituation Gil did much better And in
the game when Hodges blasted his homer to thwart the
White the other day and break up "A tie, Hodges
blew his wife kiss as he rounded third base.
THERE WAS MORE THAN that blown kiss. To the
delight of photographers the hero actually kissed Joan
through the behind home plate their lips pressing
against the rusty barrier.
wind up in La if you Gill;" Joan said. II like
1t here Don't let's go to Chicago"
1t made moving shot by the photographers, but the
White Sox weren't impressed With the score in games
against the Sox at 3d. they the fifth in that hair
pull and in the Soxs dressing room Early Wynn who
takes things such World Series in which is involved
seriously grunted:
II read about Mrs Gil Hodges and it's too damn bad
she'll have to go back to Chicago My heart bleeds"