Ralph Hodgin

Elmer Ralph Hodgin

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut April 19, 1939
• Final Game October 3, 1948
• Born February 10, 1915 in Greensboro, NC USA
• Died October 4, 2011 in Burlington, NC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Ralph Hodgin played outfield and third base in a six-year major league career, finding his greatest success during the World War II years with the Chicago White Sox.

Hodgin began his pro career in 1935 and reached the majors with the Boston Bees in 1939, hitting .208 in 32 games for the club while spending most of the year with the Hartford Bees of the Eastern League. He spent the next two years with Hartford and was drafted by the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League following the 1941 campaign. He hit .320 for the Seals in 1942 and was then taken by the White Sox in the 1942 Rule V Draft.

Hodgin became the regular third baseman for Chicago in 1943 and had his best big league season. His batting average of .314 was third in the American League and his slugging percentage of .415 was seventh in the circuit. His average dipped a little to .295 the next year, and he enlisted in the Army in February 1945, causing him to miss that whole season. He was discharged in December of that year, and unlike many wartime players, he returned to the majors after the war. Primarily a fourth outfielder for the Sox from 1946 to 1948, he hit .294 in 1947.

Following his major league days, Hodgin returned to the minors for several seasons, including three years with the Sacramento Solons of the PCL. He also managed for a few seasons, leading the Reidsville Luckies to the Carolina League crown in 1952. He then worked for a trucking company in his hometown of Greensboro for 30 years. A 2006 article in the Greensboro News-Record indicates that he, at age 91, still lived in Greensboro, as did Red Hayworth. Right before his death in 2011, Hodgin was the fourth-oldest living former major leaguer, after Connie Marrero, Ace Parker, and Alex Pitko.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1952	Reidsville Luckies	Carolina League	74-64	4th	none	League Champs
1953	Reidsville Luckies	Carolina League	73-66	4th	none	Lost League Finals
1954	Winston-Salem Twins	Carolina League	14-31	--	none	--	replaced by Herb Brett (30-63) on June 8
1956	Palatka Tigers	Florida State League	37-61	--	Detroit Tigers	--	replaced by Charles Baird (22-19) on July 23