Shovel Hodge

Clarence Clemet Hodge

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut September 6, 1920
• Final Game September 5, 1922
• Born July 6, 1893 in Mount Andrew, AL USA
• Died December 31, 1967 in Fort Walton Beach, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Shovel Hodge, a tall 6' 4", pitched for three seasons with the Chicago White Sox. He broke in during the 1920 season, before the Black Sox were banned, and continued to play in 1921 and 1922.

He was effective in his first year, with an ERA of 2.29. In his second year his ERA worsened significantly, but as a batter he hit .327. In this third year his ERA improved to roughly the league average.

Although his weight is listed at 190, apparently he at one time weighed much more, and he was called "Shovel" because his large body supposedly resembled a steam shovel.

Local lore in Nashville, TN says that in 1919 Shovel hit the longest home run ever hit there. He was playing for the Nashville Vols at the time. He was with the San Francisco Seals for 9 games in 1922, a year in which they won 127 out of 199 games.

After his playing days he became an umpire, apparently in the Southern League and in the Alabama State League.

One source: Dale County Archives Shovel Hodge Hit Longest Home Run. In the 1940s he apparently was living in Newton, AL.

One source says he was a manager in the Alabama-Florida League in 1936, 1950, and 1955. In between, he was president of the league from 1952-1954. He was nicknamed "Mutt". See Mutt Hodge in Class D Baseball.

Related Sites

• Shovel Hodge at the SABR Bio Project