Gil Hodges and the Christmas Visit That Changed Everything

Baseball|A Christmas Visit That Changed Everything

For 72 years, David Schacker has held connected to a tattered black-and-white photograph, now buried heavy successful a closet astatine his location adjacent downtown Toronto. A fewer days ago, soon aft Gil Hodges was elected to nan Hall of Fame, he decided to return a caller look. The image has mislaid immoderate of its luster but nan excitement still shines through: a bright-eyed kid, conscionable 1 period awkward of turning 11, beaming arsenic he shakes hands pinch a section legend.

Hodges came to St. Giles infirmary successful December 1949 to sojourn a group of young boys who were recovering from polio. He arrived successful a afloat Santa suit — complete pinch a beard, a chapeau and boots — but nan disguise didn’t fool anyone. The boys had spent nan past fewer months cooped up inside, huddled astir a 12 ½ -inch Stromberg-Carlson tv set. When they weren’t going done their regular physiotherapy, they were watching Brooklyn Dodgers games. And Hodges, who was voted into his first All-Star Game that year, played successful 156 of them. They knew who he was nan infinitesimal he walked done that door.

Hodges made his measurement complete to Schacker and stuck retired his hand. All these years later, Schacker still remembers really large nan monolithic first baseman’s manus was — yet really gentle Hodges seemed close-up. This was an All-Star, a man who had conscionable driven successful 115 runs and knocked retired 170 hits, and present he was, sitting connected Schacker’s infirmary furniture successful Crown Heights, beaming backmost astatine him.

The Dodgers made those 9 months bearable. Schacker had been a die-hard instrumentality since 1946, raised connected teams of Pete Reiser, Dixie Walker and Kirby Higbe. He had ne'er owned a TV, truthful watching his favourite players deed and tally and bargain successful existent clip was exhilarating. Though Hodges was conscionable astatine nan opening of his Hall of Fame career, Schacker knew he was thing special, and not only for his talent. This was a subordinate who lived successful Brooklyn year-round. The Dodgers’ first baseman could beryllium seen stepping his canine down nan block. He could beryllium seen astatine nan area shop buying cigarettes, aliases stopping for beverage connected his measurement backmost from nan ballpark. In galore ways, Hodges felt for illustration 1 of them: a neighbor, a acquainted face, a friend.