LOOSEROBES NOMINATES FOR SAINTHOOD…

This talk about the coming beatification of the late Pope John Paul II has me thinking baseball. Now that I have learned two miracles are necessary in order to become a saint, I nominate the late, great Gil Hodges for baseball sainthood. Hey, they haven’t let him into the Hall of Fame; this would be even better.

The first miracle Hodges performed was in October, 1955, when his bat was responsible for both of the Dodger runs in the deciding game of the World Series, won 2 – 0 against the hated Yankees. It was the only world championship the great Brooklyn team ever won.

The second miracle for which Hodges was responsible was, of course, the Miracle Mets of ’69. Formerly the worst team in major league baseball, formerly the team managed by the inept and malapropic Casey Stengel, Hodges managed the Mets to their first World Series win. He did this with a hodgepodge of players that no one would have predicted for such a grand and glorious accomplishment.

Plus the fact that Gil Hodges was the quintessential nice guy, a gentle giant respected by all, friends and foes alike.

So I say nuts to all the baseball writers who have spurned Gil Hodges in the Hall of Fame voting. The man is a certified saint, two miracles and all.