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1970 Gilbert Ray Hodges New York Mets Managerial Contract (PSA)
"There are only two kinds of managers," said Gil Hodges, "Winning managers and ex-managers." Presented is the New York Mets' managerial contract for the 1970 season, signed by Hodges. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2022, and he was the best all-around first baseman of his era. He played a single game in 1943 with the Brooklyn Dodgers before missing the next two seasons while with the United States Marines in World War II, and then spent the 1946 season in the minor leagues. Hodges spent the 1947-61 seasons with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers and finished his playing career with the 1962 inaugural New York Mets, and part of the 1963 season with the Mets before going to Washington to manage the Senators for the remainder of the 1963 season. In his career, Hodges hit 370 home runs and had the most home runs (310) by any right-handed Major League batter in the 1950s. He was an 8-time All-Star, and part of two Dodgers World Series Champions. He won three Gold Gloves, and Hodges would have won many more Gold Gloves because the award was not in existence until 1957, but he was the acknowledged best fielding first sacker of his time. Hodges didn't start his managerial career with a winning record as the 1963 Senators went 42-79 under his leadership. Yet, in 1967, his fifth and final season managing Washington, the Senators had improved to 76-85. Then Hodges went to the Mets, with New York having a 73-89 record in 1968, improved from 61-101 in 1967. Then came the 1969 season and The Miracle Mets, when Hodges' young team, the Tug McGraw inspired "Ya Gotta Believe" Mets, amazingly improved to 100-62 in the regular season and defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. Hodges was now a winning manager, a winning World Series manager, and he would most definitely not become an ex-manager The contract is on 8.5x11" paper, which originated from a 17x11" paper folded into four pages. The contract is for the amount of $65,000, and what is also amazing is that it is only for one-year, 1970. Hodges signed the contract on Oct. 31, 1969, and the contract was endorsed by National League President Warren Giles on Nov. 19, 1969. Hodges' neatly written and large signature was signed with a ballpoint pen in blue ink. The contract shows some darkening because of the passage of over half a century, but it is still in excellent condition. The Gil Hodges contract has increased value because of Hodges' recent induction to the Hall of Fame, and with the recent New York Mets' resurgence as a contender sure to bring more attention back to the 1969 Miracle Mets, their first ever World Championship team. Comes with PSA LOA.
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