12. Gil Hodges

The beginning of Gil Hodges’s career was in Brooklyn in 1943 as a raw, talented catcher, but his journey was immediately interrupted by a two-year commitment to the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Returning in 1947, the same historic season Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Hodges eventually shifted from behind the plate to first base, a tactical move that solidified the "Boys of Summer" infield.

Hodges enjoyed a rapid evolution from a utility player to a premier specialized slugger. By 1949, Hodges demonstrated a high-frequency ability to drive in runs, beginning a staggering run of seven consecutive 100-RBI seasons. He was a high-stakes contributor during the most competitive era of the Brooklyn-Yankees rivalry, providing a high-quality floor of protection for Robinson and Duke Snider.

During the early 1950s, he authored two seasons with at least 40 home runs in 1951 and 1954. He showcased mastery of first base, becoming a defensive standard for his generation. When the Gold Glove was created in 1957, Hodges earned the first three ever awarded to a National League first baseman, highlighting high-quality efficiency ahead of its time. At his peak, he was a perennial All-Star and MVP contender, receiving votes in nine seasons.

In the 1955 World Series, after years of heartbreak against the Yankees, Hodges provided the specialized heroics the borough had been praying for. In the deciding Game 7, he drove in both runs of a 2-0 victory and squeezed the final out at first base to secure the only championship in Brooklyn history.

The 1958 move to Los Angeles saw Hodges remain a high-stakes veteran leader for a young, West Coast squad. He showed a specialized brand of longevity by helping the Dodgers capture the 1959 World Series title, batting a staggering .391 against the White Sox. While his power numbers began to dip in his final years, he remained a professional mainstay until he was taken by the New York Mets in the 1962 expansion draft. He left behind a statistical footprint as the Dodgers' all-time leader in several categories at the time, finishing his run in Blue with 361 home runs and 1,254 RBIs.

Hodges was finally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. The Dodgers subsequently retired his number 14, a final punctuation on a legacy that had seen him receive over 50 percent of the Hall of Fame ballot for eleven different years.