Athletes - Russ Hodges

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	Athletes - Russ Hodges

Russell Patrick Hodges (June 18, 1910 - April 19, 1971) was an American broadcaster who did play-by-play for several baseball teams, most notably the New York and San Francisco Giants.

Born in Dayton, Tennessee, Hodges began his career in 1929. He was nomadic for the first two decades of his career. He worked for the Chicago Cubs, Washington Senators, and Cincinnati Reds before landing in New York with the New York Yankees.

In 1949, Hodges finally found a home with the Giants. On October 3, 1951, Hodges was at the microphone for Bobby Thomson's famous Shot Heard 'Round the World. It was Hodges who cried, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!"

Ironically, if not for the generosity of a Dodger fan, this famous moment in sports broadcasting might have been lost. This was in an era before all game broadcasts were recorded. However, in his autobiography, Hodges related how a Brooklyn fan, excited over what appeared to be a certain Dodger victory, hooked up his home tape recorder to his radio. The fan wanted to capture Hodges "crying." Instead, he recorded history; the next day, he called Hodges and said, "You have to have this tape."

When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Hodges followed the club west. He continued working for the team through 1970 when he retired.

Hodges died suddenly of a heart attack in Mill Valley, California. In 1980, he was the fourth recipient of the Ford Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting. In 2000, the Giants named the broadcast booths in their new stadium the Hodges-Simmons Broadcast Center in honor of Hodges and his former partner Lon Simmons.

More of the October 3rd, 1951 Thomson home run radio call by Hodges: "Hartung down the line at third, not taking any chances. Lockman without too big of a lead at second, but he'll be running like the wind if Thomson hits one. Branca throws. There's a long drive. It's gonna be, I believe -- The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant! And they're going crazy! They're going crazy! Oh-ho!"

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Athletes - Russ Hodges

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