“Gilbert “Gil” Ray Hodges” State Historical Marker

To Be Dedicated in Princeton, Indiana
 

            A public dedication ceremony for an Indiana state historical marker commemorating baseball Hall of Famer Gil Hodges is scheduled for Friday, October 4, 2024 in Gibson County. The program will begin at 10:00 am CST at Gil Hodges Field at 700 N. Lafayette Park Dr., Princeton, IN 47670. Parking for the program is available at the park and along nearby streets.

The text follows for the state marker entitled “Gilbert “Gil” Ray Hodges, 1924-1972”:

Born in Princeton, Dodgers first baseman Gil Hodges grew up in Petersburg. In 1941, he played American Legion baseball here. The field was renamed for him in 1970. Hodges debuted with MLB’s Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943 but served with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater in WWII. He returned to the Dodgers, playing basketball at Oakland City College in the offseason. Between 1947-1961, the eight-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glover helped the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers win seven pennants and two World Series. Hodges played for the New York Mets in their 1962 inaugural season and, as manager, led the 1969 “Miracle Mets” to their first World Series title. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.

The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony for this historical marker that commemorates Hodges’s contributions to America’s national pastime. During his playing career, he helped the Dodgers organization win two World Series titles and managed the New York Mets to their first World Series title.

This is the sixth state historical marker to be installed in Gibson County. For a listing of other markers in the county, visit: https://www.in.gov/history/state-historical-markers/find-a-marker/find-historical-markers-by-county/indiana-historical-markers-by-county/#gibson.

State historical markers commemorate significant individuals, organizations, places, and events in Indiana history. These markers help communities throughout the state promote, preserve, and present their history for the education and enjoyment of residents and tourists of all ages. For over 100 years the Indiana Historical Bureau (IHB), a division of the Indiana State Library, has been marking Indiana history. Since 1946, the marker format has been the large roadside marker, which has the familiar dark blue background with gold lettering and the outline of the state of Indiana at the top. Over 750 of these markers have been installed over the years.

For more information about the Indiana Historical Marker Program, including details on this marker, a listing of other markers in the state, or other resources about Indiana, visit the Indiana Historical Bureau’s website at http://www.IN.gov/history or call (317) 232-2535. For more information on the dedication, contact Janelle Wood with the Princeton Mayor’s Office at [email protected] or call 812-385-4428.