Ron Hunt: The First Mets Player To Start An All Star Game (1963 - 1966)
In 1962 he batted .309 at AA ball when he was purchased by the New York Mets that October.
At first The Mets were using him as a bullpen catcher during spring training 1963.
Quotes- Ron Hunt: “Larry Burright wasn't doing too well at second base. I went up to Casey after a game in the Polo Grounds & said I’m Ron Hunt #33. I'm not a bullpen catcher; I can play second base. If you want me to go to the minors every day until you need me, I'll do it. I guess Casey took a liking to me, he asked `Do you want to play that badly, son? You're in the lineup tomorrow."
Quotes- Ron Hunt: “Larry Burright wasn't doing too well at second base. I went up to Casey after a game in the Polo Grounds & said I’m Ron Hunt #33. I'm not a bullpen catcher; I can play second base. If you want me to go to the minors every day until you need me, I'll do it. I guess Casey took a liking to me, he asked `Do you want to play that badly, son? You're in the lineup tomorrow."
Walk Off Hit: On April 19th, in just his third career game he had three hits including an exciting walk off game winning two run double in the bottom of the 9th inning, off Milwaukee's Claude Raymond for a 5-4 win.
A week later he drove in one of two runs in Carl Willeys three hit shutout over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
A week later he drove in one of two runs in Carl Willeys three hit shutout over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
From April 27th to May 21st, Hunt hit safely in 19 of 22 games hitting .325. During that time, he had a ten-game hit streak & got his season average up to .314.
Walk Off Error: On June 2nd, Hunt came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with two on & one out facing the Pirates Roy Face. He hit a fly ball to Jerry Lynch in left field whose error allowed the winning run to score.
Walk Off Error: On June 2nd, Hunt came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with two on & one out facing the Pirates Roy Face. He hit a fly ball to Jerry Lynch in left field whose error allowed the winning run to score.
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Four Hit Game: On June 16th, Ron had a four-hit game in a 10-3 win over the Reds in Cincinnati. Ron collected a double & three singles with an RBI.Then the next day drove in two runs leading New York to a 4-1 win over the Reds. He would have five more three hit games on the season.
Hunt went into September hitting safely in twenty of twenty-two games. From September 8th to September 27th Hunt would have a 12-game hit streak with 18 hits hitting .391 in that stretch.
RBIs in Four Straight Games: From September 7th to September 10th, he drove in a run in four straight games. On September 8th he broke up a 2-2 tie with the Reds in the top of the 8th inning with an RBI single off Joe Nuxhall.
For the season he led the team in hits (145) batting average (.272) doubles (28) runs (64) & on base percentage (.334) as well as sacrifices & hit by pitches (13). That year Hunt also hit a career high 10 HRs & 28 doubles with 42 RBIs finishing as runner up to Pete Rose for the Rookie of the Year Award.
Hit By Pitch Legacy: Hunt would become legendary, for getting hit by pitches, he would lead the team every year in that category from 1963-1966. The thirteen HBP in 1963 was a club record that would stand for 34 years until John Olerud broke it in 1997.
Ron became a fan favorite in the early years of the Mets for the hard way he played the game & his respect for them as well.
1964: Hunt started out the season getting two hits on Opening Day in Philadelphia. On April 26th in Pittsburgh, he collected three hits & scored all three runs in the Mets 3-2 win.
On April 23rd, three games later Hunt hit the first home run by a Mets player in the new Shea Stadium. It came in the bottom of the 8th inning off the Cubs Dick Ellsworth in a 5-1 Mets loss.
In May he had a nine-game hit streak, hitting safely in 13 of 16 games staying over the .300 mark.
Four Hit Games: On May 26th Ron had a four-hit game with an RBI in a 19-1 win at Wrigley Field. On June 28th in Milwaukee, he had his other four hit game of the season, with a two-run single, a double & two more hits in a loss to the Braves.
In June he hit .350 collecting 42 hits in the month with four doubles two HRs & nine RBIs. In mid-June he started a twelve-game hit streak & had eight multi-hit games in that streak.
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First Met to Start All Star Game: By the end of the first half of the season Hunt was hitting .311. He became the first Mets player to start in an All-Star game as the National League's second baseman, in the 1964 All Star game. The game was also played in the brand-new grand Shea Stadium in New York during the 1964 World's Fair across the park in Flushing Queens. This was the only All-Star Game ever held in Shea Stadium.
In the 3rd inning, the anticipation mounted as he waited his turn at bat in between innings & in the on-deck circle. When he walked up to the plate, Hunt received a tremendous standing ovation from the hometown fans.
He led off the inning with a single off the L.A. Angels Dean Chance. Overall, Hunt played the entire game, going 1-3.In the bottom of the 9th inning, the AL was leading 4-3. Willie Mays led off with a walk, stole second & scored on Orlando Cepeda's base hit tying up the game. With two outs & a runner on first he Phillies Johnny Callison hit a walk off HR off Dick Radtz giving the National League a 7-4 win.
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In the second half of the year Hunt continued his fine hitting. Multi- Three RBI Game: On July 12th in the second game of a double header sweep, Hunt matched his season high three RBI game in a 5-1 win over the Reds. Hunt hit a solo HR off Bob Purkey & collected a two-run single as well.
From July 15th to July 22nd Hunt had an eight-game hit streak with 12 hits while batting .387.
In the month of August, he hit safely in 21 of 25 games with 10 multi-game hits batting .327. Hunt collected 33 more hits & drove in a season high 11 runs.
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In September he missed three weeks of action due to injury. He returned to close out the seasons last three games as Casey Stengel's Mets went 53-109 finishing tenth.
Multi- Three Game RBI Game: On August 28th during a wild 12-10 Mets win at Wrigley Field, he had his third multi-RBI game of the season. In the 8th inning, Hunts bases loaded two run single off Don Elston tied the game. Hunt had three hits, drove in three runs & scored two runs.
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Hunt finished the 1964 season leading the team with a .303 average & getting hit by 11 pitches. He hit 6 triples with 6 HRs 19 doubles 59 runs scored & 42 RBIs. He walked 29 times posted a .357 on base % & a .763 OPS.
His six stolen bases were also enough to lead the slow-footed club in that category.
At second base his .979 fielding % was fourth best in the NL, he was fourth in assists (317) & fifth in put outs (244).
1965: In the 1965 season, injuries limited him to only 57 games.
1965: In the 1965 season, injuries limited him to only 57 games.
Ron started out missing 16 games in April. Then after ten games in May he went out again missing three months of action returning in early August.
Walk Off Hit: On September 28th at Shea, The Mets Dennis Ribant threw 11 innings of shutout ball against the Pirates. Pittsburgh's Tommie Sisk held the Mets scoreless thru eight innings, then Roy Face for three more innings.
In the bottom of the 12th the Mets loaded the bases with singles from Joe Christopher & John Stephenson. Roy Face then intentionally walked Charley Smith.
Ron Hunt then delivered the walk off game winning base hit to centerfield, giving New York an exciting 1-0 win.
For the 1965 season. Hunt hit .240 with 12 doubles, one HR 10 RBIs & a .309 on base % in 196 at bats.
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| The Hunt's Grocery Shopping in Maspeth Queens |
"Casey called me in the office about a month into the season and he said, 'Son, you need a raise.' I said, 'Yes, sir.' He said, 'How's $500 sound?' I said, 'Is that $500 a month?' He said, 'No! That's 500 a year.' So I called my wife - and it's still the same wife, 37 years now - and she said, 'We'll take it!' When the Mets moved to Shea in 1964, Ron & his wife moved into a basement apartment in Maspeth.
Five RBI Game: On May 20th in a 7-5 Mets win at Candlestick Park, Hunt had his first career five RBI game. In the top of the 6th inning, he hit a two run single off Gaylord Perry. In the 8th he led the Mets to victory breaking the 4-4 tie with a three run HR off Lindy McDaniel.
Another Mets First: On June 5th in the first game of a double header, he became the first Met to hit an inside the park HR. It came off the great Dodger Hall of Famer, Sandy Koufax, in a16-3 Mets shellacking loss to Dodgers at Shea Stadium.
Another Mets First: On June 5th in the first game of a double header, he became the first Met to hit an inside the park HR. It came off the great Dodger Hall of Famer, Sandy Koufax, in a16-3 Mets shellacking loss to Dodgers at Shea Stadium.
1966 All Star: He was batting .293 at the break & made another All-Star team. Hunt was a reserve player in the All-Star Game played at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
In the bottom of the 10th inning Hunt sacrificed Tim McCarver over to second base in the 1-1 tie game. Maury Wills then singled off Pete Richert bringing in McCarver with the walk off game winning run.
In the second half of the season, from August 10th August 21st he collected 19 hits over an 11-game stretch while hitting safely in ten of eleven games.
Hunt would finish the year once again leading the team in batting average (.288) hits (138) on base % (.356) and hit by pitches (11). Hunt also hit three HRs with 19 doubles 63 runs scored & 33 RBIs.
Traded From New York: In November of 1966 he and Jim Hickman were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tommy Davis. It was the first trade between the two rivals since they had moved to the West Coast.
Ron Hunt was heartbroken after the trade & took time for him to adjust. On the year he batted .263. After the season he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Tom Haller.
Post Mets Career- Giants: Hunt played three seasons as the Giants main second baseman in San Francisco, leading all second baseman in errors in 1968 (20) then posted the league’s fourth best fielding % in the next year.
That year he hit just .250 but posted a .371 on base % while drawing 78 walks (3rd in the NL) &leading the league getting hit by 28 pitches.
Hit By Pitch Leader: Starting in 1968, Hunt would lead the NL in getting hit by pitches in each of the next seven seasons.
1969: Years later Hunt said he really began to get hit more by pitches in San Francisco, claiming "but why would you hit me to face guys like Willie Mays, Willie McCovey & Jim Ray Hart?"
Hit By Pitch Single Game Record: On April 29 in a game at Candlestick Park, hosting the Cincinnati Reds in front of just 3,247 Hunt set a record by getting plunked three times in a game. In the 6th inning he was plunked by Jack Fisher. Then in the 8th after Bobby Bonds two run HR put the Giants ahead, he was hit by Wayne Granger. Finally in the 12th he was hit again by George Culver. Hunt also had an RBI single & a walk in the game.
inning. In the bottom of the 8th, he was hit by Wayne Granger. The record third time did not come until the 12th inning when he was plunked by George Culver.
That season he batted .262 getting hit by a league leading 25 pitches.
In 1970 he batted .281 with 6 HRs 17 doubles & posted a .394 on base % leading the NL for a third straight year with 26 hit by pitches. The following year Tito Fuentes took over at second base as the Giants went on to win the NL Western title.
Expos Career: That December he was traded to the Montreal Expos for Dave McDonald. In Montreal he was the teams main second baseman for three seasons & was a popular player there as well.
Hit By Pitch Record: On September 29th in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Jarry Park, Montreal, Hunt was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the 2nd inning by Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas.
Hit By Pitch Record: On September 29th in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Jarry Park, Montreal, Hunt was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the 2nd inning by Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas.
It was the 50th time that year he had been hit by a pitch, setting a new record for batters in the 20th century.
The pitcher Pappas argued that the pitch was a strike & Hunt got in the way of the ball. Legendary managers Leo Durocher & Sparky Anderson had similar claims throughout the year.
That month Hunt was hit by ten pitches & in July he had been hit eleven times in the month. He had four months where he was plunked at least nine times.
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Hunt posted his best on base % (.402%) up to that point in his career (4th in the NL) while batting .279 with 41 walks 20 doubles 5 HRs & 38 RBIs. He only struck out 41 times in 528 at bats, 638 plate appearances, while hitting 20 doubles for the first of two straight seasons. That season he also had career bests in runs scored (89- 8th most in the league) & games played (152).
In 1972 he dropped off in his production but rebounded the next year. In 1973 Hunt had career highs batting .309 with a .418 on base % & 10 stolen bases. He scored 61 runs drove in 18 runs was hit by 26 pitches & drew 52 walks. He received votes for the MVP award, coming in 26th while playing in 113 games.
In 1972 he dropped off in his production but rebounded the next year. In 1973 Hunt had career highs batting .309 with a .418 on base % & 10 stolen bases. He scored 61 runs drove in 18 runs was hit by 26 pitches & drew 52 walks. He received votes for the MVP award, coming in 26th while playing in 113 games.
Trivia: Hunt also set an Expo record by only striking out just 19 times in 401 at-bats.
In 1974 he was playing mostly at third base, after 115 games, he was batting .268 with 15 doubles & 26 RBIs but the Expos were trying to overturn their team & Hunt was placed on waivers.
On September 5th, Hunt was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals.
St. Louis: Ron got to finish his out his career in his hometown of St. Louis playing in 12 games that September.
Career Stats: In his 12-year career Hunt batted .273 with 1439 hits 39 HRs 223 doubles 23 triples 745 runs scored a .368 on base % & 370 RBIs in 1483 games played.
He was also one of the most difficult batters to strike out, fanning 382 times in 5235 at-bats.
Upon his retirement, his 243 Hit by pitches were an MLB career record, but since he has fallen to sixth on the all-time list.
Upon his retirement, his 243 Hit by pitches were an MLB career record, but since he has fallen to sixth on the all-time list.
Hunt played in 1260 games at second base (76th most all time) posting a .976 fielding % turning 685 double plays (97th most) with 156 errors in 6402 chances.
He has 2734 put outs (77th all time) & 3512 assists (81st most all time for second baseman). Hunt also played in 158 games at third & two games at short.
Hunt insisted that he never deliberately got hit by a pitch.
On occasion, he was said to have worn a wetsuit underneath his uniform to ease the pain from being hit by a pitch.
Ron & his wife live in a old log cabin home on a farm where he still does chores & raises cattle.
Baseball League: Starting in 1985 he ran The Ron Hunt Baseball Association, a non-profit instructional league for teens, He would run an annual fund raiser in New York for many years after he started the school.
Honors: In the 1970s Ron was a frequent at Mets Old Timers Games.
In 2013 he returned to New York around the festivities of the first All Star Game in a Mets Stadium since 1964 when Hunt started at second base for the NL Team.
In 2019 he & his family were on hand with Skip Lockwood for a Mets Alumni night at Citi Field.
60th Anniversary of Shea Stadium: In 2024 he & Jack Fisher were on hand at Citi Field to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Shea Stadium. Fisher was the starting pitcher & Hunt started at second base collecting the first Mets hit in the new ballpark.
Family: Ron Hunt married his wife Jackie in the mid-sixties. Together they had two children, daughter Traci & son Ron Jr.
Although the two players played two decades apart, they were connected with the help of Mets
media man Jay Horowitz & Hunt's daughter Tracy.
The man who led the league in hit by pitches was hit in the head many times, but the worse blow came from a throw that hit him in the back of the head in 1969 landing him in the hospital.
Saberhagen arranged for Hunt to have seven weeks of holistic treatment in Hollywood, Florida. His condition improved & the 81-year-old Hunt gave up his wheelchair for a cane.
In his later years he said he doesn't watch the game much anymore & feels the players don't run out plays or give it their all anymore as they had done in his day.