Ron Hunt, the tough-as-nails second baseman who carved out a place in baseball history as the first New York Met ever to start in an All-Star Game, passed away Wednesday at 85 years old.
Hunt had spent his final month in hospice care. During his playing days, he set a Modern Era record by being struck by pitches 50 times in the 1971 season alone — a testament to his fearless approach at the plate.
Over the course of his 12-year major league career, Hunt suited up for five different teams: the New York Mets from 1963 to 1966, the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1967, the San Francisco Giants from 1968 to 1970, the Montreal Expos from 1971 to 1974, and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974. He finished his career with 1,429 hits and a reputation for giving everything he had on the field.
Jay Horwitz, the Mets’ vice president of media relations, paid tribute to Hunt in a July 4 post on Medium. “No one played the game harder than Ron Hunt, our first All-Star,” Horwitz wrote. “He would do anything to help win a game.”
Hunt was a two-time All-Star selection and is perhaps most remembered for his extraordinary willingness to absorb pitches. He was hit by a pitch 243 times throughout his career, placing him sixth on the all-time MLB list.
He once summed up his philosophy with a now-famous quip: “Some folks give their bodies to science. I gave mine to baseball.”
Hunt was born on February 23, 1941, in St. Louis. After excelling in both baseball and football during his high school years, he signed with the Milwaukee Braves. The expansion Mets later acquired his contract after their first season in 1962, installing him as their starting second baseman. He made his major league debut in 1963.
That debut season was statistically the finest of his career — Hunt posted 145 hits, 28 doubles, 10 home runs, and 42 RBIs. He finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, edged out by a 22-year-old Cincinnati Reds standout named Pete Rose. Even so, Hunt continued to win over fans and teammates alike with his no-nonsense style of play.
When he started the 1964 All-Star Game — known as the Midsummer Classic — he singled in his first plate appearance, doing so at his home ballpark, Shea Stadium, while playing for the National League.
Hunt’s relentless, hard-charging style earned him a career bWAR of 32.7, but it also took a physical toll. He underwent 16 baseball-related surgeries over the years, and his aggressive play may have contributed to the development of Parkinson’s disease, which affected him in his later years.
He is survived by his wife, Jackie; his daughter, Tracy; and his son, Ron Jr.
