After graduating,he signed with the Milwaukee Braves,with whom he spent four years in the minor leagues.[2] The Mets purchased his contract in October 1962 and added him to the major league roster.[2]
Hunt broke into the major leagues in 1963 as the Mets' regular second baseman,batting .272 with 10 home runs,which would be his career high,and 42 runs batted in,which he would tie in 1964.[3] Hunt had been the bullpen catcher until he approached manager Casey Stengel and asked to be sent to the minor leagues to play second base,if the Mets were not going to play him. Stengel responded by making Hunt the second baseman.[4]
That year,he also finished runner-up to Pete Rose for the National LeagueRookie of the Year honors.[4] In something that would highlight his career,Stengel had offered a bonus to players willing to be hit by pitches (HBP) if it won a game. Hunt was hit by pitches 13 times that year.[4]
In 1964 he batted .303[3] and became the Mets' first-ever starting All-Star representative.[5] The game was played in Hunt's home ballpark,the newly opened Shea Stadium. He got one hit in three at bats in the game.[6] He was also an NL All-Star representative in 1966. Hunt had no hits in one official at bat,but had a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning that moved Tim McCarver to second base to set up the winning run when Maury Wills' single drove McCarver home for the NL win.[7] He was hit by 11 pitches that year.[3]
Hunt was injured in 1965,and only played in 57 games.[5][3] He was hit by pitches 6 times,the only time in his twelve year career he was not hit by at least 10 pitches.[3] In 1966,Hunt's last year with the Mets,he had a .288 batting average,scored 63 runs,and was hit by 11 pitches.[3] In November 1966,Hunt and Jim Hickman were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tommy Davis and Derrell Griffith.[8] After batting .263 during the 1967 season,a year in which he was injured again,[5] and being hit by 10 pitches,[3] Hunt was traded with Nate Oliver,to the San Francisco Giants for Tom Haller and Frank Kasheta.[9]
In his first season with the Giants in 1968,Hunt batted .250 with two home runs,and scored 79 runs. He was hit by pitches 25 times,leading the league.[3][10] This was the first of seven consecutive years he led the NL in being hit by pitches.[3] His second home run came off Bob Gibson in the first inning of the Giants' September 17 game against the St. Louis Cardinals,and accounted for the only run in Gaylord Perry's no-hitter.[11]
After two more seasons in San Francisco (batting .262 and .281,and being hit by pitches 25 and 26 times respectively),Hunt was traded to the Montreal Expos after the 1970 season.[9] In 1971,he hit .279 and scored 89 runs. He was hit by pitches a remarkable 50 times,a post-1900 record.[3][1]
In nearly four seasons in Montreal,he batted .277,including a career high .309 in 1973.[3] After his record of being hit 50 times in 1971,he would follow that up with 26,24,and 16 (14 with the Expos) in the next three years.[3] Late in the 1974 season,the struggling Expos,seeking to turn over their roster,made Hunt the first to go by placing him on waivers.[12][9] He was claimed by his hometown St. Louis Cardinals,with whom he closed out his career after playing 12 games.[3][9] The Cardinals brought Hunt to Spring training in 1975,but released him in March,[9] after which he retired.
In his 12-year career Hunt batted .273 with 39 home runs and 370 RBIs in 1483 games played.[3] He was also one of the most difficult batters to strike out,fanning 382 times in 5235 at-bats,[3] or once in every 13.70 at-bats (tied for 369th best as of 2024).[13] In 1973,he set an Expos record by only striking out 19 times in 401 at-bats,the fewest ever in franchise history by a player who had at least 400 at-bats on the season.[citation needed]
Hunt hit his last major league home run on September 21,1971,against the Phillies as a member of the Expos at Jarry Park. He then went 1,302 at-bats and 378 games without hitting another when he closed out his career at the end of the 1974 season.[14]
Hit by pitches
Hunt,whose motto was,"Some people give their bodies to science;I give mine to baseball,"[15] was hit by pitches more often than anyone during his playing days. He led the National League in getting hit by pitches in each of his final seven Major League seasons,[3] and the Major Leagues in all but his final season (1974,when the modern Orioles' Bobby Grich was hit 20 times).[16] He was hit by 25 pitches in 1968,25 in 1969,26 in 1970,50 in 1971,26 in 1972 and 24 in 1973,and 16 in 1974.[3]
Hunt said in a July 2000 interview with Baseball Digest that he really began to get hit by pitches after being traded to San Francisco. "But," Hunt asked,"why would you hit me to face Willie Mays,Willie McCovey and Jim Ray Hart?"[4]
It was when Hunt was with the Giants that he made a close study of how to be hit by pitches. He knew the rules required that a batter had to "attempt" to get out of the way of a pitched ball. He would practice by standing in front of a mirror,aligning his shoulders,elbows,hips and ankles exactly where the corner of home plate would be,and practice twisting his body toward the catcher. He was not actually moving out of the way of the pitched ball,but he made an appearance of moving that he could contend met the rule's definition of an "attempt".[17]
In 1971,as a member of the Montreal Expos,he set a single-season record for being hit by more pitches (50) than any player since 1900. This was the most since the 19th century Baltimore Orioles' shortstop Hughie Jennings was hit 51 times in 1896.[1] (At the time Hunt was hit by his fiftieth,Jennings was only credited with 49 HBPs in 1896. Hunt was therefore credited in 1971 with setting a new all-time record. Years later,further historical research gave Jennings credit for two more HBPs in 1896,restoring the all-time record to Jennings.[1]) As of 2024,the closest post-1900 player in being hit by pitches in a season is Don Baylor,with 35 in 1986.[1]
Hunt,who batted right-handed,would stand with his "left arm hanging over the plate" and allow himself to be hit to make up for his lack of hitting power.[15] On June 25,1971,he was hit three times during a doubleheader.[15] He had the habit of tossing back the ball that had hit him to the pitcher.[15]
On April 29,1969,Hunt tied a Major League record with three HBPs in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.[21] At the time,he was only the fifth player to be hit by a pitch three times in one game.[citation needed] As of 2024,the feat has been done over 30 times.[20]
After baseball,Hunt owned a liquor store and a sporting goods store in Wentzville,Missouri. Hunt later raised cattle. He founded The Ron Hunt Eagles Baseball Association,a non-profit corporation. It is a live-in training program for 14-18 year olds from the United States,Canada and overseas come to learn and play team baseball,and to prepare them for college. The players live on site in dorms and play on a field Hunt built,competing in around 40 games over the summer with teams across the Midwest.[4][23]
In baseball,hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher;the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base,provided that he made an honest effort to avoid the pitch,although failure to do so is rarely called by an umpire. Being hit by a pitch is often caused by a batter standing too close to,or "crowding",home plate.
Clayton Errol Dalrymple is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies (1960–1968) and Baltimore Orioles (1969–1971). Dalrymple was known for his strong throwing arm and solid defensive skills. Over his career,he threw out 48.8% of the base runners who attempted a stolen base,placing him 30th on the all-time list.
The 1974 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 93rd season in St. Louis,Missouri and its 83rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 86–75 during the season and finished second in the National League East,1+1⁄2 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 1991 New York Mets season was the 30th regular season for the Mets. They went 77–84 and finished fifth in the National League East for their first losing season since 1983. They were managed by Bud Harrelson and Mike Cubbage. They played home games at Shea Stadium.
The 1972 New York Mets season was the 11th regular season for the Mets,who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Yogi Berra,the team had an 83–73 record and finished in third place in the National League East division.
The 1971 New York Mets season was the tenth regular season for the Mets,who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Gil Hodges,the team posted an 83–79 record and finished the season tied for third place in the National League East.
The 1963 New York Mets season was the second regular season for the Mets. They went 51–111 and finished tenth in the National League,48 games behind the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. They were managed by Casey Stengel. They played their home games at the Polo Grounds,the second and final season there for the Mets before moving to Shea Stadium the following season.
The 1982 Texas Rangers season was the 22nd of the Texas Rangers franchise overall,their 11th in Arlington as the Rangers,and the 11th season at Arlington Stadium. The Rangers finished sixth in the American League West with a record of 64 wins and 98 losses.
The 1969 Atlanta Braves season was the fourth in Atlanta and the 99th overall season of the franchise. The National League had been split into two divisions before the season,with the Braves somewhat incongruously being assigned to the National League West. The Braves finished with a record of 93–69,winning the first ever NL West title by three games over the San Francisco Giants.
The 1981 Montreal Expos season was the 13th season in franchise history. They made it to the postseason for the first time in franchise history. Their playoff run ended in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers,with Rick Monday hitting a ninth-inning solo home run in game 5,subsequently referred to as "Blue Monday" by Expos fans. This was the closest the Expos ever got to a World Series appearance while in Montreal. This was also their last time winning a playoff series until 2019,which they won the Wild Card game. In addition,their 31-year playoff drought after this season is currently the longest in the Divisional era.
The 1984 Montreal Expos season was the 16th season in franchise history. They recorded 78 wins during the 1984 season and finished in fifth place in the National League East. A managerial change occurred as Bill Virdon was replaced by Jim Fanning. The highlight of the Expos season was the acquisition of Pete Rose. After being benched in the 1983 World Series,Rose left the Phillies and signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Expos. He garnered his 4,000th hit with the team on April 13,1984 against the Phillies,being only the second player to do so.
The 1991 Montreal Expos season was the 23rd season in franchise history. After several winning seasons,the Expos faltered in 1991,winning only 20 of its first 49 games. Manager Buck Rodgers was replaced as manager by Tom Runnells. The team ultimately finished 71–90. The highlight of the season was Dennis Martinez pitching a perfect game at Dodger Stadium on July 28,1991.
The 1971 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 89th year in Major League Baseball,their 14th year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season,and their 12th at Candlestick Park. The team finished in first place in the National League West with a 90–72 record. The Giants faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS,losing three games to one.
The 1972 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 90th year in Major League Baseball,15th in San Francisco,and 13th at Candlestick Park. The defending division champions,the Giants fell to fifth in the National League West with a record of 69–86. It was their first losing season in San Francisco and the franchise's first losing season since 1957,their final year in New York City.
The 1971 Montreal Expos season was the third season in the history of the franchise. The Expos finished in fifth place in the National League East with a record of 71–90,25+1⁄2 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 1974 Montreal Expos season was the sixth season in the history of the franchise. The Expos finished in fourth place in the National League East with a record of 79–82,8+1⁄2 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 1980 Montreal Expos season was the 12th season in franchise history. The Expos were tied with the division rival Philadelphia Phillies in the standings entering the final weekend of the 1980 season with a three game series set between the two clubs at Olympic Stadium. On October 4,with the Phillies holding a one-game lead in the standings,and with the score tied at four heading to the tenth,Mike Schmidt hit a blast deep into the seats in left field to give the Phillies a 6–4 lead and ultimate win to clinch the National League East. This was the Expos closest shot at making the postseason in their brief 12 year history.
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The 1969 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 87th season in Major League Baseball,their 12th season in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season,and their tenth at Candlestick Park. The team finished second in the newly established National League West with a record of 90–72,3 games behind the Atlanta Braves,their fifth consecutive season of finishing second. The Giants set a Major League record which still stands for the most double plays grounded into by a team in a single game,with 7 against the Houston Astros on May 4.
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