Ron Hunt
From The Met Wiki
Ron Hunt was a player for the Mets from 1963 to 1966. He accumulated 474 hits in 459 games played in his four seasons in New York. Ron also batted .282 with 78 doubles, 13 triples, 20 homers and 120 runs batted in while being hit by a pitch 41 times as a Met.
As a rookie in 1963, Hunt became a Mets' leader. He topped the team many categories including batting average (.272), hits (145), runs (64) and doubles (28) for the season. On April 19, he hit a two-run double in the ninth inning against the Braves to give the Mets their first win of the season after eight losses. Also in '63, he developed what would become a career reputation by getting hit by a pitch 13 times. This was a team record that was unmatched until John Olerud tied it in 1997. Hunt ended up second in the voting for 1963 National League Rookie of the Year, which was won by Cincinnati's Pete Rose.
Hunt hit the Mets' first home run at Shea Stadium on April 23, 1964. Also in '64, Ron became the Mets' first ever starter in the All-Star Game, which was played at Shea on July 7. Hunt got a single off Dean Chance in the third inning of the Game. At Shea on July 12, he had a home run and a two-run single in the Mets' 5-1 win over the Reds in the second game of a doubleheader. For the season, Ron led the Mets with a .303 batting average, 6 stolen bases and 11 hit by pitches. His 113 singles tied him with Joe Christopher for the team lead.
Ron played in only 57 games for the Mets in 1965. A seperated shoulder had him on the disabled list from May to August that year. Still, he was tied with Christopher for the team lead in hit by pitches with 6. On September 28, Hunt got a two-out single to score Christopher with the winning run for a 1-0 Mets win over the Pirates at Shea Stadium.
In 1966, Hunt led the Mets once again with a .288 batting average and 138 hits. He also appeared in his second All-Star Game. At Shea on September 30, Ron drove in the winning run with a ninth-inning single for a 1-0 Mets triumph over the Astros. The '66 season was Hunt's last with the Mets as he was traded with Jim Hickman to the Dodgers for Tommy Davis and Derrell Griffith on November 29.
Hunt remained in the major leagues for eight more years. After spending the 1967 season in Los Angeles, Ron played for the San Francisco Giants (1968-1970), Montreal Expos (1971-1974) and St. Louis Cardinals (1974). He established a career record of being hit by a pitch 243 times, including a seasonal record of 50 as an Expo in '71.
