Harold Morris "Gomer" Hodge (April 3, 1944 – May 13, 2007) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He appeared in 80 Major League Baseball games primarily as a pinch hitter for the Cleveland Indians in 1971. Born in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, Hodge was signed by the Indians in 1963, and spent the next eight seasons in the minor leagues. He joined the Indians in 1971, hitting four times in his first four at bats and becoming a fan favorite of the team. After a full season with the Indians, he was demoted back to the minor leagues, served as a player-coach for one season and, after retiring as a ballplayer, became a coach in the Indians organization. He then served as a manager and coach for teams in the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos, and Boston Red Sox organizations until his death in 2007. Early life Hodge was born on April 3, 1944 in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. His mother worked at a garment factory, while his father worked at the local textile mill and ran the family farm. His nickname of "Gomer" came from a teammate Bob Wolfe on the Burlington Indians in 1964 due to his resemblance to Jim Nabors, who played the role of Gomer Pyle on television's The Andy Griffith Show and its spinoff Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. The nickname stuck with him throughout his career. Playing career After being signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent in 1963, Hodge began his professional career with the Dubuque Packers. In 80 games with the Packers, he had a .218 batting average. The following year he played with the Burlington Indians, and had a .273 batting average in 127 games. He next played with the Salinas Indians in 1965, and had a .277 batting average and 13 stolen bases in 117 games. In 1966, he was promoted to the Pawtucket Indians of the Eastern League and played there for two seasons. He had a .220 batting average in 114 games in 1966, but only played in 46 games the following year. Hodge then played for the Waterbury Indians in 1968. In 120 games, he had a .231 batting average, eight triples, 13 stolen bases, and was named to the Eastern League All-Star Team as a third baseman. He spent part of 1969 with Waterbury, then was promoted to the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast