Eddie Mathews played 17 seasons in the big leagues and is the only player to play for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. He hit 512 home runs in his career and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1978. This week Hooks & Runs continues its series, Texans in the Hall, by looking back at Mathews' career.

Also this episode Shohei Ohtani's latest off-the-field skirmish; Mike Trout's decline, Guy Hecker's big day and Hooks & Runs' favorite release for the second quarter 2025.

Eddie Mathews at baseball-reference.com
Shohei Ohtani story (https://tinyurl.com/ohtanihooks)
Guy Hecker's big day (https://tinyurl.com/guyhecker)

Representative Sources:
Guy Curtright, "A Brave in Three Cities," February 19, 2001, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, page 6.
Don Fleitz, "Eddie Mathews," https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/eddie-mathews/, last accessed August 14, 2025.
Joe Heiling, "Mathews Happy Over Chances With Astros," January 1, 1967, Houston Post, page 18.
Frank Hyland, "Aaron to Play? Check the Weather," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 6, 1974, page 13.
Wayne Minshew, "Kuhn Edict Still Angers Mathews," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 1, 1974, page 26.
Joe Reichler, "Spahn Pitches Distance in 7-5 Thiller," October 7, 1957, Janesville Weekly Gazette, page 12.
John Wilson, "Astros Acquire Eddie Mathews," January 1, 1967, Houston Chronicle, page 21.
John Wilson, "Astros Trade Ed Mathews to Detroit," August 18, 1967, Houston Chronicle.
Dick Young "Braves Cop, 7-5, in 10; Tie Series," New York Daily News, page 48.
Statistics, box scores and more at https://www.baseball-reference.com/.

This is Turnstile's song "Seein' Stars," from their 2025 album "Never Enough."

Errata: In 1999, there were 9 future Hall of Famers on the Hall of Fame ballot, not 4.

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Guy Hecker

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