Gallagher: R.I.P. Ron Hunt, former Montreal Expo

Former Montreal Expos second baseman Ron Hunt has died at the age of 85.

July 17, 2026

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

You've heard of that expression, "He took one for the team.''

Ron Hunt took one for the team too often, meaning the Expos, Mets, Dodgers, Giants and Cardinals. He took pitches in the ribs, head, wherever, any way possible to get on base. Often, Hunt would just stand at the plate and let the ball hit him.

With no power so to speak and choking way up on the bat, Hunt figured he would try to get on base anyway possible. It would take bravery and courage to stand at the plate and wince when a fastball hit him. Hunt was never gun-shy. He crowded the plate, daring pitchers to hit him or give him a pitch to hit.

The beanings and subsequent concussions led to Hunt getting beaned broadside by Parkinson's.

Hunt, 85, died today after a long battle with Parkinson’s and other illness -- after almost 66 years of marriage.

"I have problems with my memory,'' Hunt was telling me in an interview in January, 2021. "I’ve got the shakes. I take medication. I take pills. I do rehab once a week.''

Sadly, Parkinson's was cruel to Hunt. His memory in many instances was robbed just like it is for Alzheimer's patients. When I asked him what he remembered about Jim Fanning, the Expos GM during his tenure, he replied, "Who is Jim Fanning?'' When I asked Hunt what he remembered about Expos president John McHale, he replied, "Who is John McHale?''

A few seconds later, Hunt would tell me, "I don't remember who the general manager was.''

When I asked Hunt if he had a favourite Expos teammate, he had no answer. When I asked him if there was a teammate he didn’t like, he had no reply. See how devastating Parkinson's can be. 

Parkinson's didn’t stop Hunt from his duties for many years as a cattleman at the family's Whispering Pines acreage located about 40 miles from St. Louis. 

Hunt said he would often practise in front of a mirror to get ready to get hit by a pitch on purpose. Some opposing pitchers would often complain that Hunt never made any attempt to get out of the way.

"He was diagnosed when he had a heart valve put in,'' Mrs. Hunt said of the Parkinson's scenario. "We thought nothing up to that point because we saw no symptoms but apparently they saw something in the hospital when he was recovering from the heart-valve operation.

"It has progressed over the years. That's what Parkinson's does. I give him CBD oil. It stops the shaking. He has problems with his balance. That is his problem.''

Mrs. Hunt says those beanings, according to their doctors, are blamed in part for the memory losses. There were a lot of concussions in high school where he played football, getting hit in the head too many times by opposing players. Even shakes, rattles and rolls of the head when hit in the main part of the body can help cause concussions. Hunt was so good at football that he was courted by Ohio State and Northwestern.

"I will tell you this. There were a lot of concussions in high school,'' Mrs. Hunt said. "But the concussions he received in the pros were more severe than in high school. 

"I remember one when he was with the Giants. It was in Philadelphia and I was listening to the game in San Francisco. Willie Mays had hit a double and Ron got flagged home. It was a close play. Cookie Rojas of the Phillies took the cut-off throw and threw the ball and hit Ron right on the side of the head. The throw was right on the number, right at the plate. They did not wear helmets then.

"They took him straight to the hospital. They kept him there for a couple of days. His head was so swollen. He couldn't get a hat on. It was a just a few days and he was back in the lineup.’’

Hunt told me he was “knocked out’’ by Rojas’ throw.

When I brought up all those HBP, as it's indicated in the boxscore from his days with the Expos, Hunt replied, "That was in 1971, right? I took the pitches all my life. I got hit a lot. They thought I was a Montreal person and they would hurt me but I couldn't let them know it.''

Yes, that season, Hunt was hit 50 times, a major-league record for many years. And as he said, he would rarely if ever challenge the pitcher or tell them to knock it off if he got hit. If he hit the dirt, he would simply get up and trot down to first.

"I remember the old park, Parc Jarry,'' Hunt said. "I enjoyed the fans, the money, the hunting and fishing and I'm still in contact with (broadcaster) Jacques Doucet. I played for the fans. The owners can kiss my ass.  

"I got fined, too. This catcher Bob Barton (with the Padres) was getting in my face so I asked Gene Mauch what I should do. He said to take his mask off and hit him.

"So I took his mask off and hit him in the face. I was fined $250 and suspended for two games. I paid the fine out of my salary. I asked Mauch to pay the fine and he said, 'F*** you.' So I said to him, 'F*** you.' ''

Hunt's wife met her future husband at age 15 and he said the “happiest day of my life’’ was Sept. 15, 1960, the day of their marriage. He also knew his birthday was Feb. 15, 1936. His memory didn’t cheat him on those two dates.

Funny, eh, how the hard-drive of one’s brain could fetch him some memories but not other memories. Weird.

"It was a fun life. Not many people can say their husband played in the big leagues,'' Mrs. Hunt said. "I've got scrapbooks from every year he played. The game was different back then. Now, it kind of sucks. They don't do the sacrifice, the bunt, none of that stuff anymore. That's boring. There's no strategy.''

Hunt got hit 243 times during his career, a mark he held for years. The great Nolan Ryan, who once gave Hunt the greatest compliment by saying he was a "great competitor'', hit Hunt four times in 1971.

Hunt was also tough to strike out. He fanned only 382 times in 6,158 plate appearances. Amazing.

"Ron, you know, caused things to happen,'' his wife said. "It was a job. His job was to get on base. That's why he was a lead-off hitter. He really gave 100% for every team he played for.''