Presented is a 1953 Gil Hodges Type I photograph from the Hall of Famer's time as "The Boys of Summer" first baseman with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Hodges played in 18 Major League seasons: Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1943, 1947-61), New York Mets (1962-63). Hodges was in a prolonged slump during the 1952 season, and his slump continued into that year's World Series as the Dodgers lost the Series to the New York Yankees, with Hodges failing to get a hit in 21 at-bats. The Hodges slump continued through the first month of the 1953 season. Brooklyn's manager, Chuck Dressen, showed Hodges movie films of his "bailing out" against the curve balls of right-handed pitchers and putting his left foot "in the bucket." Dressen showed Hodges how to mitigate the problem by moving his right (back) foot further from the plate so that when he reflexively seemed to have stepped into the bucket, his left foot would actually point toward the pitcher. Although Hodges had trouble with a good curve from right-handed pitchers throughout his career, Dressen's technique helped him, and Hodges hit .303 for the '53 season, with 31 homers and 122 RBIs, and .364 in that year's World Series, another loss to the Yankees. Hodges batted .273, with 370 home runs in his career. Later, he managed the Washington Senators and the New York Mets, and he guided the 1969 "Miracle Mets" to the team's miraculous World Championship. The offered photo measures 7.2x9". The UPI slug line on back reads, in part, "Brooklyn's first baseman Gil Hodges takes a healthy bite out of the cake given to him by fans, June 6th, after he helped put the Dodgers back on top of the National League/Gil's ninth-inning homer at Ebbets Field gave the flock a 5-4 win over St. Louis.... Hodges, who only two weeks ago was benched for weak hitting, hit his game-winning round-tripper with two on. He had homered in the second with none aboard." The photo back also has a United Press Association stamp. The offered photo is in EXCELLENT condition. It has been encapsulated and PSA Certified as TYPE I AUTHENTIC.