 Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Hodges started his minor league career in 1937 with the Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox, playing for them three years before joining the Greenville Buckshots (1940) and the Memphis Chickasaws (1941).He entered the major leagues in 1942 with the Philadelphia Phillies, appearing in eight games from April 14 to 26.Hodges had two singles in eleven at bats for a .182 average, but did not score a run or drive one in.