SALEM, Va. -- Ferrum College Head Baseball Coach Darren Hodges was inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame during a Hot Stove Banquet ceremony held Feb. 10 at the Salem Civic Center.
Joining Hodges in the Class of 2008 were former Cave Spring High School Coach Garland Berry, Salem High School and Clinch Valley College standout Nelson Matheny, veteran umprie Tim Callahan and long-time North Roanoke recreation coach Bobby Ragland. Guest speaker for the Hot Stove Banquet was ex-Pirates pitcher Steve Blass.
Hodges was named Head Baseball Coach at Ferrum following the retirement of Abe Naff, who spent the past 23 years as the Panthers skipper. Naff was inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.
Hodges was an assistant to Naff for the past nine seasons. He helped Ferrum win USA South Athletic Conference regular season titles in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007, as well as USA South Tournament titles in 2005 and 2007. Last spring Ferrum won both the regular season and tournament titles, and hosted an NCAA Regional on campus, in which the Panthers advanced to the regional title game. As pitching coach at Ferrum, Hodges has helped five players earn Pitcher of the Year honors in the USA South.
Hodges was a two time All-Conference selection as a pitcher with the Panthers in 1989 and 1990. He led Ferrum to a 55-19 record and two appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs. Hodges later went on to play professional baseball for the New York Yankees organization. he spent four and a half years with the club, including three years with the AA Albany (N.Y.) Yankees.
Hodges and his wife Rosemary reside in Rocky Mount. He has two sons, Corey and Dalton, and a daughter Abigail.