Ron Hunt, the hard-nosed infielder who became the first New York Mets player to start an All-Star Game, died Tuesday in St. Louis. He was 85.

Hunt spent 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, including his first four with the Mets from 1963 to 1966. He was selected as an All-Star for the National League at Shea Stadium in 1964, in just his second year in the majors. He earned a second All-Star nod in 1966 before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He was renowned for his willingness to sacrifice his body on the field, particularly in his ability to absorb pitches. Hunt led the National League in being hit by pitches seven times and the majors six times, accumulating 243 hit-by-pitch incidents over his career, which ranks sixth in MLB history. He holds the modern (post-1900) single-season record of 50 hit-by-pitches, set in 1971 while playing for the Montreal Expos.

"Some folks give their bodies to science. I gave mine to baseball," Hunt said in 2018, explaining his deliberate approach to standing in the batter's box. He developed a technique, practiced in front of a mirror, to foul off pitches that were close to the plate, often leading to him being hit by the pitch on 3-and-1 counts.

Born in St. Louis on February 23, 1941, Hunt was introduced to baseball by his grandfather. He signed with the Milwaukee Braves out of high school and his contract was purchased by the Mets after their inaugural 1962 season. He also played for the Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Expos, and St. Louis Cardinals during his career.

Hunt immediately became the Mets' starting second baseman upon joining the major league team in 1963. In his rookie season, he recorded 145 hits, 28 doubles, 10 home runs, and 42 RBIs. His performance earned him a second-place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, behind Pete Rose. Over his dozen-year career, Hunt amassed 1,429 hits.

His physicality extended beyond the batter's box. On May 11, 1965, Hunt suffered head and shoulder injuries that sidelined him for nearly three months after colliding with Phil Gagliano of the Cardinals while turning a double play. On August 6, 1969, while playing for the Giants, he was hit in the head by a relay throw as he slid into home plate, but returned to play three days later. He was also hospitalized after being hit in the head by a pitch from teammate Tom Seaver later that month.

Hunt's daughter, Tracy, noted in 2018 that the physical toll of his playing style may have contributed to his later Parkinson's disease diagnosis, but Hunt maintained he had no regrets about how he played the game.

During his career, Hunt played alongside notable figures such as Duke Snider, Willie Mays, Warren Spahn, Willie McCovey, and Keith Hernandez. He made a significant early impact with the Mets, hitting a walk-off, two-run double on April 19, 1963, to secure the team's first win after an 0-8 start to the season.

Hunt is survived by his wife, Jackie, daughter Tracy, and son, Ron Jr.