Born in
Ivy, Virginia on Decca Farm, he batted
left-handed, threw
right-handed, and was listed as tall and . He graduated from high school in
Charlottesville, where he attended the
University of Virginia. Hicks signed with the White Sox in 1953, beginning his pro career. After five seasons in the
minor leagues and two years of service in the
United States Army, Hicks was recalled by the
pennant-bound White Sox in
September 1959. He collected three
hits and
batted .429 in seven
at bats during his late-season trial, then spent much of on the Chisox' MLB roster, almost exclusively as a pinch hitter. He hit only .191 and was left exposed in the
expansion draft. Selected by the new
Washington Senators as the 52nd overall pick, Hicks spent most of at
Triple-A after an early-season audition with the Senators. However, he remained on the Washington roster during the full campaign, playing in 102 games, starting 29 in the outfield. He hit six
home runs in limited service, but he batted only .224 overall and his contract was sold to the Mets at the close of the campaign. In his final MLB year, Hicks started 46 games for the
1963 Mets, and hit .226 with five home runs. He concluded his career with a three-year stint with Triple-A
Buffalo. Hicks was a solid offensive player in the minor leagues, batting .313 in 11 seasons. But limited playing time in the majors hurt his production: he collected only 92 total hits, with 11
doubles, three
triples and 12 homers, in his 212 games, batting .221. ==Personal life==