centerfield maz

Sunday July 25th, 1965: The game was originally scheduled to be a birthday celebration for Mets manager Casey Stengel who was to turn 75 the following week while the Mets were on the road. But Casey had stumbled fracturing his hip getting out of a car the night before after a night out at Toots Shor's Restaurant.  The Mets organization was to present him with a remote control stereo, the players with a silver bowl.  The broadcasters (Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner & Lindsey Nelson) were to present a color TV set & the Baseball writers a tie clasp with a diamond stud for each of his 53 years in baseball. Even the president of the United States, Lyndon Johnson sent a message. The city of St. Petersburg where the Mets held Spring Training & the future home of Stengel Field even sent Miss St. Petersburg, dolled up in an orange dress to represent the City along with a plaque in his honor. The 39,288 fans that came to see the Mets take on the Phillies that day in an afternoon ...

Tuesday July 22nd, 1986: Davey Johnson's eventual World Champion Mets were riding high 13 games up in first place of the NL East. The team was very confident & very cocky.  Controversy was still surrounding the club after an incident in Houston where four of the Mets had been arrested at a popular night spot.  On this road trip, tonight the Mets were about to conquer Cincinnati as another on the field brawl would just add to their rowdy legacy. The Mets (62-28) were at Riverfront Stadium taking on Pete Rose's fourth place Reds (44-47) in front of 23,707 fans as  the Mets Bobby Ojeda went up against the Reds Scott Terry. The game began quietly, in the top of the 2nd although the Mets loaded the vases they were unable to score.  In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Scott Terry singled & slugger Dave Parker hit his 21st HR of the season, a two-run shot giving the Reds a 2-0 lead.  In the top of the 5th, Rafael Santana drew a walk then was forced, as Bo...

Friday July 22nd, 1966: On July 19th the Mets left for a West Coast Road trip that landed them in San Francisco for two games, then to Los Angeles for four games & then to Houston for three games. The trip would last 11 days with the travel days included. For the Mets young 22-year-old outfielder, Ron Swoboda, it was nerve racking, because his wife Cecilia was back in New York about to give berth at any moment. The Mets were on a six-game win streak, having swept the Astros in a four-game set at She Stadium & then taking two from the Giants at Candlestick Park. This was the team's longest winning streak in their five-year existence since joining the National League in 1962.  1966 was also the team's first year that they would not be in last place at any point in the season. The Mets were just in their fifth season in the National League. Tonight, the Mets were at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, playing Walt Alston's reigning World Series Champion Dodgers. That year ...

July 21st, 1970: From June 24th thru July 10th the reigning World Champion Mets had either been in sole possession or tied in first place. After a seven game win streak New York dropped five straight games, three at home to the Expos & the first two games of the West Coast road trip in Los Angeles.  The Mets salvaged the final game of the series at Dodger Stadium then split a four game set at Candlestick in San Francisco. Tonight Gil Hodges Mets (50-43) opened a series against Preston Gomez's last place Padres (38-59). A small crowd of 10,373 came out to Jack Murphy Stadium in beautiful San Diego for the matchup. In the top of the 1st, Tommie Agee started the game with a walk then stole his 21st base of the season. Agee stole 31 bases & scored 107 runs that year setting Mets single season marks at that time. Ken Singleton also drew a walk then Gil Hodges put on a successful double steal, getting Agee to third base. Art Shamsky grounded to second base, Agee scored on the pl...

Monday July 21, 1975: A small crowd of 13,414 came out to Shea Stadium to see Yogi Berra's third place Mets (46-44)  host Preston Gomez's last place Houston Astros (34-63). The Mets were barely over .500 & ten games back of the first place Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a disappointing season as New York started the year with high expectations after acquiring slugger Dave Kingman, veteran Joe Torre & outfielder Del Unser to supply more offense to a team with a fine pitching staff. Tonight the Mets sent George Stone (2-1) to the mound. Stone was returning from rotator cuff surgery & was one of the first pitchers to successfully come back after the procedure. In 1974 Stone went on the DL at the end of July, had surgery which usually meant the end of a career in those days. On June 13th, 1975 he made his return. This was his sixth start of the year. His opponent on this night was the Astros Ken Forsch (3-7). Ken  was the brother of pitcher Bob Forsch who spent e...