centerfield maz

  Sunday June 23, 1963: In the first game of a sunny afternoon Sunday double header at the Polo Grounds, Casey Stengel’s young ninth place New York Mets (27-44)  hosted Gene Mauch's eighth place Philadelphia Phillies (31-39). Gene Mauch Trivia: Gene Mauch was in his fourth season as manager of the Phillies. He would manage the club from 1960 - 1968, finishing with a winning record six times.  Mauch would manage in the big leagues for 27 years. He has the distinction of being the winningest manager that never got to a World Series.  In his career Mauch also managed the Montreal Expos (1969-1975) Minnesota Twins (1976-1989) & California Angels (1981-1987). The starters were the Mets Carl Willey (5-6) & the Phils Dallas Green. Green of become a successful manager with the Phillies (1979-1981) winning a World Series in 1980. He also managed the Mets (1993-1996) & AL New York team (1989). After two scoreless innings, in the bottom of the 3rd  inni...

Friday- June 22nd, 1962: This evening's matchup had two of the leagues expansion teams faced off in a Twi-night double header at the Polo Grounds.  The game was rescheduled from April 16th, due to cold inclement weather. Casey Stengel's Mets (17-47) already 26 games back of the first place Dodgers hosted Harry Craft's, Houston Colt 45's (30-35) 14 games out of first place.  Trivia: In 1962 there were no divisions yet, the National League consisted of just ten teams.  The Colt 45's would be renamed the Houston Astros in 1965. Tonight, the Mets Al Jackson (3-8) took on Houston's Turk Farrell (5-6). In his last start Jackson had given up a season high eight runs to the Cubs. Before that he had allowed just three runs in 18 innings over three appearances. In the top of the 1st, Al Jackson retired leadoff man Bob Lillis on ground out to short. The second batter of the inning,  Joe Amalfitano hit a base hit into left field.  This was to be the...

Tuesday May 25th , 1999 : Bobby Valentine's Mets were in second place just 1.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Mets were in Pittsburgh taking on Gene Lamont's fifth place Pirates (22-23).  Tonight's game would start a personal 24 game hit streak for Mike Piazza. In the 4th inning, with the Mets ahead 1-0 Mike Piazza hit his 9th HR of the year, a solo HR off Kris Benson. Piazza would have a big night with three hits, including a double & drive in three runs on the day.  Piazza had come into this game already batting .302 as the hit streak began.  The next night Piazza got one hit in the 5-2 win over the Pirates. Benny Agbayani homered & Jon Olerud drove in two runs. May 28th -May 30th, 1999: From there the Mets came home to Shea Stadium, hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Trivia: This was the worst stretch of the year for the '99 Wild Card Mets team, as they would lose eight in a row, all six games on this home stand, two of three ...

Wednesday June 22nd, 1994: Dallas Green's New York Mets (33-38) came to Atlanta to face Bobby Cox's Braves (45-24). The Mets had lost four of their last six games but in the big picture, nothing would matter this season.  In less than two months, on August 12th 1994,  an MLB baseball strike would start & go thru the end of the season. For the first time since 1904 no post season would be played. The strike lasted 232 days, ending on April 2nd, 1995. In 1994, the Mets (55-58) would finish third in the NL East to a good Montreal Expos team that posted the best record in baseball. The Braves (68-46) would finish second. A large Georgia crowd of 47,907 were on hand to see the Mets Pete Smith (3-7) go up against Greg Maddux (10-2) who was in a stretch where he won four straight Cy Young Awards. In the bottom of the 1st, Roberto Kelly & Jeff Blauser hit back to back HRs off Pete Smith to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead.  In the top of the 2nd, Jeff Kent started the inning wi...

Friday June 20th 1986:  Davey Johnson's had lost their lost two games, dropping two of three in Montreal. This came after a seven game win streak, thier third win streak of seven or more games so far this season.   New York (45-18) were in first place  proudly holding a ten game lead atop the division. Tonight 44,817 came out to Shea Stadium as the Mets hosted Gene "the stick" Michael's last place Cubs (25-38) as Sid Fernandez (7-2) went up against Scott Sanderson (3-4). The previous year the Mets were 9-0 vs the Cubs at Shea Stadium. Sid Fernandez got thru the first three innings with out allowing a run or a hit. In the top of the 4th, with one our Ryne Sandberg singled, then Sid walked Keith Moreland & threw a wild pitch advancing the runners. Leon Durham then hit an RBI sac fly & Ron Cey added an RBI base hit giving Chicago a 2-0 lead.  In the bottom of the 5th, the Mets got three straight singles from Mookie Wilson, Wally Backman &...

Ron Darling debuted with the Mets as a September call up in 1983.  He went 1-3 with a 2.80 ERA, showing signs that he would be a key part of the rotation for years to come. In his 1984 rookie season, he won his first game & by the end of May was 3-3 with a 4.61 ERA due to a couple of bad starts.  By this time, the Mets started showing that they were a good team with many good young players as well as having a few veterans mixed in as well. Ron Darling always pitched in the shadows f phenom Dwight Gooden who broke all the record & his strike outs electrified a once dark Shea Stadium. But Darling was very important to the Mets success & would have been a number one pitcher on most other teams. Trivia: At this point in time Darling was wearing uniform #44 before his familiar #12. Monday June 4th, 1984: Ron Darling went up against the Pirates Don Robinson at Three Rivers Stadium. In the top of the 1st, Darryl Strawberry helped Darling with a two-run HR to start the Me...