centerfield maz

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...

Sunday July 20th, 2008: Jerry Manuel's Mets (53-46) had just dropped the last two games in Cincinnati after coming off their season best ten game win streak. They had begun July a disappointing one game under .500 but were 12-4 in the month up to todays game. During the Mets win streak Jose Reyes had hit .395, with four extra base hits, three stolen bases & five RBIs with six runs scored. This afternoon 31,195 came out to the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati to play Dusty Baker's fourth place Reds (48-52). The starters were the Mets Mike Pelfrey (8-6) & the Reds Edinson Volquez (12-3).  In the top of the 1st inning Jose Reyes led off the game with a base hit. He advanced to second on a wild pitch & then scored a typical Reyes run on a Carlos Beltran base hit.  In the top of the 2nd inning, with one out & one on Jose Reyes singled to left field for his second hit of the day. He would be left stranded at first base. In the bottom of the 2nd inni...

Tuesday July 10th, 1973: A crowd of 19,942 fans came out to Shea Stadium to see Yogi Berra's Mets (36-46) take on the Houston Astros (47-44) at Shea Stadium. The Mets had been struggling & would not start their pennant run that took them one game shy of a World Championship until the end of the month. Tonight's pitching matchup was certainly a good one, the Mets' John Matlack (6-10) went up against Houston's Jerry Reuss (11-5).   Two months earlier, Matlack had been hit in the face with a line drive but luckily returned with overcoming the situation. Quotes- Jon Matlack: "A couple of inches lower & I'd have needed major surgery. I was told it would be doubtful I'd ever pitch again if that had happened. Now there's no effect. I'm not ducking, I'm not flinching, not closing my eyes."  In his last two starts, Matlack had given up one earned run over 15 innings. The Astros were in fourth place at the time & were manager by legend...