Remembering Mets History (1972): First Place Mets Ride On Eleven Game Win Streak

background: The 1972 New York Mets had started the season without their beloved manager Gil Hodges. Hodges had died of a heart attack at the end of Spring Training. The season also began late due to the first ever Players Union strike. Yogi Berra the popular choice, was named manager. The better baseball choice may have been Whitey Herzog, the Mets head of minor league player development. But all in all the Mets spent 49 days in first place & at one point had a 6 1/2 game lead. Thy remained in first place as late as July 1st. It looked like they have had the horses for another pennant run. That year they cut ties with fire baller Nolan Ryan, he was traded to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi. Fregosi was brought in for power but was past his best years & by the summer of '73 was gone. The most important hitter brought in was Rusty Stuab, but he went down with injury playing in just 66 games. The Mets gave up three good future players to get him, Ken Singleton,