Today In Mets History: A Big Day for Craig Anderson & the '62 Mets

On a this rare May Saturday afternoon in 1962 the Mets won a double header against the Milwaukee Braves, that’s two of their 40 season wins in one day! In the 1st game at the Polo Grounds, Pitcher Craig Anderson relieved Roger Craig in the 7th inning with the score tied 1-1. He pitched two scoreless innings and in the bottom of the 9th Hobie Landrith hit a two run pinch hit home run off Warren Spahn to win the game.

In the nightcap Anderson was the last of six Mets pitchers to take the mound, throwing a perfect 9th inning to earn his 2nd win of the day. In the bottom of the 9th Gil Hodges hit a walk off home run to win it, it was like a World Series victory for the 20,000 in attendance at the Polo Grounds. The action started in the 1st inning as Jim Hickman homered off Carl Willey, Elio Chacon had 3 hits including a triple & 3 RBIs leading the offense. The Mets used 18 roster players in the 2nd game of this double header.

Craig Anderson was now 3-1 on the season but hell hath no fury for the ’62 Mets. Unfortunatley, he would never win another game, going on to lose his next 16 decisions that year and 3 more the following two seasons. His 5.38 ERA (150 hits 108 runs in 131 innings pitched) in 1962 was better than his 8.68 ERA in 1963. He was done by the end of the 1964 season. But he did manage one more feat in his short career; he started & lost the last game ever at the Polo Grounds, giving up 3 runs and 5 hits after exiting in the 4th inning. He also pitched in one game during the inaugural season at Shea Stadium in 1964, getting shelled for four runs in less than an inning pitched in May. After baseball he coached at Lehigh University for 34 years.