Early Sixties Mets Player: Larry Burright (1963-1964)

Larry Allen Burright was born on July 10, 1937 in Roseville, Illinois. The five eleven, right hand hitting, second baseman was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957. After four minor league seasons, he made the 1962 Dodgers out of Spring Training. He played in 115 games while sharing time at second base with Jim Gilliam.

Burright only hit .205 with a .256 on base %, with four HRs six doubles & 30 RBIs in 249 at bats. He hit five triples in the new Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium in its inaugural season. In December 1962 he was traded to the New York Mets along with Tim Harkness for one of the two pitchers named Bob Miller.

Burright earned the nickname “Possum” and was one of six former Dodgers on the ’63 Mets ball club. He was the 1963 Mets Opening Day leadoff man & second baseman in the first game of the year against the Cardinals in St. Louis. He went 2-4 that day in the Mets 7-0 loss to Ernie Broglio. Eventually Burright became Ron Hunt's back up at second base, hitting a weak .220 with three RBIs in 41 games played. His biggest games came against the Houston Colt 45’s at home in the Polo Grounds.

On May 2nd he doubled off Harry Woodeshick & then tripled off Don Nottebart, driving in three runs in a 10-2 Mets victory. Then later in the year in July, in the midst of a six game hit streak, he scored four runs on July 15th in the first game of a double header against the Colt 45's. He had four hits in the twin bill, while banging out six hits & three walks during the four game series against Houston. At the start of August he was sent down to AAA Buffalo where he hit .224 in 57 games.

In 1964 he was in the starting lineup, batting eighth & playing second base for the first game ever played at Shea Stadium, going 0-3. After only three games going hitless, he was sent down to the minors, never making it back to the big leagues.

In a brief three year career, Burright was a lifetime .205 hitter with 73 hits, 4 HRs, 33 RBIs, 8 doubles a .267 on base % & 6 triples. In 127 games at second base he posted a .964 fielding % making 18 errors with 35 double plays. He also played in twenty games at short & one game at third base.