Short Time Late Sixties Mets Pitcher: Billy Wynne (1967)

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Billy Vernon Wynne was born on July 31, 1943 in Williamston, South Carolina. He attended Pfeiffer University in North Carolina. The six foot three, left handed pitcher was signed by the New York Mets in 1965 as an amateur free agent. 

After his first minor league season in 1965, he went went 6-1 the next year at A ball Auburn & AAA Jacksonville combined. In 1967 he was 7-6 at AAA Jacksonville allowing more hits (124) than innings pitched (134).

On August 6th,1967 Wynne made his MLB debut at Shea Stadium, coming the 9th inning finishing off a 4-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, in a double header sweep. On August 17th he would get his first start, but he was hit hard for four runs on six hits in just 1.1. innings pitched, in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Overall he would pitch in only six games in his Mets career. He had no decisions & posted a 3.12 ERA in eight innings pitched. His biggest claim to fame in Mets history was getting traded to the Chicago White Sox along with Tommy Davis & Jack Fisher for two big pieces of the 1969 World Champion Amazing Mets: Tommie Agee & Al Weis.

In 1969 Wynne went 7-7 on a fifth place White Sox team and was the only pitcher on the staff with a .500 record (7-7). He won his first victory in Milwaukee although he did not beat the Braves or Brewers, the White Sox played twenty "home" games in Milwaukee in 1968 & 1969 before the Brewers arrived.

He went 1-4 the next year and was traded to the California Angels along with Ken Berry and Syd O'Brien for Tom Bradley, Tom Egan and Jay Johnstone. He played his last season in 1971, finishing his five year career at 8-11 with a 4.33 ERA in 42 games.

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