Larry Stahl: Former Mid Late Sixties Met Outfielder (1967-1968)
MLB Career: In 1964 he made his MLB debut as a September call up, collecting his first hit against New York in the Bronx.
Multi-HR Game: On September 29th, Larry hit two HRs while driving in four runs in an extra inning win over the Twins in Minneapolis. Rock Colavito's 15th inning HR led to the win.
Two days later Stahl homered in the top of the 12th inning off the Twins Camilo Pascual leading to the 5-4 win.
After another brief call up the next year, he got a chance as a regular outfielder for the 1966 Athletics. That year he hit .250 with 5 HRs 11 doubles & 34 RBIs.
In the off season as players Reggie Jackson & Rick Monday were brought up to the A’s team, Stahl was placed on waivers. The New York Mets picked him up for the 1967 season.
Mets Career: Larry made the club out of Spring Training, debuting in the second game of the season as a pinch hitter. In the fourth game of the season he drove in his first Mets run, while playing in left field in a 6-2 loss at Philadelphia. But he struggled at the plate batting .077 into early May & was sent down to AAA Jacksonville.
At the end of June, he returned & began to get regular playing time.
On the season he batted .239 with one HR, five doubles & 18 RBIs, while playing in 71 games as an outfielder /pinch hitter. he also collected four multi-RBI games.
Post Mets Career: In the 1968 expansion Draft, Stahl was chosen by the newly formed San Diego Padres & would spend four seasons playing with the team. Although he hit under .200 the first two seasons he got a regular job playing in 114 games for the last place team. In 1971 he batted .253 with career highs in HRs (8) doubles (13) & RBIs (36).
Career Stats: Stahl retired at the end of the season; in a ten year career he batted .232 with 400 hits 36 HRs 58 doubles 19 triples 163 RBIs& a .292 on base %.
At the end of June, he returned & began to get regular playing time.
HR & Multi- Three RBI Game: On July 13th in Cincinnati, he hit a three run HR off the Reds Don Nottebart, which was his first & only HR of the year.
1968: Stahl began the season at AAA Jacksonville where he hit .366 before getting called up to the Mets now managed by Gil Hodges, in July. Upon his return he hit safely in 15 of his first 21 games, earning his stay on the club for the rest of the season.
On July 27th, he hit his first HR of the year, in a 5-2 win over the Reds at Shea Stadium. Larry would hit two more HRs that year, both coming in a home stand against the West Coast California teams.
In 53 games played for the ninth place Mets, he had ten multi-hit games batting .235 with three HRs seven doubles & ten RBIs while posting a .318 on base %.
In August of 1972 Larry helped out team mate Nate Colbert tie Stan Musial's record of hitting five HRs in a double header. His two out ninth inning base hit, gave Colbert another at bat in which he hit the record setting fifth HR.
Milt Pappas Perfect Game Bid: On September 2nd 1972 at Wrigley Field, Stahl came to bat in the top of the 9th inning, facing Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas. Pappas had a perfect game going with just one out to go, after having retired the first 26 batters. With two-two count, home plate umpire Bruce Froemming called two very close pitches balls resulting in a walk, ruining Pappas' bid for the perfect game. It is one of the most controversial walks in baseball history. Pappas then retired the last batter, Garry Jestadt earning a no hitter.
1973 Reds: In 1973 he went to the first place Cincinnati Reds playing in 76 games batting .225 as a reserve player. He returned to Shea Stadium facing the Mets in the 1973 NLCS.
1973 NLCS: In Game #3 at Shea Stadium, he singled off Jerry Koosman, as a pinch hitter. Two innings later the famous Bud Harrelson Pete Rose bench clearing brawl overshadowed the Mets win. In Game #5 he singled off a tiring Tom Seaver in the 9th inning but was stranded on third base as the Mets won the game 7-2 clinching the pennant.
Milt Pappas Perfect Game Bid: On September 2nd 1972 at Wrigley Field, Stahl came to bat in the top of the 9th inning, facing Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas. Pappas had a perfect game going with just one out to go, after having retired the first 26 batters. With two-two count, home plate umpire Bruce Froemming called two very close pitches balls resulting in a walk, ruining Pappas' bid for the perfect game. It is one of the most controversial walks in baseball history. Pappas then retired the last batter, Garry Jestadt earning a no hitter.
1973 NLCS: In Game #3 at Shea Stadium, he singled off Jerry Koosman, as a pinch hitter. Two innings later the famous Bud Harrelson Pete Rose bench clearing brawl overshadowed the Mets win. In Game #5 he singled off a tiring Tom Seaver in the 9th inning but was stranded on third base as the Mets won the game 7-2 clinching the pennant.
Career Stats: Stahl retired at the end of the season; in a ten year career he batted .232 with 400 hits 36 HRs 58 doubles 19 triples 163 RBIs& a .292 on base %.