Dennis Ribant: Mid Sixties Mets Pitcher (1964 - 1966)

Dennis Joseph Ribant was born September 20, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan. His parents Helen & Arthur Ribant had two other children along with Dennis.

The five foot eleven right-handed pitcher was signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1961 as an amateur free agent.

He was impressive in his first year of pro ball winning 17 games in the Midwestern League. In 1963 he was 14-9 pitching at AAA Denver posting a high 5.07 ERA. After pitching winter ball, he was 8-2 at AAA Denver when the Mets took notice.

Mets Career: On August 8th, 1964, he was traded to the New York Mets for Frank Lary. The very next day, on August 9th, he made his Mets debut, pitching two thirds of an inning to finish off a loss at Philadelphia. 

On August 12th, he made his first Mets start, allowing five runs in six innings at Pittsburgh taking a loss to the Pirates.

Shut Out: In his next start on August 17th, he threw a four-hit shutout over the Pirates at Shea Stadium. Ribant struck out ten & didn't walk anyone in his first career victory. The Mets Charley Smith led the offense with a three run HR off Bob Veale. 

On September 7th, Ribant collected his first career save, coming over Houston. He would make spot starts & come in relief, taking three losses in the month of September.

On the year, Ribant was 1-5 with a 5.15 ERA & one save. He struck out 35 & walked nine in 57 innings pitched in 14 appearances, making seven starts.

1965: Ribant began the season in the bullpen. On April 23rd, he earned a win at San Francisco pitching scoreless 10th & 11th innings. Charley Smith helped him out again with an 11th inning RBI sac fly.

The next day Ribant earned a save, pitching in relief of Gary Kroll. Ribant got two more saves in the first part of May, but then suffered two losses. On May 30th he came in relief in the 6th inning but gave up three HRs & six runs to the Pirates at Shea in a 12-0 loss. 

Ribant was sent to AAA Buffalo for the next three months, going 3-12.

He was brought back as a September call up, appearing in seven games. On September 28th he tossed eleven shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates but got no decision. Darrel Sutherland came on & earned the win in the 11th, as Ron Hunt singled home the winning walk off run. 

On the season Ribant was 1-3 with a 3.82 ERA. He struck out 13 batters walking six in 35 innings over 19 appearances, making one start.

In New York he learned to throw a changeup from Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, & Mets pitching Coach, Harvey Haddix. Spahn was a shirt time Met in 1965.

1966: The Mets were now being managed by former NY Giant Wes Westrum. Dennis began the year in the bullpen, making five appearances with one save. 

Complete Game Win: On May 8th, at Shea Stadium, Dennis pitched a complete game win over the Cubs, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out five.

On June 1st he lost a tough game to future Met Don Cardwell, in a 3-1 complete game where only two runs were earned. 

Shut Out: On June 11th, Dennis pitched his first career shutout win, throwing a four hitter over the Reds at Shea Stadium. He fanned four & walked three, ending the game with a 1.66 season ERA.

On June 26th, he earned his third complete game win, tossing a six-hit two run victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He won his next start as well, with a 4-3 win over the Pirates at Shea. On July 17th, he notched a third save, then went to three straight victories. 

Quotes- Manager Wes Westrum: " He pitched pretty good in Florida & the next thing I know we're in the middle of the season & Ribant is threatening to be my best pitcher."

Two More Complete Game Wins: On July 21st, Ribant beat Ray Sadecki & the Giants in San Francisco, with his fourth complete game victory. Next stop on the road trip was Huston, Ribant notched another victory there despite giving up ten hits for the second straight time. In the Mets five run 8th inning, he added a two-run single. On July 30th, he beat the Cubs at Shea with his fifth complete game win. In the 4th inning, he grounded to short allowing Jerry Grote to score from third base, collecting an RBI in his second straight game.

By August, Dennis found himself leading the Mets staff at 7-4 with a 2.55 ERA.

On August 9th, he gave up just two runs to the Pirates, but Woodie Fryman held New York to a run in the 2-1 loss. 

Two More Complete Game Wins: Ribant followed with two more complete game wins, beating the Cardinals & Cubs on the road. After a loss in Atlanta where three Mets errors led to unearned runs, he won his tenth game of the season. On September 1st, he gave up just one run to the Giants at Shea, striking out a season high seven, beating Gaylord Perry 2-1 as Eddie Bressoud's two run single was the difference.

On September 11h, he couldn't get out of the 1st inning as the Braves hit him up for five runs, giving him his seventh loss.

First Mets Starter to Have a Winning Record: Technically, Dennis Ribant became the first Mets stating Pitcher in franchise history to have a winning record going 11-7. Although he did make 13 relief appearances, all his victories came while making starts. In 1962 Ken Mackenzie was the first Met to have a winning record, going 5-4 but collected all his wins in relief.  The next year he was 3-1 with all his victories coming in relief again.

His 11 wins tied him for the team lead in wins with Jack Fisher (11-14). Ribant also led the staff in ERA (3.20) & complete games (10). He posted career highs in strikeouts (84) innings pitched (188) & appearances (38). 

Although he pitched well, that off season he was traded along with Gary Kolb, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Don Bosch & Don Cardwell. Bosch would hit .141 that year in New York. Cardwell would remain with the Mets for four seasons & be the old man of the 1969 Amazing Mets Championship staff.

Post Mets Career: In 1967, Ribant went 9-8 with a 4.08 ERA for the Pittsburgh Pirates, behind Bob Veale (16 wins) & Tommie Sisk (13 wins). In the winter he was traded to the Tigers for Dave Wickersham.

Spitball Accusations: In 1967 & 1968 articles in the Sporting News, he was accused of throwing a spit balls on more than one occasion.

In 1968, he started the season with the World Champion Detroit Tigers. He along with Bill Freehan & Lenny Green were actually three players on that Championship team to be born in Detroit. Ribant was 2-2 with a 2.22 ERA for the Tigers & was the winning pitcher in that years Hall of Fame game played at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field. 

Drama Involving Fan Safety: In an ugly July game at Oakland, Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline had his arm broken after getting hit with a pitch. Tiger, Jim Northrup was also beaned in the head with a pitch, leading to a bench clearing brawl. As the Tigers were walking off the field, the A’s fans pelted them with garbage & anything else they could throw. 

One Tiger player, allegedly thought to be Ribant, threw a ball back into the stands striking a woman & injuring her. She went ahead & sued the Tigers organization. A few days later Ribant was gone, taking the blame.

On July 26th, Ribant was sent to the Chicago White Sox for Don McMahon. After the World Series the Tigers would purchase his contract but two months later the Kansas City Royals purchased a new contract. Then by the end of Spring the Cardinals purchased his contract.

In 1969 after pitching one game with the Cards, he was sent to the Reds where he pitched in seven games. Over the next four years Ribant would pitch in the Pirates, Padres & Phillies minor leagues. 

Career Stats: In a six-year career going 24-29 with nine saves, 241 strikeouts, 126 walks & a 3.87 ERA in 518 innings pitched over 149 games.

Retirement: Starting from the early 1970's, Ribant became a long-time insurance agent in Orange County, California.

Dennis became an avid tennis player won a Family Tennis Tournament with his daughter Tracy.

Family: Ribant & his wife Elizabeth had two children.

Passing: In April 2023, Ribant passed away at age 81 in Newport Beach, California.