Remembering Mets History (1965) Yogi Berra Comes Out of Retirement as A Player

-
In April of 1965 Yogi Berra signed on with the New York Mets as a Player / Coach.

Berra had retired as a player after the 1963 season & was quickly named manager of the A.L. New York team for 1964. Although they finished first, they lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals & Berra was fired. No appreciation given, even after all his years of quality service. 

But as usual, Yogi got the last laugh. The next year without him they finished sixth & would finish in fifth place or lower for the next six years into the early seventies.

The Mets had also signed another future Hall of Famer, veteran pitcher Warren Spahn. He too was at the end of his career. Yogi commented to the press on the two veterans getting together.

Quotes- Yogi Berra: "We may not be the oldest battery mates in history, but we sure are the ugliest."

The Mets manager once again had "his man" on his team. Of all the greats that Casey Stengle had managed, Yogi was his favorite & most reliable, he was the player Casey said he never played a big game without.

Saturday May 1st, 1965: Casey Stengel's Mets (6-11) were on the road to face Dick Sisler's Reds (10-5) in front of just 3,961 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. With the Mets down 8-2 in the top of the 8th inning, Stengel sent up Yogi Berra as a pinch hitter, in the pitcher's spot to face the Reds Sammy Ellis. Berra grounded out to first base ending the inning. He did not stay in the game to catch.

 Tuesday May 4th, 1965: Gene Mauch's Philadelphia Phillies (8-10) were in town to face Casey Stengel's Mets (7-13) in front of 17,321 at Shea Stadium. For the first time since 1962 Yogi Berra was behind the plate in the catcher's position. On this night, Berra was battery mate to Al Jackson & batting in the seventh position.

In the Mets 1st inning, Johnny Lewis singled & scored on an Ed Kranepool single & Phillies error. Joe Christopher drew a walk & Yogi Berra came up to bat. Yogi collected his first it since September 1963, a single to center field off Ray Hebert. Unfortunately for the Mets Christopher was thrown out at third base to end the inning. The crowd cheered for Yogi.

Al Jackson pitched a fine game, keeping the score at 1-0 to the 7th inning. That inning, Yogi Berra led off with a base hit off Gary Wagner, his second hit of the game. 

Ron Swoboda then singled to left field, moving Berra to second. Roy McMillan then singled to center & Berra scampered home to make it 2-0. The run also turned out to be the games winning run as the Mets won it 2-1. 

Quite a day for Mr. Berra who was about to turn forty the following week. The hits & the run scored were the last of his career.

Wednesday May 5th 1965: In this game the Phillies Jim Bunning out dueled the Mets Warren Spahn in a 1-0 pitching classic. Berra had another 8th inning pinch hit at bat, grounding out to first base.

Sunday May 9th, 1965: On this Mother's Day double header, Bobby Bragan's Milwaukee Braves (10-9) came to Shea Stadium to play Casey Stengel's Mets (8-15). 

Today Yogi Berra would get another start behind the plate as catcher & batting in the seventh position. Berra went 0-4 on the day, grounding out to second base in his last career at bat in the 9th inning. It would be the last game Berra would play as he hung them up for good as a player & resumed coaching.

Berra would finish the year 2-9 with a .222 average, one run scored in four games. Two runners stole bases on him as well.

The Mets took an 8-2 loss tin the game, led by HRs from Joe Torre, Mack Jones & Dennis Menke. The two Mets runs were scored on RBI singles by Roy McMillan & Danny Napoleon.

Yogi Berra would remain a coach with the Mets for the next seven years, before becoming team Manager in 1972. He would be the Mets Manager from 1972 to August 1975.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

-
Image
centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford
Read more

Remembering Bobby Ojeda's Tragic Boating Accident (1993)

-
Image
Steve Olin, Tim Crews & Bob Ojeda March 22 nd 1993: was an off day from Spring Training, for three Cleveland Indians pitchers; Former Mets 1986 World Champion pitcher; Bobby Ojeda, Tim Crews & Steve Olin. The three friends, took out an 18-foot open-air bass boat & went out fishing & gator hunting in the darkness of the evening on Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Tragedy struck, when the boat rammed into a private dock that jutted out some 250 feet into the still waters. Two other Cleveland Indians personnel had arrived to meet the fishing party just as the horror took place. They heard Bob Ojeda saying they needed help. The two men jumped into the water and called out for someone to call 911. 27 year old pitcher; Steve Olin was killed instantly. 31 year old pitcher; Tim Crews was alive but was struggling to breathe suffering from massive head wounds. Bobby Ojeda was in & out of shock, he was suffering from head lacerations but was coherent. The
Read more

Willie Mays "The Sey Hey Kid #24": The Mets Years (1972 - 1973)

-
Image
By 1972 the Giants franchise was losing money, and owner Horace Stoneham was in debt. He would not be able to pay Mays' his big salary. So, after negotiations with the Mets Willie was traded back to New York for pitcher Charlie Williams & $50,000. At first, he did not know all the details & was upset at the trade. He felt betrayed by the Giants organization after all his years of dedicated service.  He felt a bit better after Stoneman tried to explain that it was done for Mays’ best interests as well as the team’s financial situation. New York Mets owner, Mrs.  Joan Payson was a huge fan of Willie and had tried to purchase his contract years earlier, offering one million dollars, but Stoneham refused the offer.  In 1972 the Mets gave Mays a ten-year contract at $ 175,000 a year, and after retirement $50,000 a year for the rest of his life. They offered him a position as a coach upon his retirement & Mrs. Payson promised to retire his number. Willie’s return to New
Read more

The 1970's Oakland A's Ball Girls- (MLB's First)

-
Image
In the days of the early seventies the Oakland A's won three straight Championships & changed the face of baseball forever.  The team's controversial owner was known to be cheap in paying his star players & known to meddle in the teams on field affairs. He drove managers crazy & even had Dick Williams resign after winning his second straight World Series. But Finley also revolutionized baseball in many other ways. He was instrumental in getting the designated hitter in the American League & have the World Series played at night, so fans could attend after work. He gave his players fancy names like Catfish, Blue Moon & True Blue.  When his star Reggie Jackson refused to shave his beard, he encouraged the whole team to grow facial hair by paying them $200 each.  The A's team even grew their hair long, a sign of the times. But before that baseball players had not had facial or long hair since the 1800's.  He introduced bright colored yello
Read more

Fictional Mets Infielder Chico Escuela ( of SNL) Visits Mets Spring Training (1979)

-
Image
Bill Murray interviews (Garrett Morris) Chico Escuela In March 1979, original Saturday Night Live cast member; Garrett Morris joined the Mets at Miller Huggins Field for Spring Training. At the time the Mets were still holding Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida.  Morris was filmed being interviewed by his SNL cast mate, Bill Murray as the fictional Mets player: Chico Escuela who wore uniform #5 (cinque).  Escuela was famous for his spoof of the Latin players of the time, who did not speak much English. His famous quote "baseball been berry- berry good to me" began the previous year on SNL's weekend update. Bill Murray & Ed Kranepool It was said during the mock 1979 Spring Training interview, that Chico who was a nine time All Star second baseman, had given up his job at the Weekend Update Sports desk to make a comeback with the Mets at age 41.  Chico had fictionally written a tell all baseball book; "Bad Stuff About the Mets" which tick
Read more