Charlie Neal: Original 1962 Mets Infielder (1962-1963)
In his minor league years, he hit over .300 three times & hit below the .270 mark just once.
MLB Career: With such a talented Dodger infield of Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson & Jim Gilliam, it took Neal six years to get to the big-league Dodgers squad.
In 1956 Neal debuted with Brooklyn during another Dodgers NL pennant season. He appeared in 62 games, batting .287 (136 at bats) with two HRs, five doubles & 14 RBIs.
Move to Los Angeles: In 1958 as the Dodgers moved west, Neal became the team's main second baseman. Long time Dodger second baseman Jim Gilliam moved to the outfield & Don Zimmer took over at short stop.
Neal posted a .976 fielding % (5th in the NL) making 343 assists (5th in the NL) with 334 out outs (3rd in the NL) making 17 errors (3rd most in the NL).
At bat he hit a career high 22 HRs, belting out nine doubles, six triples & 65 RBIs with a .779 OPS. He drew 61 walks while posting a .341 on base % & batting .254.
1959 Dodgers Championship Season: Inn just their second season on the West Coast, the Dodgers won their first Championship in California.
That season, Neal led the league in triples (11) & sacrifice hits (21). He had career highs in hits (177) runs scored (103 which was 6th most in the NL) doubles (30 which was 9th most in the NL) RBIs (83) & OPS (.802). He hit 19 HRs with 60 extra base hits & had stole 17 bases (7th in the NL).
Game #3 was the first World Series game ever played on the West Coast. In the Dodgers 3-1 win, Neal drove in Maury Wills in the bottom of the 8th inning giving L.A. an insurance run.
After the Championship: In 1961, after hitting only .235 with 10 HRs 6 doubles 48 RBIs & a poor .297 on base % he was traded to the expansion New York Mets for $100,000 & veteran Lee Walls.
On June 8th at Wrigley Field, his sac fly in the top of the 9th inning was a Mets game winner in the 4-3 win over the Cubs.
1956 World Series: Neal got to play in one game of the World Series against the AL New York club in the last year, which as to be the of the last subway world series matchup between these two clubs. In the Game #3 loss, Neal was 0-4 with a strike out.
1957 would be the Dodgers final season in Brooklyn & they finished the year in third place.
That season Neal took over as the Dodgers main short stop, as Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese moved over to third base after 12 seasons.
Neal would collect 11 stolen bases (9th most in the NL) batting .270 with 12 HRs 13 doubles 62 RBIs a .356 on base % & .767 OPS.
Move to Los Angeles: In 1958 as the Dodgers moved west, Neal became the team's main second baseman. Long time Dodger second baseman Jim Gilliam moved to the outfield & Don Zimmer took over at short stop.
At bat he hit a career high 22 HRs, belting out nine doubles, six triples & 65 RBIs with a .779 OPS. He drew 61 walks while posting a .341 on base % & batting .254.
1959 Dodgers Championship Season: Inn just their second season on the West Coast, the Dodgers won their first Championship in California.
He was such a good all-around player & so valuable to his team he received 20% of the MVP voting. This was a team with players like Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Wally Moon, Jim Gilliam, Don Demeter & John Roseboro.
Defensively Neal led the NL second baseman in fielding (.989) double plays (110) & put outs (386) which won him a gold glove.
Post Season- 1959 World Series: In the Game #2 win over the Chicago White Sox, Charlie hit a pair of HRs off pitcher Bob Shaw. He drove in three runs leading the Dodgers to a 4-3 win at Comiskey Park.
Overall, he had a big World series, hitting .370 (10-27) second only to Gil Hodges with players who had more than four at bats. He hit two HRs driving in six runs, with two doubles and four runs scored in the Series.
Baseball Card Trivia: Neal was honored being on two Topps 1959 World Series cards in the 1960 set.
Mets Inaugural Season: Charlie Neal was an original Met. On April 11th, 1962, in St. Louis he was playing second base & batting third in the first game of Mets history.
First RBI In Mets History: In the 3rd inning, he singled off the Cardinals Lary Jackson & drove in the first run in Mets history, scoring Ritchie Ashburn. In the top of the 5th, he hit the second HR in Mets history, also off pitcher Larry Jackson. Neal had a great day going 3-4, driving in two runs & scoring a run.
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On April 28th in an 8-6 win over the Phillies at the Polo Grounds, Neal hit two HRs off Philadelphia's Jim Owens. It was his only multi-HR game of the season.
Multi HR Game:
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On April 28th in an 8-6 win over the Phillies at the Polo Grounds, Neal hit two HRs off Philadelphia's Jim Owens. It was his only multi-HR game of the season.In the month of April Neal hit three HRs drove in nine runs & batted .310 leading the team as one of their top hitters.
On May 15th, 1962, he salvaged a rare Mets comeback with a 10th inning base hit off the Cubs Don Elston, tying up the game 5-5. The Mets would win the game on a Hobie Landrith bases loaded walk coming off future Met Cal Koonce.
Multi- Three RBI Game: On May 20th, Neal hit the first of three consecutive Mets HRs connecting off the Braves Tony Cloninger in the top of the 7th inning. Earlier he had a two run double helping the Mets to a 9-6 win.
From June 1st to June 17th, Neal batted .328 with a .925 OPS as he drove in nine runs while collecting 20 hits. He raised his season average up to .285 as well.
Multi- Three RBI Game: On May 20th, Neal hit the first of three consecutive Mets HRs connecting off the Braves Tony Cloninger in the top of the 7th inning. Earlier he had a two run double helping the Mets to a 9-6 win.
From June 1st to June 17th, Neal batted .328 with a .925 OPS as he drove in nine runs while collecting 20 hits. He raised his season average up to .285 as well.
Two days later he hit a HR in the first game of a double header at Wrigley, helping Roger Craig to a 2-1 win over the Cubs. In that stretch in mid-June he drove in runs in five of seven games.
In September, Neal would hit safely in ten of all eleven games he played in that month. His season ended a bit early by September 15th from an injury.
Neal would play in 136 games for the 1962 Mets, leading the team with nine triples & nine sacrifice hits. He batted .260 with a 11 HRs 58 RBIs 14 doubles 9 triples56 walks a .330 on base % & & a .718 OPS.
He primarily played second (85 games) but also had time at third & short. By far he was their best defensive infielder posting a .970 fielding %
1963: In 1963 he was mainly used at third base (66 games) as the first Met to start an All-Star game, Ron Hunt took over the position, with Larry Burright as his back up.
Neal finished out his career that year, posting the leagues fourth best fielding % at third base (.955). He hit .211 with 3 HRs & 21 RBIs.
Honors: In 1971 Neal attended the first Dodgers All Star games. Even his old Mets manager Casey Stengle was on hand as he had played for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1912 to 1917.
Passing: In 1996 Neal passed away from heart failure in Dallas, Texas at age 65.
In the first week of August had six RBIs, which was most productive on the poor team.
HRs in three Straight Days: Neal hit HRs on three straight days from August 3rd thru August 5th. On August 3rd, he homered in the8-6 loss to the Reds. The next day he homered in the first game of a double header sweep over the Reds, homering off Johnny Klipstein in the 9-1 win.
The next day, in another twin bill with the Reds, he drove in two runs & hit a solo HR off Jim O'Toole in the Mets 5-2 victory.
In the month he drove in 17 runs with 11 extra base hits & nine multi-hit games.
Neal would play in 136 games for the 1962 Mets, leading the team with nine triples & nine sacrifice hits. He batted .260 with a 11 HRs 58 RBIs 14 doubles 9 triples56 walks a .330 on base % & & a .718 OPS.
He primarily played second (85 games) but also had time at third & short. By far he was their best defensive infielder posting a .970 fielding %
Multi- Three RBI Game: On April 23rd in an 8-5 win over the Braves, he drove in three runs with a two-run single & an RBI double.
He struggled at the start of the season not getting to the .200 mark until the start of May
On May 7th Neal hit his first HR coming in a 3-1 win over the Phillies. He would collect two multi-RBI games that month, both in Mets losses. On May 21st in Los Angles, he hit a two-run single off Johnny Podres & his old Dodger teammates. The second game came in St. Louis off veteran Lew Burdett.
In June Neal would hit two more HRs driving in seven runs. After 72 games he was batting .225 with just 18 RBIs. & the Mets traded him along with Sammy Taylor to the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Jesse Gonder.
Neal finished out his career that year, posting the leagues fourth best fielding % at third base (.955). He hit .211 with 3 HRs & 21 RBIs.
Career Stats: In his eight-season career Neal hit .259 with 858 hits 113 doubles 38 triples 87 HRs 461 runs scored & 391 RBIs. He collected 48 stolen bases. He struck out 557 times, drew 337 walks with a .329 on base % & .723 OPS.
The versatile Neal played 663 games at second, 162 games at short & 120 games at third base.
Retirement: Neal managed a sporting goods store in Dallas & later started a security business there as well.
Family: After graduating high school, he married his wife Annie, they remained together thirty years divorcing in 1977.
Passing: In 1996 Neal passed away from heart failure in Dallas, Texas at age 65.