Remembering Mets History (1968) Ron Swoboda Slugs Seven April HRs
Ron Swoboda had come up with the Mets in 1965 as one of Casey Stengel's "Youth of America" players & immediately became a popular figure on the young ball club. Swoboda led the team with 19 HRs that season & was being labeled the slugger of the future on a poor team that was looking for a star.
Things didn't quite work out that way but Swoboda did have some memorable moments in his career. Never known for his glove work, he would make one of the best catches in World Series history preserving Tom Seaver's 1969 Game #4 win at Shea Stadium.
In 1968, he had a great start to the season as well. At the time Gil Hodges was in his first moth of managing the Mets & was observing the players he had to work with.
New York opened the 1968 season in San Francisco facing the former NL New York club the Giants. It had only been ten years since the Giants & Dodgers had left New York. In a great Opening Day pitching matchup, Tom Seaver went up against Juan Marichal. The two Hall of Famers went at it, both lasting eight innings.
Seaver took a 4-2 lead into the 9th before running out of gas. The Giants Willie Mays singled & moved up on a passed ball, then scored on Jim Ray Harts base hit. Seaver was relieved by Danny Frisella. Nate Oliver greeted him with a base hit & Jesus Alou hit walk off double for the win.
April 19th - April 21st 1968: This three day four game stretch for Swoboda was certainly one of the best of his career.
On April 19th in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers at Shea Stadium, Swoboda hit a solo HR off Claude Osteen, for his second of the season.
The next day Tom Seaver & Bill Singer went at it, matching zeroes thru five innings. In the bottom of the 6th, Bud Harrelson singled & Art Shamsky drew a two out walk. Ron Swoboda came up hitting a three run HR off Singer, for his third of the year. The Mets went on to a 3-2 win behind Swoboda's multi- three RBI game & Tom Seaver's first victory of the season.Sunday April 21st- HRs in Both Ends of a Twin Bill: In Sunday afternoon's double header 45,442 came out to Shea for the matchup with L.A. The Dodgers took the first game 7-6 with Swoboda hitting a HR for his third consecutive game. In the bottom of the 4th inning he hit a two run HR future Hall of Famer Don Drysdale, in the Mets five run inning.
In the top of the 8th the Dodgers put up four runs off Al Jackson & Cal Koonce tying up the game. In the bottom of the 8th, the Glider Ed Charles doubled & Jerry Grote's single put the Mets ahead.
The Mets dropped the second game as well, but Swoboda stayed hot. In the bottom of the 4th
inning Swoboda hit a solo HR off Phil Regan. It was the fourth straight game where he had hit a HR & Swoboda had now homered in both ends of the double header. He also had a five game hit streak.
inning Swoboda hit a solo HR off Phil Regan. It was the fourth straight game where he had hit a HR & Swoboda had now homered in both ends of the double header. He also had a five game hit streak.
In his past four games, Swoboda hit four HRs with seven RBIs.
April 27th: In a 5-3 loss at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Swoboda hit a solo HR off the Reds Milt Pappas for his league leading sixth HR of the season, tied with Henry Aaron. In the 9th he added an RBI single for his 15th RBI of the year second in the NL to the Cubs Billy Williams.
April 27th: In a 5-3 loss at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Swoboda hit a solo HR off the Reds Milt Pappas for his league leading sixth HR of the season, tied with Henry Aaron. In the 9th he added an RBI single for his 15th RBI of the year second in the NL to the Cubs Billy Williams.
In the first month of the season Swoboda set a franchise record at the time with seven HRs. He drove in 16 runs with a .988 OPS in 16 games while batting .267. Unfortunately his hot streak ended & he would struggle the rest of the year. He would hit just 11 HRs with 59 RBIs in 132 games.