Remembering Mets History (1964) Mets Play the Longest Doubleheader In History (9 Hours 52 Minutes) & Young Ed Kranepool Plays 51 Innings in 48 Hours
It had been seven years since the Giants had left New York & the Polo Grounds for the west coast of San Francisco. Every time they returned to New York to play the Mets, the Giants had always attracted big crowds, as their old fans came out to root them on. This Sundays double header drew 57,037 fans.
It was a day to go down in the history books, as this was to be the longest double header in baseball history. The double header lasted a total of nine hours fifty two minutes.
He had debuted for three games with the 1962 Mets at age 17 & played 86 games for them in 1963.
First Game: The first game began as the Giants future, Hall of Famer Juan Marichal went up against the Mets Al Jackson.
In the Mets 2nd, Joe Christopher & Ed Kranepool, in his first at bat after returning from the minors, both singled. Jim Hickman hit a three run HR over the left field fence, putting New York up 3-0. It was Hickman's third HR of the year; he would hit 11 on the season.
Bill Wakefield was removed by Mets skipper Casey Stengel after just two innings replaced by Craig Anderson..
The Mets went into the 6th, down 6-1. Joe Christopher singled & Ed Kranepool, who certainly wasn't looking tired, tripled to centerfield, scoring Christopher. Kranepool then scored on Charley Smith's base hit making it 6-3 Giants.
Gaylord Perry's Big Day In the 13th, Gaylord Perry came in for relief, Perry would pitch ten innings of shutout baseball, getting to the 22nd inning. It was one of MLB's longest relief efforts ever.
Triple Play: In the 14th inning, San Fran's Jesus Alou singled & Willie Mays walked. Orlando Cepeda then hit a hard line drive up the middle, but Mets short stop Roy McMillan snagged it, stepped on second base to get Alou & then threw to the youngster Ed Kranepool at first base, to nail Willie Mays for the triple play. If your scoring at home it was a strange 6-6-3 triple play. The excitement continued.
Pinch hitter Del Crandall then doubled bringing in Davenport breaking the long tie that had been going on for 16 innings. Next, Jesus Alou added an RBI single to make it 8-6 Giants.
There were 14 runs scored & 37 hits in the long contest. The Mets out hit the Giants 20 to 17.
Trivia: New Jersey born Ed Sudol, was the home plate umpire for this game. Strangely enough, Ed Sudol was the home plate umpire for all three of the Mets longest games mentioned above.
It was a day to go down in the history books, as this was to be the longest double header in baseball history. The double header lasted a total of nine hours fifty two minutes.
A Long 24 Hours For Ed Kranepool: Kranepool was an original 1962 Met, the team's first bonus baby, home grown out of the Soundview section of the Bronx.
He began 1964 with the Mets big league team but was sent down to AAA on May 12th. On May 30th, he played both ends of a minor league double header night game with the Buffalo Bisons.
After playing 18 innings in that game which ended after midnight, he was told that he was called back up to the majors. The Mets wanted him to report to Shea Stadium, ASAP, for that days doubleheader in Queens.
The young 18 year old, Kranepool arrived at Shea before gametime, where he would play in both games of this double header, that would end up going 32 innings. The young Kranepool would play 51 innings of baseball, in four games in a 48-hour period.
Quotes- Ed Kranepool: "I wanted it to go a little longer. That way I could say I played in a game that started in May & ended in June".
This game was a quickie, lasting just two hours & twenty-nine minutes. Juan Maricha would beat the Mets, in a personal win streak that went on for six years, he would earn 19 wins before taking a loss to the Mets in 1967.
In his career he pitcher 43 games against the Mets going 26-8 with a 2.13 ERA, he struck out 241 batters walked 44 in 342 innings. Marichal pitched nine shut outs against the Mets.
In the top of the 4th, with one out, Orlando Cepeda, Jim Davenport & Jesus Alou all singled, Cepeda score with the Giants first run.
In the 6th, Willie Mays walked & Jim Ray Hart singled to left. Cepeda doubled scoring Mays making it 3-2. Tom Sturdivant then came on to pitch for the Mets, his first batter Jim Davenport hit a sac fly scoring Hart to tie the game. After Jesus Alou grounded out, with Gil Garrido at the plate, Orlando Cepeda stole home, making it 4-3.
In the 9th, Alou singled off the new Mets pitcher, Larry Bearnarth, after a sacrifice & groundout advanced Alou he scored on Harvey Kuenn's base hit, making it 5-3. The Giants went on to the win.
Night Cap: The second game started with the Mets Bill Wakefield going up against the Giants' pitcher Bobby Bolin.
In the 1st inning, Wakefield gave Harvey Kuenn a leadoff walk then an RBI double to Jesus Alou making it 1-0. Next Willie Mays' base hit made it quickly 2-0.
Bill Wakefield was removed by Mets skipper Casey Stengel after just two innings replaced by Craig Anderson..
In the home 2nd, with two outs Jim Hickman singled scoring on a base hit from catcher Chris Cannizzaro.
In the 3rd, the Giants hit six singles & scored four runs. Jesus Alou & Orlando Cepeda started it. Then Tom Haller & Chuck Hiller both collected RBI singles.
Casey Stengel went to the bullpen & brought in Tom Sturdivant, who had pitched in the first game. In this game, he quickly gave up RBI hits to Jim Ray Hart & the pitcher Bobby Bolin, giving the Giants a 6-1 lead.
In the home 7th, the Mets' Roy McMillan & Frank Thomas singled. Joe Christopher then hit a three run HR to tie the game, all of a sudden this was an exciting ball game, no one knew it still had a long way to.
Extra Innings: After Sturdivant, Frank Lary pitched two scoreless innings. Then Larry Bearnarth came on to pitch seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits & fanning four into the 13th inning.
For the Giants, after the Mets got to Bolin, 6.2 innings six runs (five earned) eight hits two walks & seven K's, Ken McKenzie, Bob Shaw & Ron Herbel all former or future Mets, came on to pitch. Herbel put in four scoreless.
In the home 13th, with two outs, the Mets Amado Samuel singled, Roy McMillan followed with base hit but Samuel was thrown out at third base by right fielder Jesus Alou.
Perry would give up seven hits with one walk & nine strike outs. He struck out two batters in both the 20th & 21st innings.
Trivia: In 1964 the future Hall of Fame pitcher, who would become known for a spitball or anything else you could put on a baseball, was just 25 years old. He would pitch 22 seasons for eight different teams, winning a career 314 games. With the Giants Perry was a two-time twenty game winner, winning 15 or more six straight seasons.
For New York, Galen Cisco came on for the Mets in the 15th inning, he would pitch nine innings & would eventually take the loss.
In the top of the 23rd inning, Chuck Hiller flew out to right field. Then Cisco got Matty Alou to pop out. Then Jim Davenport tripled down right field. Galen Cisco then walked Craig Peterson intentionally.
Pinch hitter Del Crandall then doubled bringing in Davenport breaking the long tie that had been going on for 16 innings. Next, Jesus Alou added an RBI single to make it 8-6 Giants. Giants reliever Bob Hendley closed out the bottom of the 23rd, retiring the Mets in order. At 11:35 pm the game was over with the Giants winning 8-6.
Trivia: The game is still not the longest for the Mets, they would play a 25 inning game on September 11th, 1974 as well as a 24 inning game on April 15th 1968.
The game ranks as the 8th longest game played in baseball history. A total of 41 players were used in the game, with New York using 21 & the Giants 20. Both teams used six pitchers each.
Trivia: This game was the first extra inning contest at Shea Stadium which had just opened up two months earlier in April 1964.
Trivia: New Jersey born Ed Sudol, was the home plate umpire for this game. Strangely enough, Ed Sudol was the home plate umpire for all three of the Mets longest games mentioned above.