Remembering Mets History: (1973) Old Timers Day & Mets Retire Hodges #14

Saturday June 9th, 1973- Old Timers Day: A big Saturday afternoon crowd of 47,800 filled up Shea Stadium to first witness an Old Timers Day classic between former Brooklyn Dodgers & AL New York Players vs former New York Mets from the sixties.

A full cast of original 1962 Mets were on hand; Richie Ashburn, Ken MacKenzie, Jim Marshall, Rod Kanehl, Frank Thomas & Roger Craig. Other Mets on board included 1969 Amazing Mets Reliever Ron Taylor & pitcher Larry Bearnarth.

It was on this day, the Mets officially retired Gil Hodges #14, as Mets GM Bob Scheffing presented Gil's widow, Joan Hodges with his Mets uniform. Former Brooklyn Dodgers: Carl Furillo, Pee Wee Reese, Ralph Branca, Carl Erskine, Sandy Amoros & Cal Abrams were all in attendance.

The Old Professor; former Mets Manager; Casey Stengel was on hand along with AL New York players Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford & current 1973 Mets manager; Yogi Berra.

Old Timers Day 1973

 
For the actual game that day, the big Shea crowd saw Yogi Berra's fourth place Mets (23-27) host Walt Alston's second place Dodgers (34-23). 

The Dodgers were still attracting big crowds when they came to New York, just 15 years removed from Brooklyn.

The Mets were beat up with injuries at the time, shortstop Bud Harrelson, catcher Jerry Grote & left fielder Cleon Jones were all on the DL. Today a struggling Jon Matlack (2-8) took the mound against Dodger veteran hurler; Al Downing (5-2).

Trivia: In 1974 Downing would give up Hank Aaron's historic #715th HR breaking Babe Ruth's all time HR record.

In the top of the 1st Matlack gave up a leadoff double to Davey Lopes. Then Bill Buckner singled to short right field, but Lopes couldn't score. But when Willie Davis grounded to second Lopes did score with the Dodger first run.

In the bottom of the 1st, down 1-0 Mets third baseman Teddy Martinez singled to lead off for the inning. After Felix Millan grounded out, veteran Wille Mays, getting a start in center field today, singled to put two men aboard. Rusty Staub stepped in & doubled to left field bringing in both runners, making it a 2-1 Mets lead.

But the Dodgers struck back right away. Davey Lopes bunted for a base hit. Jon Matlack had him picked off of first, but John Milner's error had him advance to second. Lopes who stole 36 bases in his first full season that year, then stole third base. Bill Buckner's sac fly to left scored Lopes to tie the game.

42-year-old Willie Mays, who was older than some of the old timers in the earlier Old Timers Game, put on a show himself. First, he made a classic Willie Mays circus catch during the game, saving a run.

Then in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Mays hit his first HR of the year, #655 of his Hall of Fame career. At this point in time, the HR put him at third on the all-time HR list. It was a real thrill for the large Shea Stadium crowd & they gave "the Say hey Kid" a standing ovation.

Matlack held the Dodgers down in the next two innings. In the Dodger 7th, Tom Paciorek led off with a double & Davey Lopes singled to right field, moving Paciorek to third. This time Matlack, who always had a great pick off move, threw to first & caught Lopes off balance. 

He was caught in a run down, as Mets first baseman John Milner & second baseman Felix Millan threw back to each other chasing the speedy Lopes. Short stop Jim Fregosi & right fielder Rusty Staub also got into the rundown mix.


Rusty came running in from right field, took Milner's throw & finally tagged out Lopes. At third base Paciorek broke for home & tried to score, Staub after making the tag on Lopes, alertly threw home to catcher Duffy Dyer who tagged Paciorek out for a most unusual 1-3-6-3-4-3-4-7-2 inning ending double play!

Jon Matlack

Al Downing was relieved after six innings, giving up three runs on four hits with three strike outs & one walk. Doug Rau came on for the Dodgers.

In the bottom of the 8th, Felix Millan plunked a one out single to right field. After Willie Mays went down looking, Rusty Staub came up & capped off his big day with another RBI double, putting New York up for good 4-2.

Matlack got the first two outs in the 9th before Bill Russell reached on an error by Ted Martinez. Pinch hitter Steve Garvey then came on & grounded to short to end the game. 

Matlack went the distance, allowing just one earned run on seven hits, striking out four batters & walking three. The win had the struggling Mets at 23-27 now 7.5 games behind the first place Chicago Cubs.