Remembering Mets History: (1973) Willie Mays Hits His Final Career HR #660

Friday August 17th 1973: The Mets were still in last place on this day (53-66 but just seven games out) before making their pennant push of 1973. 

On this night, it would be an NLCS preview as Sparky Anderson's Cincinnati Reds (75-48) were in town for a weekend series at Shea. 36,803 came to see Don Gullett go up against George Stone.

The Mets would lose this game 2-1, in the 10th inning, as pinch hitter Hal King hit a HR off Harry Parker.

The highlight of this game was how the Mets scored their only run. It came on a HR from Willie Mays. It was the last HR Willie would hit in his Hall of Fame career, #660 placing him third on the all time list.

Starting Lineups

	Cincinnati Reds				New York Mets
1	Pete Rose	LF		1	Wayne Garrett	3B
2	Joe Morgan	2B		2	Felix Millan	2B
3	Dan Driessen	3B		3	Willie Mays	1B
4	Tony Perez	1B		4	Cleon Jones	RF
5	Johnny Bench	RF		5	John Milner	LF
6	Andy Kosco	CF		6	Jerry Grote	C
7	Bill Plummer	C		7	Don Hahn	CF
8	Darrel Chaney	SS		8	Ted Martinez	SS
9	Don Gullett	P		9	George Stone	P

The HR came in the 4th inning off Don Gullett, it was his sixth HR of the season. Willie would get just six more starts in the season before announcing his retirement in September. He was convinced to stay on if the Mets made the post season which they did. 

Mays then collected the first hit of the 1973 World Series, in his final career start.

Trivia: Willie Mays first career HR came on May 28th, 1951 at the Polo Grounds off Hall of Fame pitcher; Warren Spahn.