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Showing posts from April, 2022

Remembering Mets History: (1980) Pete Falcone Ties MLB Record Striking Out the First Six Batters of a Game

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Thursday May 1st, 1980: A small crowd of just 5,928 came out to Shea Stadium, to see Joe Torre's Mets (6-11) who were already in fifth place, take on the eventual 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies (7-9) led by manager Dallas Green. Tonight, an old Mets nemesis, "Lefty" Steve Carlton took on Brooklyn's own Pete Falcone. The game would start out with Mets pitcher, Pete Falcone striking out the first six batters he faced. This set a Mets franchise record that stood for 34 years until 2014, when Jacob DeGrom struck out 8 Marlins to start a game, tying the MLB record. For Pete Falcone, at the time, he tied an MLB record by striking out the first six. Up to that point, the feat it had only been done four times before in baseball history. In the 1st inning, Falcone struck out Lonnie Smith & Pete Rose swinging. He then got Gary Maddox looking at a called third strike. In the 2nd inning, Falcone struck out sluggers Mike Schmidt & Greg Luzins

Remembering Mets History (1996): John Franco Earns 300th Save

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Monday April 29, 1996: Dallas Green was still heading the New York Mets at this point, but would not last the season, as he would be replaced & the Bobby Valentine era would begin. On this day the Mets (11-13) took on a Felipe Alou's very good Montreal Expo team (17-9) that would finish second in a period still without a wild card. It was a milestone day for Mets reliever John Franco. The New York born pitcher became the first left handed reliever to record 300 saves. Starting Lineups Montreal Expos 1 Mark Grudzielanek SS 2 Mike Lansing 2B 3 Henry Rodriguez LF 4 Moises Alou RF 5 David Segui 1B 6 Darrin Fletcher C 7 F.P. Santangelo CF 8 Shane Andrews 3B 9 Jeff Fassero P New York Mets 1 Lance Johnson CF 2 Bernard Gilkey LF 3 Butch Huskey 1B 4 Chris Jones RF 5 Todd Hundley C 6 Jeff Kent 3B 7 Edgardo Alfonzo 2B 8 Rey Ordonez SS 9 Pete Harnisch P In the home 3rd, Rey Ordonez doubled & was brought in by Mets All Star, La

Remembering Mets History: (1968) Ron Swoboda Slugs Seven April HRs

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April 1968: On April 30th the Philadelphia Phillies (8-9) came to Shea Stadium to face Gil Hodges New York Mets (7-9). Hodges was ending his first month as Mets Manager & was still observing what he had to work with. Both teams were just under .500 but were hoping for good things, for the Mets they were one year away from that Miracle Season. Tonight's game was a classic pitchers duel as the Mets Don Cardwell went on to a five hit shut out, walking no one while fanning three. It was his first win of the year against two early losses. His opponent was the Phillies Chris Short, Short pitched 7 innings & allowed just one run but that was all New York needed. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Ron Swoboda hit the game winning solo shot. It was Swoboda's 7th HR of the month, in which he had played in just 16 games. He also had collected 16 RBIs and was among the league leaders that early in the season. In the second game of the 1968 season, the Mets visited San Fra

Remembering Mets History (1962): Harry Chiti Becomes the First Player to Be Traded For Himself

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April 26th - June 15th , 1962 : In the early days of Mets history, there were many strange stories, some true, some exaggerated. One very true story that came out of the Mets first month of baseball in 1962, was the strange case of Harry Chiti. Harry Chiti was a nine year veteran, he was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Cleveland Indians before the start of the 1962 season.  In late April, his contract was sold to the expansion New York Mets, for a player to be named later. Two days later, he was inserted in the lineup as a late inning replacement and struck out in his only at Mets bat.  In May, he would hit safely in seven of eight games in a Mets uniform. But his success was short lived, Chiti played in 15 Mets games, batting .195 (8-43). In late June, the Mets sold him back to Cleveland as the player to be named later, in his own trade. He officially was known as the first player who was traded for himself! Harry Chiti was born on November 16th, 1932 in Kincaid

Remembering Mets History (1962) Mets Win First Game in Team History

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 Monday April 23rd, 1962: In this night game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Casey Stengle's New York Mets (0-9) went up against Danny Murtaugh's Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates were the World Champions of 1960 but had fallen to sixth place the next year.   Tonight, was a historical game for the New York Mets, because it marked the first win in the young team's history. 25-year-old Jay Hook took the mound for the Mets. Hook had been with the Reds for five years going 17-28, with a 5.23 ERA, winning a career best 11 games (11-18) in 1960. He would spend three seasons with the Mets going 12-33 with a 5.22 ERA. But Jay Hook is now the answer to the Mets trivia question, who was the winning pitcher in the Mets first ever win? Hook took on the Pirates' veteran lefthander, Tom Sturdivant. Sturdivant was a two-time 16 game winner with the AL New York club in 1956 & 1957. He would finish his career with the 1964 Mets as a reliever. The Mets got to Sturdivant right away, as F

Remembering Mets History: (1983) Mookie Wilson & Tom Seaver Help Sweep A Twin Bill

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Wednesday April 20th 1983: A Wednesday double header was big game for popular Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson. The Mets led by manager George Bamberger hosted Chuck Tanner's Pittsburgh Pirates. The first game was like a day from the past, as Tom Seaver took the mound & pitched a three hit shut out. The 38 year old Seaver was brought back to New York that year after spending 5 1/2 years with the Reds. He was traded for Charlie Puleo, Lloyd McClendenon & minor leaguer Jason Felice. The Mets were not a good team at the time & the return of Seaver was a nostalgic treat. This was Seaver's best outing of the 1983 season, he pitched a complete game, three hit shut out striking out nine & walking three. Starting Lineups Pittsburgh Pirates         New York Mets 1 Lee Lacy RF 1 Mookie Wilson CF 2 Lee Mazzilli CF 2 Bob Bailor SS 3 Bill Madlock 3B 3 Dave Kingman 1B 4 Jason Thompson 1B 4 George Foster LF 5 Mike Easler LF 5 Mark Bradley RF 6 Johnny Ray 2B

Remembering Mets History (1972): Mets Remember Gil Hodges- Yogi Berra's Managerial Debut & Shea Wecome Rusty Staub

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Saturday April 15th, 1972: On March 31st 1972, the newly formed MLB Players Union headed by Union leader Marvin Mitchell voted to strike. It was the first ever MLB Baseball strike & the dawn of a new era. The season would be delayed, starting almost two weeks late as the strike lasted 13 days, 86 regular season games were cancelled. The New York Mets began the 1972 season in the wake of Gil Hodges' death that happened less than two weeks earlier. The team was in shock & for the players that were with Hodges from the Miracle of 1969 it was something they could not get over.  With the organization totally lost, they named former Mets coach & New York legend Yogi Berra the teams manager. Berra had just been named to the Baseball Hall of Fame that off season. Berra was the popular choice although Minor League VP Whitey Herzog was probably the better choice. 1972 marked another huge event in Mets history, that was one of the worst traded ever made when Nolan