Remembering Mets History (1962) The First Win in Franchise History

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.

Twenty-five-year-old Jay Hook took the mound for the Mets. Hook had been with the Cicinnati Reds for five seasons 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 on this night, Jay Hook became the answer to the Mets trivia question: Who was the first Mets pitcher to earn a victory in franchise history? 

Jay Hook took on the Pirates' veteran lefthander, Tom Sturdivant. Sturdivant had been a two-time 16 game winner with the AL New York club (1956 & 1957). He would finish his career with the 1964 Mets as a reliever.

In the top of the 1st, the Mets got to Tom Sturdivant right away. Felix Mantilla & Elio Chacon singled to start the game. Sturdivant then threw a wild pitch advancing both runners. Next Gus Bell & Frank Thomas both hit RBI sac flies, making it 2-0 Mets.

In the top of the 2nd, Charlie Neal doubled to lead off the inning. Strurdivant walked Jim Hickman & Chris Cannizzaro to load bases. That was enough for manager Danny Murtaugh to replaced him with Diomedes Olivo. 

Mets pitcher Jay Hook greeted Olivo with a base hit up the middle scoring Hickman & Cannizzaro making it 4-0. Felix Mantilla then hit a sac fly & Elio Chacon added an RBI single to make it 6-0 Mets.

For Jay Hook, he retired the first six batters. In the bottom of the 3rd, he allowed two hits but got
Bill Virdon to fly out to end the inning. 

Over the next two innings, the only base runner Hook gave to the Pirates was a walk to Don Hoak.

In the top of the 6th, Jay Hook reached when short stop Dick Groat threw wildly to first base. Felix Mantilla scarified Hook over to second. Elio Chacon then singled to center scoring Hook with the Mets seventh run.

It was the first of five multi-RBI games for Chacon who drove in 27 runs on the season.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Pirates' got a pair of singles from Dick Schofield & Dick Groat. Bob Skinner grounded out allowing Schofield to score. 

In the top of the 8th, Felix Mantilla collected a two out base hit. Prate pitcher Jack Lamabe then walked Elio Chacon. Bobby Gene Smith then blasted a shot to center scoring both runs & slid into third base with his only triple of the season. The Mets now had a 9-1 lead.

From the end of the 6th on, Hook retired ten of the next eleven batters. The only hit came with one out in the 9th inning. But Hook got the last two outs & when Roberto Clemente grounded to Felix Mantilla at third base who forced Bob Skinner at second, the Mets had the first win in franchise history.

Jay Hook pitched a complete game win allowing one run on five hits, with one walk & two strike outs. After the game, there was no celebration, but Hook did talk to the media as the other players got ready to board the bus to Cincinnati. Hook kept the game ball & returned it to the Mets five years later. It was then displayed in Cooperstown.

Felix Mantilla & Elio Chacon led the Mets offense with three hits each. Chacon, Bobby Gene Smith & Jay Hook all had a muti-two RBI game.

After nine games the Mets won their first game. They would lose three more before notching their second win & finish April at 3-13.