Remembering Mets History (1969) Mets Drop Game One of the World Series

Saturday October 11th, 1969- Memorial Stadium, Baltimore Maryland: It was finally here, after a Miracle season, an Amazing NLCS sweep & five days of anticipation, the New York Mets were playing in the World Series. 

New York was a huge underdog to the Mighty Baltimore Orioles. Not many people thought they had a chance against the team that had won 109 games, swept the Minnesota Twins in the ALCS.

The Orioles team featured three future Hall of Famers, Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson & Frank
Robinson. F. Robinson & Boog 

Powell had both hit over 30 HRs, driven in 100 plus RBIs & batted over .300. 

Brooks had hit 23 HRs with 84 RBIs; Paul Blair hit 26 HRs drove in 76 runs hit .285 & stole 20 bases.

The pitching staff had two twenty game winners in Mike Cuella (23-11) & Dave McNally (20-7) Jim Palmer added 16 wins (16-4) with a 2.34 ERA. In the bullpen Eddie Watt had 16 saves with a 1.65 ERA & Pete Richert had 12 saves with a 2.20 ERA.

The Orioles put down the Mets all week, trash talking how they were going to finish them off & were tired about hearing of the weak National League team. The Mets & their manager Gil Hodges just quietly went about their business.

A crowd of 50,429 filled Memorial Stadium, although it was 2000 less than the stadium's capacity.

The Mets Gil Hodges sent baseballs winningest pitcher to the mound in Tom Seaver (25-7 / 208 K's / 2.21 ERA) Seaver would be the NL's Cy Young Award winner that year. He was coming off a rough NLCS start where he gave up five runs on eight hits in seven innings but still got the win.

Before the game, Tom Seaver posed with his nephew & Mets owner Joan Whitney Payson. All smiles & jitters as one of the most incredible World Series ever was about to start

The Orioles sent Cuban lefthander Mike Cuellar to the mound (23-11 / 2.39 ERA) in the ALCS he took no decision in the Game 1 extra inning win where he gave up three runs in eight innings.

MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn threw out the ceremonial first pitch & things got underway.

In the top of the 1st inning, Orioles pitcher Mike Cueller got Tommie Agee & Bud Harrelson to both ground out to Brooks Robinson at third base. Cleon Jones then collected the first hit of the World Series, a single to center, then Donn Clendenon struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 1st, Tom Seaver took the mound & The Oriole leadoff batter Don Buford hit a long fly ball to deep right field, the Mets right fielder Ron Swoboda leaped up against a very shaky right field fence tumbling down as the ball went over the wall for a 1-0 lead.

The Orioles & their fans thought the script was playing out just as they thought.

Quotes & Trivia: Years later Mets short stop Bud Harrelson remembered, as Don Buford rounded the bases, he said to him "You guys ain't seen nothing yet". Harrelson thought "First batter, first inning, you guys ain't seen nothing yet either."

Tom Seaver then struck out Paul Blair & Frank Robinson. Boog Powell singled for the second hit, but Brooks Robinson flew out for the third out.

In the top of the 2nd, Mike Cueller struck out Ron Swoboda & Ed Charles, then retired Jerry Grote. In the top of the 3rd, he walked Al Weis but got Tommie Agee to hit into an inning ending double play.

In the top of the 4th inning the Mets got their second hit, a two out double from Donn Clendenon. But Ron Swoboda flew out to Paul Blair in center for the third out of the inning.

In the bottom of the 4th, Seaver ran into more trouble. After getting the first two outs, he gave up a single to Elrod Hendricks & a walk to Davey Johnson. 

Next, the Orioles collected three straight hits, as first Mark Belanger blooped a single to right field, scoring Hendricks to make it 2-0 O's.  Then the pitcher Mike Cuellar singled to center bringing in Johnson with the third Orioles run. Cuellar batted .117 on the season (12-103) with five RBIs.

Don Buford followed, collecting his second hit, a double scoring Mark Belanger for a 4-0 Orioles.

Tom Seaver's Rough Start: Tom Terrific was certainly not in his 1969 Cy Young form on this day or since the playoffs began. As for Game #1 of the World Series, Tom Seaver went five innings, allowed four runs on four hits, three strike outs & a walk. In his two-post season starts, he had given up nine runs & 14 hits in 12 innings of work.

Quotes- Tom Seaver: "I had good stuff for three & two thirds' of innings then lost it".

In the bottom of the 6th, the Mets reliver Don Cardwell came out to pitch a scoreless inning. 

The Orioles Mike Cuellar continued to roll along, shutting the Mets out for six innings. 

In the top of the 7th, Donn Clendenon singled with his second hit of the game to start off what was to be a big World Series for him. Ron Swoboda drew a walk, then Ed Charles flew out for the first out. 

Mets catcher Jerry Grote singled to left field, Clendenon couldn't score & reached third base to load the base for the bottom of the order. Al Weis hit a sac fly to left field scoring Clendenon with the Mets first & only run of the game. 

Oriole's World Series Trivia: The run ended a scoreless World Series streak of 38 innings for Oriole pitchers dating back to the 1966 Fall Classic.

Next, Pinch hitter Rod Gaspar grounded out a slow hopper to third base in which Brooks Robinson charged & grabbed bare handed throwing Gaspar out at first base.

Human Vacuum Cleaner: Brooks a future Hall of Famer was one of the greatest defensive third baseman of all time. Known as the Human Vacuum cleaner in Baltimore he displayed his defensive talents on the big stage. The Orioles infield was also considered one of the best defensive cores ever.

The Mets Ron Taylor closed out the game with two innings of scoreless work. Taylor struck out three & walked one. 

In the top of the 9th, Ron Swoboda led off with a comebacker to the mound, Cuellar couldn't handle & he reached safely with a base hit.

With two outs, Al Weis drew a walk. Art Shamsky came up as pinch hitter representing the tying run but bounced out to Davey Johnson for the final out.

Mike Cuellar was outstanding, going the distance, allowing one run on six hits, as he struck out eight & walked four earning his first career post season win. He would win four in his career.

The Mets had scored just one run & collected six hits in the first game, making one error. The Orioles put up four runs against the Mets best pitcher & were down one game to none in the World Series with many people thinking their luck had run out. They