centerfield maz

Monday July 1st, 2024: The Mets were coming off their best month of the season so far as they went 16-8 in June, although they had lost their last two games to the Astros at Citi Field.  Carlos Mendoza's Mets came into tonight's game 40-41 in third place, two games out of the wild card race with seven teams at the halfway point of the season. The Mets sent David Peterson (3-0) up against the Nat's Mackenzie Gore (6-7) in front of 26,719 at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.  David Peterson did not get his first start until the end of May, after a no decision he won three straight starts. In his last start before this, six days earlier, he had just given up one run in 4.1 innings of the subway series. Peterson entered the game with a 3.67 ERA. After two scoreless innings, in the bottom of the 3rd, the Nat's CJ Abrams walked & Lane Thomas singled to right field. Next back-to-back RBI singles from Harold Ramirez & Joey Meneses made it a 2-0 Washington lead. The g...

Saturday June 30th, 1979: Joe Torre's Mets (31-39) were on the road for a weekend series at Wrigley Field in Chicago to take on Herman Franks second place Cubs (36-32).  The 1979 Cubs had a good summer, getting as close to within a half game of first place by the end of July. But they went 26-40 the rest of the way finishing in fifth place as Herman Franks was fired.  On this afternoon, 28,394 fans filled Wrigley Field as New York's Craig Swan (7-6) went up against their fan favorite Rick Reuschel (6-5). Reuschel spent 12 years in Chicago (1972-1984) winning 135 games. That year he was an 18-game winner (18-12) & had won twenty games two years earlier. That season the Mets Craig Swan would win the NL's ERA title. In the bottom of the 2nd, the Cubs got on the board first with a HR from Steve Ontiveros.  In the top of the 3rd, after the first out, the Mets got three straight singles from Craig Swan, Joel Youngblood & Frank Tavares to load the bases. Lee Mazzilli hi...

Ronald Alan Swoboda was born on June 30, 1944, in Baltimore, Maryland. His parents were John & Delores Swoboda. His father was a veteran of World War II who worked as a mechanic & teacher. His mother was a supervisor in social services. In high school Ron played baseball, basketball & soccer. He was goal tender & the captain of his soccer team. The six foot two right-handed hitting outfielder was signed out of Maryland University, as an amateur free agent in 1963. He signed for $35,000 after a strong AABA tournament performance. Swoboda only played minor league ball for one season, impressing a new Mets organization with his power. They were a team looking for a home-grown slugger to attract fans.  In 1964 he hit 14 HRs at AA Williamsport & then three more at AAA Buffalo in 22 games there.  Youth of America : He was called "Rocky" & "Swobo" becoming one of Casey Stengel's young Mets he called the "Youth of America". Othe...