Remembering Mets History (1962) Hot Rod Kanehl Hits the Mets First Grand Slam & Gil Hodges Hits His Last Career HR

Friday July 6th,1962: A crowd of 14,515 came to the Polo Grounds to see Casey Stengel's Mets (22-57) host Johnny Keane's St. Louis Cardinals (45-37). The Cardinals would finish fourth that year, then improve to a second-place finish in 1963, before winning the 1964 World Series.

Todays game would be highlighted by a franchise first & a memorable career ending HR by one it's beloved players.

On the mound, the Mets Roger Craig (4-11) would go up against the Cardinals Ray Sadecki (5-5). 

Ray Sadecki Trivia: Sadecki would pitch 18 seasons, win 20 games in the Cardinals Championship season. He pitched for the Cards (1960-1966) Giants (1966-1969) then spent five seasons (1970-1974) with Mets winning a pennant there in 1973. After bouncing to four more teams, he finished his career with the Mets in 1977.

Roger Craig Trivia: Craig was a former Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodger who had won two World Championships with the team. In those years he was 49-38with five saves & a 3.73 ERA. 

With the Mets Craig led the NL in losses two straight seasons going 15-46 in two seasons. In 1963 from May 4th to August 9th he would lose 18 straight decisions. 

In the top of the 1st, Roger Craig walked two batters but got out of the inning without giving up a run. 

In the top of the 2nd, Craig issued his third walk & a base hit put two on, but Julian Javier flew out to deep centerfield where Joe Christopher made the third out.

Hodges Final Career HR: In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Gil Hodges hit the 370th HR of his career. It was the last HR he would hit in his career as he would play in eleven more games that season & eight the following year retiring in May 1963.

At the time Hodges was tenth on the all-time HR list & first among National League right handed batters. 

After the game, Hodges appeared on Mets Broadcaster Ralph Kiner's post game show "Kiner's Korner". Ralph reminded Hodges that he himself had set the NL HR mark back in 1954.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Cliff Cook & Frank Thomas both go on with base hits. Ray Sadecki got a bit wild throwing a passed ball & wild pitch allowing Cook to score. After Gi Hodges was walked Felix Mantilla doubled off the left field wall bringing in Thomas for a 3-0 Mets lead.

In the 5th inning, Charlie Neal homered off Bob Duliba who had replaced Sadecki making it 4-1. 

Roger Craig held the Cards scoreless thru six, in the 7th after base hits from Red Schoendienst & Curt Flood, Julian Javier's double play scored Red with St. Louis first run, 4-1.

In the top of the 8h inning, Rod Kanehl came in to play left field replacing Frank Thomas.

In the bottom of the 8th, Bobby Shantz came on to pitch for the Cardinals. He quickly gave up base hits to Felix Mantilla & Chris Cannizzaro. 

When Roger Craig bunted to the mound, Shantz misplayed the ball allowing Mantilla to score. Next, shortstop Julio Gotay made an error on a ground ball from Elio Chacon, Cannizzaro scored the Mets sixth run.

With one out, Jim Hickman attempted a bunt & reached safely loading up the bases for Rod Kanhel. Nicknamed "Hot Rod" Kanehl, he put himself in the Mets record books hitting the very first grand slam HR in franchise history.

Rod Kanehl Trivia: Kanehl spent eight years in the AL New York team's minor leagues. He was not a great player, but he worked hard & hustled on every play which made him a favorite of Casey Stengel. In 1975, Kanehl is remembered as being the only former Mets player that attended Stengel's funeral.

Rod once claimed his name was on one of the very first Mets banners in the Polo Grounds. He was also known for having collected a 9th inning pinch hit off Sandy Koufax in an eventual Mets win on a televised Spring Training game.

Hot Rod: In the 6th inning of the Mets first win at the Polo Grounds, he scored on a wild pitch from second base earning him the name "Hot Rod". Kanehl hit four HRs that season & six in his three-year career in 340 games.

In the top of the 9th, Julian Javier hit a two run HR, but it was all, as the Mets won the game 10-3, as Roger Craig earned the complete game victory. He gave up three runs on eight hits, struck out six & walked four.

'62 Mets Trivia: It was the third time the '62 Mets put up ten runs or more, having last done it eight days earlier in Los Angeles which was the first time they beat the Dodgers in seven tries. The '62 Mets would score ten or more runs just five times that year.