Remembering Mets History (1963) Jim Hickman Hits a Walk-Off Grand Slam Helping Break Roger Craig's Personal 18 Game Losing Streak

Friday August 9th, 1963: Casey Stengle's Mets had won two straight games but were still just 36-77 on the season. On this evening, they hosted Bob Kennedy's fifth place Chicago Cubs (59-52) in front of 11,566 fans at the Polo Grounds. The starters were the Mets veteran Roger Craig (2-20) vs Paul Toth (3-6).

Roger Craig had been on one of the worst hard luck streaks a pitcher could have. Craig entered tonight's game having lost 18 straight decisions dating back to April 29th & already had registered twenty losses on the season. In that time in 24 games, he gave up 61 earned runs & 16 HRs in 132 innings for a 4.16 ERA. In 17 starts he allowed two runs or less eight times. 

The game went scoreless thru the first three innings.

In the bottom of the 4th, Mets slugger Frank Thomas hit his 11th HR of the season putting the Mets on the board first.

But in the top of the 5th, the Cubs connected for two HRs off Roger Craig as Andres Rodgers & Lou Brock both went deep putting Chicago ahead 2-1.

In the bottom of the 5th, Al Moran led off with a walk, he was moved over on Roger Craig's sacrifice bunt. Moran went to third when Jim Hickman reached on a Ron Santo error. 

Duke Carmel then singled to right field scoring Moran to tie the game. 

Duke Snider then singled into left field for his 38th RBI of the season, the 1309th RBI of his career. The Mets had the 3-2 lead.

Roger Craig pitched well getting to the 8th inning with the lead, when Billy Williams tripled & Ron Santo hit an RBI sac fly to score Williams with the games tying run.

The game would get to the bottom of the 9th inning tied. With starter Paul Toth still on the mound Joe Hicks collected a one out single. with two outs Al Moran doubled to left field putting the winning run at third base. 

Lindy McDaniel came in relief & walked Tim Harkness to load the bases.

Jim Hickman stepped in & hit the game winning, walk off grand slam HR. It was the Mets second walk off grand slam in franchise history.

Mets Walk Off Grand Slam Trivia: On June 26th, just six weeks earlier Tim Harkness hit the Mets first walk off grand slam also coming against the Cubs, off pitcher Jim Brewer.

Jim Hickman Trivia: Just two days earlier Jim Hickman was the first Mets player to hit for the cycle in a 7-3 win over the Cardinals at the Polo Grounds.

The Mets went on to the 7-3 win, much to the relief of Roger Craig who finally snapped an 18-game losing streak. Craig would go 2-2 the rest of the way, finishing with 22 losses. He had lost a franchise record 24 games the previous year.

Slit Finger Fast Ball Mentor: Roger Craig was a former Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodger, who was a two-time World Champion. In 1964 he would win another Championship with the Cardinals. 

Craig would become a successful pitching coach & manager with the San Francisco Giants. He is most famous & credited as the master teacher of the spilt finger fastball popularizing it in the 1980's.