1969 Amazing Mets World Series MVP- Donn Clendenon's Heroics

In 1969 Gil Hodges used a very successful platoon system at various positions, most notably at first base. Young veteran Ed Kranepool played against right handers as Donn Clendenon, the teams only true slugger, played against lefties. 

As a result, Clendenon did not play in the Mets three game sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. But he was sure ready for the 1969 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Game #1 Memorial Stadium, Baltimore Maryland: The Amazing Mets won the NL Pennant & were in the World Series.

In Game #1 Donn Clendenon was playing first base & batting in the cleanup position against Oriole pitcher Mike Cuellar. Clendenon would be in that batting position in four of the five Series games.

In his first Series at bat, Clendenon struck out. Then, in the top of the 4th inning with two outs, he doubled to left center field but was left stranded on second base. 

In the top of the 7th, Donn led off with a base hit & came around to score the Mets only run on Al Weis' base hit.

The first game saw their ace Tom Seaver take a 4-1 loss to Mike Cuellar. It was the only post season game the 1969 Mets would lose. The next day the Amazing's got right back on track.

Game #2 Memorial Stadium, Baltimore Maryland: With the O's taking Game #1 they were feeling pretty good, thinking things were normal in the universe. Little did they believe that the same year a man walked on the moon for the first time, the Amazing Mets would upset the Mighty Orioles & win the World Series.

In Game #2, Gil Hodges sent Jerry Koosman to the mound vs. Dave McNally. In his first at bat in the 2nd inning, Clendenon drew a walk. He was forced out at second on Ed Charles grounder.

In the top of the 4th inning, Clendenon led off with a HR to right field off McNally. It was Clendenon's first post season HR, putting the Mets up 1-0. It was his only hit of the game.

Jerry Koosman held the Orioles hitless through the first six innings. Overall, he held down the might lineup to just one run on two hits, walking three & striking out four. The only run was an RBI base hit from Brooks Robinson in the 7th inning.

In the top of the 8th, the Mets got three straight base hits from Ed Charles, Jerry Grote & the RBI game winner from Al Weis to give the Mets the series tying 2-1 win. Reliever Ron Taylor came on for the final out earning the save.

Game #3 Shea Stadium, New York: All the excitement surrounding the Amazing Mets came to a true reality as the Mets played their first ever World Series game at home. With the Orioles right hander Jim Palmer on the mound, Clendenon sat on the bench as left-hand hitting Ed Kranepool got the start. Kranepool would hit a HR that day.

Tommie Agee led off the Mets 1st inning with a HR & made two spectacular catches in center saving the day. Gary Gentry & Nolan Ryan combined on a 5-0 shut out.

Game #4 Shea Stadium, New York: With the Mets now up two games to one, the Worlds Championship was only two games away. 

The excitement level was off the charts at Shea Stadium as the Mets ace, the best pitcher in MLB that year, Tom Seaver was on the mound, ready to earn his first & only World Series win. Seaver would pitch ten innings, giving up just one run on six hits while striking out six & walking two.

With the left-handed Mike Cuellar on the mound again, Clendenon was inserted as the cleanup hitter for Gil Hodges Mets. In the 2nd inning, in his first at bat Clendenon gave the Shea crowd a big boost as he led off with a long HR over the left field wall, into the back of the Orioles bullpen. It was the second straight game he played in that he homered. 

In the 4th, Donn would strike out & in the 7th, he grounded out to the pitcher. In the 9th, Clendenon struck out with Cleon Jones on second base & one out. In the bottom of the 10th, Rod Gaspar would win the game with a walk off bunt base hit scoring Rod Gaspar with the winning run. The Mets were now just one win away from their Miracle run.

Game #5 Shea Stadium, New York: This day was probably the most memorable & important day in Mets history. In this modern age, it's hard to imagine how Amazing, how unlikely & how shocking the 1969 World Series win was for New York City & their Mets.

For the clinching Game #5, Gil Hodges sent Jerry Koosman to the mound in a rematch with Dave McNally. It was Kooz's first start since his Game #2 gem in Baltimore.

In the bottom of the 1st, Clendenon drew a two out walk. He & Tommie Agee who had walked earlier were both left stranded when Ron Swoboda struck out to end the inning.

In the 3rd inning, Koosman gave up two HRs one to the pitcher Dave McNally & another to Frank Robinson. 

When Koosman came back into the dugout that inning, he told his team, "I'm going to hold them right there go out & score some runs."

In the 6th inning, with the Mets down 3-0 Cleon Jones was nicked on the shoe by a McNally pitch. Mets manager, Gil Hodges walked out of the dugout showing home plate umpire Lou DiMuro a baseball with a shoe polish smudge on it. 

Years later Jerry Koosman said when the ball rolled into the dugout Gil Hodges told him to rub it on his shoe making the smudge. In any evet, Umpire DiMuro awarded Cleon Jones first base.

It was now Donn Clendenon big moment in the spotlight, he blasted a two run HR putting the Mets within a run. The Shea crowd went wild & the team was now ready to win it all. It was Clendenon's only hit of the game.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Al Weis homered to tie the game. In the 8th inning, Cleon Jones doubled & scored on Ron Swoboda's double. He scored on an Orioles fielding error to seal the 5-3 victory. 

In the top of the 9th, with two touts Davey Johnson flew out to Cleon Jones in left field & The Amazing Mets were World Champions, forever the poster boys for the underdog.

With all the Mets superior pitching, Donn Clendenon won the World Series MVP Award. In four games he batted .357 going 5 for 14 with two walks. He hit three HRs, in three straight games driving in four runs. He added a double& scored four runs.

Donn received a brand new 1970 Dodge Charger for his efforts.