Remembering Mets History (1973 World Series) Game #7- Mets Fall One Game Short of Another Miracle

Sunday, October 21st, 1973: World Series Game #7

Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland California

Quotes Manager Yogi Berra: "I told our players before the game; we had a great year & I was proud of them whether we won or lost".

Wayne & Donna Garrett arrive at the ballpark.

Reggie Jackson & John Milner

The 1973 season came down to one final game to determine the winner & Champion of the baseball year. It was also to the last day of Willie Mays' playing career.

Mays wrapped up his Hall of Fame career with 660 HRs (third all time) 3187 hits 525 doubles 141 triples 2068 runs scored 1909 RBIs & a .301 batting average, all among the best of all time. He closed out his final season in New York where it began. He helped motivate & contribute to the Mets winning the NL Pennant.

 He spent the majority of his career playing in San Francisco & finished out his career across the bay in Oakland. Willie had collected the first hit of the World Series as well. He last made an appearance in Game #3 in New York. He sat at the edge of the dugout & watched the final game.

A capacity crowd of 49,333 filled the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday afternoon, hoping to see their "Swingin' A's" win their second straight World Series title. 

As good as the A's were in the early seventies winning three straight World's Championships, they never did good attendance wise. In Fact, the stadium was known as "the Oakland Mausoleum". 

Today the A's fans were more vocal & more enthusiastic than they were known for. Blow horns were sounding off, streamers & balloons flew through the air throughout the game as well.

Today Charlie Finley chose for the A's to wear their Kelly-green uniform tops instead of their traditional Sunday whites.

Singer Lou Rawls first sang the National Anthem to start the 49ers - Saints football game across the Bay at Candlestick Park earlier that afternoon. He then took a helicopter over to the Oakland Coliseum to sing the National Anthem before Game #7 of the World Series.

The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by actor Clint Eastwood. Eastwood was currently starring in second Dirty Harry movie, Magnum Force. The Dirty Harry movies were set in San Francisco, making Eastwood very popular in the Bay Area.

It was once again the two left handers that started the series out a week ago, the Mets Jon Matlack going against Oakland's Ken Holtzman.

Second Basemen- Dick Green & Felix Millan

In the top of the 1st, Ken Hotlzman struck out Wayne Garrett to start the game. Felix Millan & Rusty Staub went down quietly as well.

In the bottom of the 1st, Matlack got Bert Campaneris to ground out. He walked Joe Rudi but struck out Sal Bando & got Reggie Jackson to ground out to end the inning.

In the 2nd inning, Cleon Jones hit a fly ball to the right field wall but Reggie Jackson caught if for the out. After John Milner popped up, Reggie made a diving catch robbing a hit from Jerry Grote to end the inning.

In the top of the 3rd, Don Hahn led off with his first hit of the day as he singled into left field. But the Mets could not capitalize, Bud Harrelson flew out then Jon Matlack attempted a sacrifice, but a charging Sal Bando grabbed the ball & was able to turn an inning ending double play.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the two batters that killed the Mets in the Series struck.

To start the inning Matlack struck out Dick Green looking. But then pitcher Ken Holtzman hit his second double of the World Series, just as he did in the first game, he hit another shot down the left field line.

Jon Matlack delivers his pitch.

Next, the pesky Bert Campaneris hit the first HR of the series for the A's homered to right field, sending the A's fans into a banner waving frenzy giving the A's a 2-0 lead.

 

Strangely the last HR the A's had hit was by Campaneris in Game #3 of the ALCS against the Orioles.  

Joe Rudi then singled to left centerfield. 

It was apparent the three days' rest & all the innings had Matlack a bit fatigued. But more importantly the A's bats had woken up.

 The Mets got action in the bullpen & pitching coach Rube Walker came out to talk with Matlack.

Matlack got Sal Bando to pop up for the second out. Next, "Mr. October" Reggie Jackson followed with a blast to right field, over the wall & into the crowd for a two run HR. 

Jackson dropped his bat & watched it go, as he was one of the first batters to showboat his HRs in the early seventies. Rusty Staub slapped the wall in disgust & it was a 4-0 A's lead, really exciting the Oakland crowd.

Reggie Jackson become Mr. October

As Joe Rudi scored, he pumped his fists, then Reggie Jackson jumped leaped in the air & stomped on home plate as his A's teammates congratulated him. 

Jon Matlack's day was over. After a brilliant post season, he suffered his worst outing, Matlack allowed four runs on four hits, two HRs with three strike outs & a walk in 2.2 innings of work. It was the first earned runs Matlack had allowed in three post season starts.

Harry Parker came on making his third appearance in the Series. Parker was the losing pitcher of Game #3, in the previous two games he allowed a run (unearned) in two innings of work. Parker walked Gene Tenace but got pinch hitter Vic Davillio to fly out to end the inning.

Parker would pitch a perfect 4th innings as well giving way to Ray Sadecki, Sadecki was making
his fourth appearance in the Series having earned a save in Game #4. In 2.2 innings of work, he allowed no runs on three hits with five strike outs & a walk. 

In the bottom of the 5th, Bert Campaneris led off with his second hit of the game, his eighth hit of the series.

Cleon Jones slipped on the damaged turf & twisted his angle. The ball got by him as Don Hahn played it & Campaneris went to second base. Play was halted as Jones was attended to by Trainer Joe Deer. Jones stayed in the game with the sprain.

Joe Rudi then singled, bringing in Campy making it a 5-0 Oakland lead. Sadecki got the next two outs to end the 5th.

In the top of the 6th, Holtzman was still working on his shut out, he started the inning striking out Wayne Garrett. 

Then Felix Millan doubled with his sixth hit of the series. Rusty Staub followed with his 11th hit of the series, his third extra base hit, Millan scored with Rusty's sixth Series RBI. 

Trivia: In the only World Series appearance of his long 23-year career, Rusty Staub would bat .423 with 11 hits & 6 RBIs tying Reggie Jackson for most in both categories. 

He drove in six runs, hit two doubles with a HR, walked twice struck out twice & scored just one run.

A's manager Dick Williams wasn't taking any chances, he knew that the Mets could come back as they had all season. Williams brought in Rollie Fingers.

Ken Holtzman allowed a run on five hits, struck out four & walked one on the day. He would be the winning pitcher, going 3-1 in the post season. 

In the World Series he pitched three games, going 2-1 allowing five runs on 13 hits in 10.2 innings of work. He struck out six, walked one posting a 4.22 ERA.

The sure handed Bud Harrelson makes another fine play.

Fingers retired the middle of the Mets order, getting Cleon Jones to fly out to deep right field & John Milner to ground out.

Trivia: In right field Reggie Jackson tossed a ball into the crowd to the delight of the fans. In those day a player would get fined for giving balls to the crowd during a game.

In the 7th inning, Yogi Berra did bring in George Stone, but the damage was done. It was Stone's second appearance, he would pitch two scoreless innings, giving up three hits while striking out three.

In the top of the 7th, Jerry Grote hit the ball hard again but lined out to left. Don Hahn reached on a one out base hit, his second hit of the day.

George Stone

Bud Harrelson then flew out to left center field to Joe Rudi for out number two. Yogi Berra sent Ken Boswell in to pinch hit for the third time. He singled to centerfield.

Trivia: Ken Boswell singled into centerfield, going 3-3 in the pinch-hitting role & setting a new World Series record, with three pinch hits.

Although the Mets threatened, Rollie Fingers struck out Wayne Garret looking at a third strike to end the inning. 

In the top of the 8th, Fingers retired the Mets in order as Felix Millan & Rusty Staub grounded out, then Fingers struck out Cleon Jones. The Mets were down to their last three outs of the season.

In the top of the 9th, with the Mets attempted one last comeback, with hopes of another miracle.
Rollie Fingers was trying to close out the series as an excited A's team were looking o win back-to-back championships.

The first batter, John Milner drew a walk, his fifth of the series. Milner posted a .406 on base % in the series, collecting eight hits with five walks. He also drove in two runs & scored two runs. Jerry Grote then flied out to left field. 

Don Hahn singled to right field, collecting his third hit of the day. Don Hahn had just three games all season where he collected three or more hits. The .225 season hitter collected seven hits in the series hitting safely in five of seven games. He had a double, a triple, scored & drove in two runs as well.

Bud Harrelson sacrificed a bunt to the pitcher moving over both runners but there were two outs.

 
Ed Kranepool was brought up as a pinch hitter, he tapped a ball to first base that Gene Tenace booted, John Milner scored as Kranepool reached safely. It was now 5-2 as the Mets still had life, the club that battled all year long & no one expected to be where they were at, still refused to go down quietly. 

Trivia: In the 9th inning, Yogi Berra had Tug McGraw warming up in the bullpen. 

In right field Reggie Jackson yelled over into the Mets bullpen & said "Don't bother warming up Tug, we got you now". 

As the Mets put some men on base McGraw yelled back to Jackson: "Reggie we're going to get you now" Reggie took a deep breath & showed a bit of respect saying, "you might at that".

Wayne Garrett was the tying run was coming to the plate. A's manager Dick Williams went to the mound took out Fingers & brought in Darold Knowles. 

Trivia: Darold Knowles now set a World Series record by appearing in all seven games.

Wayne Garrett hit a pop up into short right field, Bert Campaneris caught it & it was all over. The Mets had fallen one game short of another miracle finish. 

The Oakland A's were the World Champions, winning their second of three straight World Series.

Quotes- Tom Seaver: "You can never feel bad about losing a World Series. If you had told me
two months ago that we'd be in the World Series I'd have told you, you were crazy". 

Trivia: The Mets earned about $15,000 for their efforts which is near $104,000 in 2023 dollars. The A's earned $20,000 which is near $138,000 in 2023 money.

After the game manager Dick Williams did resign as manager making the public announcement during the A's locker room celebration.