Lee Mazzilli: Popular Italian / American Mets All Star (1976-1981 / 1986-1989)
Speed Skater: As a child Lee not only played baseball but also won three straight national speed-skating championships.
Mazzilli attended Lincoln High School
in Coney Island, famous for such alumni as Mel Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, John Forsythe, Lou Gossett Jr., Buddy Rich, Arthur Miller, Leona Helmsley, as well as many other including the doo wop group; the Tokens of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” fame. Former Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa also attended the school.
in Coney Island, famous for such alumni as Mel Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, John Forsythe, Lou Gossett Jr., Buddy Rich, Arthur Miller, Leona Helmsley, as well as many other including the doo wop group; the Tokens of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” fame. Former Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa also attended the school.
A Ball Visalia: In 1975 he was still at A ball & stole seven bases in a seven-inning game for the Visalia Mets in the California League. On the season he stole 49 bases while batting .281 with 13 HRs & 52 RBIs.
AA Ball: In the bicentennial year of 1976 he was promoted to AA ball, where he soon hit .292 with 13 HRs & 43 RBIs at Jackson. He was so impressive & the Mets hungry for homegrown new talent, promoted him right up to the majors at the end of the season.
Mets Debut 1976 Season: On September 7th, 1976, Lee Mazzilli debuted at Wrigley Field in Chicago, going 0-1 as a pinch hitter, in a 11-0 win against the Cubs.
Mets Debut 1976 Season: On September 7th, 1976, Lee Mazzilli debuted at Wrigley Field in Chicago, going 0-1 as a pinch hitter, in a 11-0 win against the Cubs.
players. Seaver, Koosman, Matlack, Buddy (Harrelson). Joe Torre took me under his wing. He said, “You sit by me today at the end of the dugout.”
The next day, in his just second career game, he hit a three-run pinch hit HR off the Cubs Darold Knowles, in an 11-5 Mets win quickly living up to the hype surrounding him.
The front office called him the next Willie Mays. Mays a Mets coach at the time helped Mazzilli with his fielding & taught him how to make his basket catches. All in all, the hype was to be a tough bill to live up to for the young man from Brooklyn.
Walk Off HR: On September 20th, in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mazzilli collected a hit & a walk as the game went into the bottom of the 9th inning with the Mets down 4-3. With one on & two outs, Mazzilli hit a walk off HR, off the Kent Tekulve, bringing a small ecstatic crowd at Shea to its feet.
In 24 games in September 1976, he batted .195 with 15 hits 2 doubles 2 HRs seven RBIs & a .323 on base %
1977 Season: In Mazzilli's rookie year, Joe Frazier started out as Mets manager but was fired after the team went 15- 30.
Next, native New Yorker Joe Torre took over the job. Although he was just 21-years old Mazzilli became the Mets everyday centerfielder. He often batted leadoff with his good speed & good batting eye.
Mazzilli struggled his first month, finishing April batting .226 with just three RBIs. He scored 12 runs in the first 14 games.
From April 19th to May 8th. Mazzilli hit safely in 14 of 15 games, including a ten-game hit streak.
Multi- Three RBI Games: On June 2nd, he hit his first HR of the season with a three-run shot off the Expos Dan Warthen, helping the Mets to a 7-4 victory in Montreal.
On June 13th in Atlanta, he collected two RBI singles in a 7-1 Mets win for another muti RBI game as he collecting two hits as well.
On July 12th, Mazzilli doubled off the Cubs Rick Reuschel, scoring Mike Vail putting the Mets up 1-0. He tied up the game with a single in the 7th inning leading the Mets to a 4-2 win.
On July 22nd in San Diego, he started a seven-game hit streak with a pair of RBI singles in a Jon Matlack 5-0 shut out over the Padres. On August 1st, he had a three-hit game with an RBI in an 8-7 win over the Dodgers at Shea.
Walk Off Hit: On August 3rd, Mazzilli came to bat as a pinch hitter in a tied game with the NL Champion Dodgers in the 14th inning. With Joel Youngblood on second, Mazzilli hit the walk off base hit off Mike Garman for the 4-3 win.
In September, Lee would have his best month of the season with 33 hits batting .295, with three HRs 12 extra base hits & 17 RBIs.
From September 3rd to September 9th, he drove in runs in five straight games, hitting two HRs in Mets losses.
From September 9th to September 27th, he drove in runs in five of seven games, with nine total RBIs.
Overall, on the season Mazzilli played in 159 games batting .250 with 6 HRs 24 doubles 3 triples 66 Runs scored & 46 RBIs. He stole 22 stolen bases in 37 attempts. He posted a .340 on base % & a .679 OPS.
In the outfield he played the most games of anyone in centerfield in the National League (156 games) leading the league in put outs with 391. Mazzilli posted the third best fielding % in center at .993% (fourth best of all outfielders) making nine assists (5th best in the N.L.).
1978 Season: On Opening Day 1978 Mazzilli had two hits, including a 6th inning RBI double, scoring Steve Henderson with an insurance run for Jerry Koosman, in his 3-1 win at Shea Stadium.
Multi Three RBI Game: The next day in a tied game at Shea in the 8th inning, Lee hit a three run HR off Montreal's Rudy May. Ed Kranepool's pinch hit walk off two run HR in the bottom of the 9th inning won the game
From April 29th to May 8th Mazzilli had a nine-game hit streak, with five multi-hit games in that time, also two HRs in a pair of Mets losses.
Four Hit Multi- Three RBI Game: On May 2nd, he collected a four-hit game, hitting a HR off Dick Ruthven with two RBI singles in a loss to the Phillies.
On April 30th, Mazzilli's 4th inning RBI double off the Reds Tom Hume was what would turn out to be the games winning run.
On May 18th he drew an intentional 9th inning walk, in a game against the Atlanta Braves. He would end up scoring the winning run-on Steve Henderson's Walk off hit.
The next night in a game against the Phillies, he singled off former Met Tug McGraw in the 8th inning, tying up the game, the Mets went on to win 4-3. In the three games series Mazzilli collected eight hits.
In that stretch he had seven extra base hits, 19 RBIs and a pair of four hit games.
On June 17th, he had a two-run single & two run double off the Giants Bob Knepper in a 5-4 Mets
win in San Francisco.
win in San Francisco.
Grand Slam HR: & HRs in Three Straight Games: In the Fourth of July double header split with the Phillies at Shea, Lee hit HRs in both ends of the twin bill. In the first game Mazzilli's 8th inning grand slam off Larry Christensen were the only runs scored in the game, as Pat Zachary pitched a two hit 4-0 shutout. It was his first career grand slam.
In the nightcap, Mazzilli hit his ninth HR of the season, a two run HR off Jim Lonborg in the 3-2 loss.
In the nightcap, Mazzilli hit his ninth HR of the season, a two run HR off Jim Lonborg in the 3-2 loss.
another HR in a Kevin Kobel, Dale Murray combined 7-0 Mets shut out over the Cubs.
On August 30th in San Francisco, Lee had his fourth four hit game of the season. In the 1st inning, he collected an RBI base hit, then had two more singles & hitting a two run HR off "the Count" John Montefusco
Multi- RBI Games: From August 30th to September 4t he drove in runs in five straight games with two multi- three RBI games & a total of eight RBIs.
On September 20th, he collected two hits including his 16th HR of the year, driving in two runs while drawing three walks in a 7-6 win over the Cardinals.
The 1978 Mets fell to last place posting a 66-96 record. It was a bad era for Mets fans. Mazzilli was one of the few bright spots at Shea Stadium, now known as Grant's Tomb.
Mazzilli finished the year leading the team in batting (.273) & slugging (.432%). He played in 149 games, with 16 HRs (second to Willie Montanez's 17). He hit 28 doubles with five triples, 61 RBIs & 20 stolen bases (second to John Stearns).
Lee would walk into the players parking lot in the right field section of Shea Stadium & the girls would jump on the fence at him. They were seeking autographs, pictures & even kisses. Mazzilli would shyly oblige his fans when possible & then get into his Cadillac driving off.
1979 Season: On Opening Day, Mazzilli began the year with two hits, a double & two runs scored in the Mets 10-6 win at Wrigley Field.
He started out the season hitting safely in eight of his first nine games, with seven multi-hit games, batting .462 with 18 hits & 10 RBIs. Although he cooled off thru the month, he was still batting .310 at the end of April.
In May he batted .379 with 39 hits & ten extra base hits. He hit safely in 23 of 27 games with 14 multi-hit games. By the end of the month, he was among the league leaders batting .352.
In the 8th inning he tied the game up with an opposite field solo HR off Cleveland’s Jim Kern.
Then in the 9th inning with the bases loaded, Mazzilli drew a walk off the cross-town rival AL New York team's pitcher, Ron Guidry. The walk scored Cincinnati’s Joe Morgan in what would be the games winning run. Quite an exciting day for young Mazzilli & a much needed highlight for Mets fans in a dismal era.
In an August 4th double header, he drove in runs in both ends of the double header split.
Multi- Three RBI Game: On August 10th, Mazzilli hit a three-run 9th inning HR off the Expos David Palmer, bringing the Mets within a run of the Expos in 6-5 loss.
Five Runs Scored In a Game: On August 14th, Mazzilli tied a Mets record scoring five runs in a game. He began with a two run HR off Tony Brizzolara. In the five-run 2nd, he reached on a fielder's choice, then scored on Ed Kranepool's double.
In the 3rd, after drawing a walk, he scored on Richie Hebner's three run HR. In the 5th inning, Lee tripled scoring on short time Met Jose Cardenal's base hit. In the Mets five run 8th inning, Lee drew a second walk, reaching base safely for the fourth time & then scored his fifth run of the game.From August 28th to September 18th, Mazzilli enjoyed a 19-game hitting streak where he batted .429 with 33 hits raising his season average to .317.
He finished the '1979 season leading the team in hits with 181 (9th best in the NL). He also led the team in hitting (.303) on base percentage (.395) which was 4th best in the N.L. & tied for the team lead in RBIs (79). Mazzilli drew 96 walks (6th best in the league) with 15 HRs 34 doubles 78 runs scored
Lee also stole 34 stolen bases in 47 attempts, posting a .395 on base % & .785 OPS.
Mazzilli played the third most games in centerfield in the N.L. (143) made 12 assists (3rd in the league) posted a .990 fielding % (5th in the league) & made 368 put outs (5th in the league).The Mets finished last again at 63-99, one game shy of 100 losses.
1980 Season: In 1980 he began to play more at first base. The Mets acquired Jerry Morales & then brought up Mookie Wilson at the end of the season.
In the month of April, he hit just .240 & only drove in a single run. He improved a bit to eleven RBIs in May, with three multi-RBI games.
Four Hit Game: On May 6th, Mazzilli had a four-hit game, collecting three hits & a double in a 12-10 loss in Cincinnati. On June 28th, he had his second four hit game of the season with a double & three singles driving in a run in an extra inning win at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
In July his had his best month where he started out the month hitting HRs in four straight games. Two games vs the Cubs & two games against the Expos at Shea Stadium.
On July 10th he hit a HR off the Pirates John Candelaria in a 2-0 Pat Zachry Mets shut out. Mazzilli drove in nine runs in the first eight games of the month.
Multi- HR Multi- Four RBI Game: On July 13th he hit two HRs off the Cards Bob Sykes in the first game of a double header at Shea Stadium leading to a 7-4 win over St. Louis. In the second game he drove in two more runs as the Mets had a rare 1980 double header sweep. He followed up that with two multi-RBI games
Mazzilli hit safely in 25 of 29 games raising his average thirty points to .295 bringing his on base % near .400. He had hitting streaks of six, seven & eight games that month while hitting eleven HRs & driving in 26 runs.In August he kept his average up at .290 with an eight-game hit streak, seven multi-hit games & four multi-RBI games. On August 8th he tied up a game with the Cardinals with an RBI single off Bob Forsch, where the Mets went on to a 3-2 win.
In the final two months of the
season he drove in 30 runs although his batting average dropped off a bit.
season he drove in 30 runs although his batting average dropped off a bit.
Five RBI Game: On September 14th he had a three hit, five RBI Day at Wrigley Field. In the 1st inning his RBI single tied up the game at two. He next added an RBI fielder choice.
In the 7th inning, he hit a two run HR off Dick Tidrow bringing the Mets within a run. In the bottom of the 9th he singled off Bruce Sutter tying up the game at seven. Steve Henderson won it with a three-run walk off HR as the Mets went on to a 10-7 win.
Back Issues: On the downside of a good season, he began to struggle with back problems which would haunt him for the rest of his career.
The Mets finished fifth that year (67-95) under manager Joe Torre. At the plate, Mazzilli led the team in most offensive categories once again. He led the team in HRs (16) doubles (31) stolen bases (41) RBIs (76) hits (162) runs scored (82) slugging (.431) games (152) & at bats (578). His 82 walks were 7th best in the NL as he posted a .370 on base %.
The versatile Mazzilli now played 92 games at first base, making 13 errors (2nd most in the NL) while adjusting to the position.
1981 Strike Season: In 1981 the Mets opened up the season at Wrigley Field, Chicago. Mazzilli began the year with a solo HR off Cubs hurler; Rick Reuschel, leading to Pat Zachry's 2-0 Mets win.
Players Strike: June 10th, the MLB players went on strike & baseball stopped play for two months.
On August 10th, baseball resumed & the Mets started out winning six of seven games. Mazzilli drove in key runs in three of those games.
He had a good September driving in a dozen runs. From September 7th -September 13th, he had a six-game hit streak with ten hits & two multi- three hit games.
Overall, in 1981 he played 95 games, but Mazzilli's back problems led him to his worst season to date, a .228 average, with six HRs 14 doubles & 36 RBIs. He posted a .324 on base % & .682 OPS.
Due to the strike the season was split up in two parts with the Mets finishing fifth (17-34) & fourth (24-28), an overall fifth combined 41-62.
& made a very unpopular trade (at that time). They sent Mazzilli to the Texas Rangers for a young pitching prospect named Ron Darling & pitcher Walt Terrell.
Mazzilli was still one of the most popular Mets on a time when the team was still bad. It certainly turned out to be a good trade baseball wise, Mazzilli was never again a full time mostly due to his back problems.
Terrell contributed to the Mets for a number of years & of course Darling became the #2
man behind Dwight Gooden, leading the Mets to the 1986 World Championship.
man behind Dwight Gooden, leading the Mets to the 1986 World Championship.
Darling legacy with the Mets continues to grow in his broadcasting career with the team as well.
Post Mets Career: In Texas, Mazzilli only played 58 games, spending six weeks on the DL. He then got traded to the A.L. NY team for Bucky Dent that August.
By 1983, he found himself in Pittsburgh, playing with the Pirates for the next three & a half years into the 1986 season. There he was a reserve outfielder, first baseman & pinch hitter.In 1985 he led all NL pinch hitters with 72 plate appearances, batting .286 with a .437 on base %. But in 1986 he struggled & was batting .226 when the Pirates released him.
Return To the Mets & the Championship: He was signed again by the New York Mets returning home to what was now the best team in baseball. A far distance from where they were when he left New York.
On August 8th he received a warm hero’s welcome at Shea Stadium, when he came to bat as a pinch hitter in a 5-3 loss to the Expos.
On August 13th he hit his first HR since returning to the Mets, it came off the Phillies Steve Bedrosian in Philadelphia in a 8-4 Mets loss. Three days later he hit his first HR back in New York at Shea Stadium, this time in a loss to the Cardinals.
In 39 games with the '86 Mets, he hit .276 with 16 hits three doubles two HRs & 7 RBIs. He drew 12 walks posting a .417 on base %.
1986 Post Season- NLCS: In the NLCS win over the Houston Astros Mazzilli would set a record with five pinch hit at bats, collecting only got one hit. That base hit came off Bob Knepper in the 5th inning of the Game #3 win at Shea Stadium.
In Game #2 & Game #3 he went hitless as a pinch hitter in both at bats. Mazzilli's best Mets World Series moments came in the final two games.
Game Six: In Game #6 Mazzilli led off the 8th inning with a pinch hit single off Boston's Calvin Schiraldi. He eventually scored the tying run of the game at that time, on Gary Carter's sac fly.
He was in the hole, behind Howard Johnson, when Mookie Wilsons grounder went through Bill Buckner's leg.
Mazzilli would come around to score on Keith Hernandez big two run single, making it a 3-2 game. The won the game 8-5 winning their first World Seres since 1969.
After being a young star on the last place Mets teams, Mazzilli basked in the glory of the Mets being World Champions, well deserved.
After the Championship: By 1987 Mazzilli had become the league’s best pinch hitter, tying for the league lead with 17 pinch hits.
In the nightcap he started again in the outfield & hit a three run HR off Bob Kipper. In the bottom of the 8th with the Mets down 10-7, Lee hit a two-run double off John Smiley, giving him a season high five RBIs in the game & eight in the double header.
On July 22nd, the Mets came into the bottom of the 6th down 3-0 to the Braves, after putting up three run & Rafael Santana tying it with a base hit, Lee added an RBI double which was the games winning run in the 4-3 win.
Overall, he got into 88 games, batted .306 in 124 at bats, with three HRs eight doubles a triple & 24 RBIs. He posted a 3.99 on base % & .858 OPS. He saw action in 25 games in the outfield.
Multi- RBI Games: On May 3rd, he started the 1st inning with a two-run base hit off the Braves Pete Smith in a David Cone shut of the Braves at Shea. On May 19th h drove in two runs for another muti-Rbi game in a win at San Diego.
On June 2nd, with the Mets down 1-0 to the Cubs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Lee came up as a pinch hitter & tied the game with an RBI base hit off Rich Gossage. In the bottom of the 13th, Howard Johnson hit a walk off HR.
Lee saw limited playing time in the final two months of the season seeing his batting average fall to .147 by the end of the regular season.
In Game #7 he was hit by a pitch in the 9th inning & stole second in the 6-0 loss. The Mets were shocked by the Dodgers ending their season.
1989 Season: On April 19th, in one of Lee's last heroic games, he came to bat in the bottom of the8th inning facing the Phillies Steve Bedrosian down 2-1 with two on & two outs. He hit a three run HR that was the game winning hit as Randy Myers closed out the Phils in the top of the 9th.
On July 22, he played in his last regular season game with the Mets & collected an RBI pinch hit single for his last Mets hit.
Post Mets Career: On July 31st he was put on waivers & claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played just 28 games retiring at the end of the season.
Post Mets Career: On July 31st he was put on waivers & claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played just 28 games retiring at the end of the season.
Mets Career Stats & All Time Leader Board: In his ten-year Mets career Mazzilli played in 979 games (11th most in Mets history). He has played in 572 games in center field (5th all time in Mets history).
He is sixth all time in Mets history in stolen bases (152) tenth in walks (438) thirteenth in triples (22) tied for fourteenth in sac hits (24) seventeenth in hits (796) runs scored (404) & doubles (148). He is twenty third in RBIs (353).
Mazzilli hit 68 Mets HRs & batted .264 with a .359 on base % & .753 OPS.
In the outfield he posted a .986 fielding % with 48 assists making 28 errors in 2009 chances.
Retirement: After his playing days, he did
Acting Career: His good friend, actor Dan Lauria (the father in The Wonder Years) suggested he try acting. Mazzilli took some classes & "The Italian Stallion" got the part of Tony in Tony & Tina's Wedding (October 1992 - January 1993).
He co-starred with actress Sharon Angela, who went on to The Sopranos fame.
After that he went into the restaurant business in the mid nineties, as a partner in Lee Mazzilli's Sports Café located in Manhattan at 70th St & Amsterdam Ave.
Managing/Coaching career: Mazzilli returned to baseball as coach under his old skipper Joe Torre with the A.L. New York cub (2000-2003).
MLB Manager: He was manager of the
After that he went into the restaurant business in the mid nineties, as a partner in Lee Mazzilli's Sports Café located in Manhattan at 70th St & Amsterdam Ave.
Managing/Coaching career: Mazzilli returned to baseball as coach under his old skipper Joe Torre with the A.L. New York cub (2000-2003).
MLB Manager: He was manager of the
Baltimore Orioles from 2004 to 2005. In 2004 his Orioles finished third 78-84.
In 2005 the team had early success spending two months in first place before falling off to fourth place by seasons end, when Mazzilli was fired.
lead studio analyst for Sports Net New York. He remained in that position for two years 2007-2009.
Honors: Mazzilli was honored by the Brooklyn Cyclones on “Lee Mazzilli Italian Night” in 2007. A Mazzilli bobble head doll was issued to fans.
Honors: Mazzilli was honored by the Brooklyn Cyclones on “Lee Mazzilli Italian Night” in 2007. A Mazzilli bobble head doll was issued to fans.
In 2008 the popular Mazzilli was on hand for the closing ceremonies of Shea Stadium. In 2016 Lee attended the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 Mets World Championship team at Citi Field in 2016.
Quotes- Lee Mazzilli: “I got a lot of memories at Shea, so when they tear it down part of its being torn down with me.”
Quotes- Lee Mazzilli: “I got a lot of memories at Shea, so when they tear it down part of its being torn down with me.”
Lee & Danielle have three children. Their daughters Jenna is a Connecticut school teacher & Lacey worked for the A.L. NY club as an on-air host.
