centerfield maz

Thursday May 1st, 1980: A small crowd of just 5,928 came out to Shea Stadium, to see Joe Torre's Mets (6-11) who were already in fifth place, take on the eventual 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies (7-9) led by manager Dallas Green. Tonight, an old Mets nemesis, "Lefty" Steve Carlton took on Brooklyn's own Pete Falcone. The game would start out with Mets pitcher, Pete Falcone striking out the first six batters he faced. This set a Mets franchise record that stood for 34 years until 2014, when Jacob DeGrom struck out 8 Marlins to start a game, tying the MLB record. For Pete Falcone, at the time, he tied an MLB record by striking out the first six. Up to that point, the feat it had only been done four times before in baseball history. In the 1st inning, Falcone struck out Lonnie Smith & Pete Rose swinging. He then got Gary Maddox looking at a called third strike. In the 2nd inning, Falcone struck out sluggers Mike Schmidt & Greg Luzins...

Monday April 29, 1996: Dallas Green was still heading the New York Mets at this point, but would not last the season, as he would be replaced & the Bobby Valentine era would begin. On this day the Mets (11-13) took on a Felipe Alou's very good Montreal Expo team (17-9) that would finish second in a period still without a wild card. It was a milestone day for Mets reliever John Franco. The New York born pitcher became the first left handed reliever to record 300 saves. Starting Lineups Montreal Expos 1 Mark Grudzielanek SS 2 Mike Lansing 2B 3 Henry Rodriguez LF 4 Moises Alou RF 5 David Segui 1B 6 Darrin Fletcher C 7 F.P. Santangelo CF 8 Shane Andrews 3B 9 Jeff Fassero P New York Mets 1 Lance Johnson CF 2 Bernard Gilkey LF 3 Butch Huskey 1B 4 Chris Jones RF 5 Todd Hundley C 6 Jeff Kent 3B 7 Edgardo Alfonzo 2B 8 Rey Ordonez SS 9 Pete Harnisch P In the home 3rd, Rey Ordonez doubled & was brought in by Mets All Star, La...

April 1968: On April 30th the Philadelphia Phillies (8-9) came to Shea Stadium to face Gil Hodges New York Mets (7-9). Hodges was ending his first month as Mets Manager & was still observing what he had to work with. Both teams were just under .500 but were hoping for good things, for the Mets they were one year away from that Miracle Season. Tonight's game was a classic pitchers duel as the Mets Don Cardwell went on to a five hit shut out, walking no one while fanning three. It was his first win of the year against two early losses. His opponent was the Phillies Chris Short, Short pitched 7 innings & allowed just one run but that was all New York needed. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Ron Swoboda hit the game winning solo shot. It was Swoboda's 7th HR of the month, in which he had played in just 16 games. He also had collected 16 RBIs and was among the league leaders that early in the season. In the second game of the 1968 season, the Mets visited S...

 Monday April 23rd, 1962: In this night game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Casey Stengle's New York Mets (0-9) went up against Danny Murtaugh's Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates were the World Champions of 1960 but had fallen to sixth place the next year.   Tonight, was a historical game for the New York Mets, because it marked the first win in the young team's history. 25-year-old Jay Hook took the mound for the Mets. Hook had been with the Reds for five years going 17-28, with a 5.23 ERA, winning a career best 11 games (11-18) in 1960. He would spend three seasons with the Mets going 12-33 with a 5.22 ERA. But Jay Hook is now the answer to the Mets trivia question, who was the winning pitcher in the Mets first ever win? Hook took on the Pirates' veteran lefthander, Tom Sturdivant. Sturdivant was a two-time 16 game winner with the AL New York club in 1956 & 1957. He would finish his career with the 1964 Mets as a reliever. The Mets got to Sturdivant right away, a...

Wednesday April 20th 1983: A Wednesday double header was big game for popular Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson. The Mets led by manager George Bamberger hosted Chuck Tanner's Pittsburgh Pirates. The first game was like a day from the past, as Tom Seaver took the mound & pitched a three hit shut out. The 38 year old Seaver was brought back to New York that year after spending 5 1/2 years with the Reds. He was traded for Charlie Puleo, Lloyd McClendenon & minor leaguer Jason Felice. The Mets were not a good team at the time & the return of Seaver was a nostalgic treat. This was Seaver's best outing of the 1983 season, he pitched a complete game, three hit shut out striking out nine & walking three. Starting Lineups Pittsburgh Pirates         New York Mets 1 Lee Lacy RF 1 Mookie Wilson CF 2 Lee Mazzilli CF 2 Bob Bailor SS 3 Bill Madlock 3B 3 Dave Kingman 1B 4 Jason Thompson 1B 4 George Foster LF 5 Mike Easler L...

Wednesday April 11th 1962: This historic day in Mets history marks the very first ball game the National League New York Mets ever played. The game was played at the old Sportsman Park in St. Louis, Missouri in front of 16,147 fans. The Mets were the new National League New York team, one of two new NL teams that year, the other being the Houston Colt 45's, later to be renamed the Astros. the Mets donned blue & orange colors, in honor of the departed New York Giants & Brooklyn Dodgers who had left for California in 1957 (but that's another story). The Mets manager was “the old professor” Casey Stengel. Stengel was 72 years old in 1962 and had been a successful player & manager, since forever. Stengel was a lifetime .284 hitter who went on to win seven World Series titles as a manager. He was one of select few to have played and or managed all four New York baseball teams. Stengel was a walking Mets public relations machine, giving them the moniker “The Am...

Spring Training 1989: As the Mets were getting ready to take their team photo for the 1989 season things got heated up pretty quickly.  At the time the reigning NL Eastern Champs, were looking forward to another good year with hopes of capturing another Championship. Darryl Strawberry was the NL's reigning HR Leader & was in the last year of his contract. Darryl wanted a big pay out, he & the Mets were far apart in a highly publicized negotiation. He wanted an extension through 1992.  At the time he was making $1.4 million & if the Mets picked up his option, he would make $1.8 million in 1990 & be eligible for free agency. Strawberry's agent suggested he walk out of camp which he did later in the day.  This didn't sit well with Hernandez who was quoted in the Port St. Lucie papers as saying "a deal is a deal. If Darryl wants an extension, he should keep it out of the press." Even Gary Carter mentioned that nobody put a gun to Strawberry's head ...