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...

April 5th, 1976: At the end of the 1975 season, Tom Seaver earned his third Cy Young Award. He began negotiations with the Mets but the two sides were far apart. Things got ugly as the two sides began feuding publicly in the press. The Mets fans wanted no of this, just give Tom Terrific, "the Franchise" anything he wanted. He was the best pitcher in baseball. Seaver wanted more money, as baseball salaries began to rise in the dawn of what was to become free agency.  Seaver had asked for $825,000 for three years, saying that he would consider playing out his option & go else where if he didn't get what he deserved. Grant was furious at Seaver's attitude & threatened to trade him. A deal with the Dodgers was talked about, which would have possible brought Don Sutton to New York. Tom Seaver asked the Mets Chairman, M. Donald Grant for a sit down to work out an agreement. It was the first time the two actually sat down together to negotiate a contract.  So after ...

Easter Sunday April 11th 1971: Gil Hodges, New York Mets were off to a 2-1 start in 1971. 22,005 fans came out to Shea Stadium, on this Easter Sunday, to see the Mets host the reigning NL Champion, Cincinnati Reds. Tom Seaver took the mound for the Mets, facing off against Greg Garrett. The game was a typical Tom Seaver gem, the Mets Hall of Famer would shut out the Reds for nine innings, giving up just five hits while striking out ten & walking three.  Seaver sailed through most of the game, with ease. In the 3rd inning, after allowing two consecutive base hits, one to the pitcher Garrett, Seaver would bear down & strike out Bernie Carbo & Tony Perez to end the threat.  In the 5th, after Woody Woodward singled & stole second, he struck out Garrett & Pete Rose to end the inning.  As for Reds pitcher, Greg Garrett, he would pitch into the 6th inning, shutting out the Mets even though he had walked seven.  He allowed just three hits...

In 1966 Tom Seaver was already a stand out pitcher, at the University of Southern California. He had been selected in the June draft, the previous year by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he demanded $70,000 & the Dodgers walked away.  The next year the Atlanta Braves selected him & Seaver accepted. But then the problems began. The Atlanta Braves signed Seaver just as the USC season had started. USC had already played two games at this point. Baseball rules state that a player can not be signed off of a college campus, once that team has started playing.  Baseball Commissioner William Eckert, ruled that Tom Seaver's signing with the Atlanta Braves farm team, the Richmond Braves, was illegal. With no contract, Seaver intended to finish the year at USC. But NCAA rules state that even though his contract was no longer in effect, he lost his amateur status. Seaver & his father were upset & sought possible legal actions. The Commissioner & MLB came up with...

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...