centerfield maz

Wednesday October 1st: 1969: Gil Hodges New York Mets had already clinched the NL Eastern Division & today were winding down the regular season. It was their last series before the post season was to begin. Fitting enough, they were closing out the season at Wrigley Field in Chicago.  The Cubs who were the heavy favorite to win the NL East at the beginning of the season. The team that featured four future Hall of Famers in Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo & Ferguson Jenkins held a commanding ten game lead over the Mets in mid-August.  Manager Leo Durocher worked his regulars too hard playing them every day & it began to wear them down. But mainly because the Mets had the best pitching in baseball & Manager Gil Hodges had his team playing to the best of their abilities. Everyone contributed in some way to the Mets winning as the club  went 38 -11 since that time on August 13th when they were ten games back. Now the Cubs were n...

Saturday, September 28th , 2019 : On this Saturday evening, in the next to last game of the  New York Mets  2019 season, MLB history was made.  Their young rookie Mets Pete Alonso put himself in the record books by hitting his 53rd HR of the season , the most ever by a rookie. The previous day Alonso had tied Aaron Judge's  record of 52 HRs set in his rookie year of 2017. Tonight, Mickey Callaway's Mets (84-76) hosted the NL East leading Atlanta Braves (97-63) in front of a large crowd of 32,210 who were mostly there in support of Pete Alonso & hoping to see him break & set a new record.   All the scoring came in the 3rd inning. The Mets' Todd Frazier singled & catcher Rene Rivera hit a two run HR. Playing just his ninth game of the year, it was his first of the year.  Then Pete Alonso stepped in & launched his record 53rd HR over the right centerfield wall. Pete carried the bat up the base line as he slowly walke...

Friday September 26th 1969: The Mets closed out their last weekend series of the 1969 regular season with a three-game set at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. It was another incredible week for Gil Hodges Mets, this week he & pitching coach Rube Walker's starting pitchers would throw three consecutive shut outs. A small crowd of 6,288 came to see George Myatt's Phillies (62-94) host Gil Hodges first place Mets (96-61). In the opener, Jerry Koosman (16-9) went out & tossed a four-hit   shutout , beating Woodie Fryman for his 17th win of the year. It was his seventh shutout  of the year (4th best in the NL) & his 16th complete game (9th most in the NL). Koosman struck out seven & walked just two, lowering his ERA to a season ending 2.28 (5th best in the NL). Don Clendenon put the Mets on the board in the 1st with a two run HR, his 16th of the year. In the Mets 2nd, catcher Duffy Dyer doubled & got to third on a passed ball. ...

Robert Boden Scheffing  was born on August 11, 1913, in Overland, Missouri.  Playing Career: During his playing days he was a catcher signed by the Chicago Cubs in the 1935. After six almost seven years in the minors he made it to the big leagues in 1941. He played briefly for two seasons with the Cubs before going off to the military for World War II. Scheffing who was known as “Grumpy”, was primarily a second-string catcher during his career. In 1947 & 1948 he played in over 100 games, posting fielding percentages in the top three of the leagues. In 1948 he played in 102 games batting a career high .300 with five HRs 18 doubles & 45 RBIs with a .351 on base %. Scheffing would also play for the Cincinnati Reds & St. Louis Cards before retiring in 1951 with a .263 lifetime average 357 hits 20 HRs 53 doubles & 187 RBIs. Post Playing Career: After his playing days he became a coach for the St. Louis Browns in 1952 & 1953. He then was a m...

Saturday September 22nd, 1973:  By this point pennant fever had taken over New York City, as the Mets who were just four years past the Miracle of 1969 were looking to repeat with another Miracle run, this time there was a slogan to go with the excitement as "You Gotta Believe" was at its peak.  On this cold cloudy September afternoon, 24,251 Mets fans came to Shea Stadium on fan Appreciation Day, to see the first place Mets take on the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Mets fans received a ceramic Mets white coffee mug upon their entrance today's big game.  The Mets were now in first place but clinging to a half game lead over the Pirates & a one game lead over today's opponent, Red Schoendienst St. Louis Cardinals. Yogi Berra sent Jon Matlack (13-15) to the mound to face Reggie Cleveland (13-9). Jon Matlack would start the game out by striking out the side of Lou Brock, Ted Sizemore & Tommie Agee. Matlack retired the first six batters. Afte...

Hubert Brooks Jr. was born on September 24, 1956, in Los Angeles California. Brooks began his college days at Whittier College then moved on to be a star baseball player at the great baseball school of Arizona State University, in the late seventies.  He played infield there on the 1977 NCAAA Championship team with future Atlanta Braves slugger Bob Horner, the 1978 number one draft pick overall. The six-foot right hand hitting Brooks, was the New York Mets first round draft choice (third pick overall) in that same 1978 draft. The infielder was a great curve ball hitter with good speed on the base paths.  He hit .305 in 1979 at AA with Jackson earning a late season promotion to the AAA level. He hit .297 with 14 stolen bases at AAA Tidewater in 1980 before getting a late season promotion to Shea Stadium. The Mets were desperate for some talent & Brooks became quick fan favorite.  Mets Career: Brooks made his debut at San Diego on September 3rd, bat...