1969 New York Mets: Two Pivotal Games That Led to the World Series

The Mets started 1969 the way they had started all of their other seasons—by losing on opening day. It was the eighth time that they failed to win the first game of the year.

On April 8 the Mets hosted the expansion Montreal Expos in the first game the Canadian major league team ever played. Tom Seaver started for New York's most beloved team. He was opposed by veteran right-hander Jim "Mudcat" Grant.

Seaver, one of the league's top pitchers, was starting his third major league season. In a wild game which Seaver left after five innings, leading 6-4, the Expos went ahead, taking an 11-6 the lead into the ninth inning.

But the 1969 Mets never yielded easily. They scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and had the potential tying and winning runs on base when Rod Gaspar struck out to end the game. It was a portent of things to come.

Nineteen sixty nine was the first year of divisional play. The 10-team National League added the Montreal Expos and the San Diego Padres. The league was split into two divisions, each consisting of six teams.

The "experts" predicted that the Cardinals would win the first Eastern Division title and go on to become National League champions. It was believed that only the Chicago Cubs would seriously challenge the Cards.

The Expos were picked for last, the Phillies and Pirates would fight it out for fourth place, and the Mets, pretty much by default, were viewed as a distant third place team. As is often the case, the "experts" were wrong.

The Mets had a solid, young pitching staff that included Seaver, lefty Jerry Koosman—who was coming off a 19-win rookie season—Gary Gentry, Nolan Ryan and Tug McGraw.

Led by manager Gil Hodges, it was felt that the Mets were a team on the upswing, but few were prepared for what happened.

When Tom Seaver shut out the hard-hitting, Hank Aaron-led Atlanta Braves, the Mets stood at 18-18. The Mets had never been at the .500 mark so late into the season, but they seemingly reverted to form as they lost their next five games.

Then came a key game that turned the season around. On May 28, the 18-23 Mets faced the San Diego Padres.

The old and the new expansion teams were locked in a scoreless battle at Shea Stadium. Jerry Koosman pitched 10 innings of shut out ball, striking out 15, but the Mets couldn't push a run across.

Tug McGraw pitched the 11th, giving up two walks but getting out of the inning without being scored upon. Then the Mets scored an unearned run to win.

The Mets won their next 11 games, sweeping the Dodgers and Giants at home, and then sweeping the Padres in San Diego. They won the first of two games in San Francisco before the Giants ended their winning streak.

Despite their winning streak, the Mets trailed the division leading Cubs by seven games, but the Cardinals were having problems and were a surprising four and one-half games behind the Mets.

In early July, the Cubs played the Mets three games at Shea Stadium. The series would be an acid test for New York, who trailed the Cubs by five and one-half games.

Ferguson Jenkins faced Jerry Koosman, and both pitched complete games, but Jenkins never got the out he needed.

With the Cubs leading 3-1 in the Mets ninth, Ken Boswell hit a one-out double batting for Koosman,

Donn Clendenon batted for Bobby Pfeil and doubled, Cleon Jones doubled, Art Shamsky was intentionally walked, and after Wayne Garrett grounded out, Ed Kranepool singled to win the game.

The Mets had won an important game in dramatic fashion. As the fans left the ballpark, most of them knew that this was just the beginning.

References:

www.retrosheet.org

By ARTHUR DALEY (1969, April 4). Sports of The Times :Double Trouble. New York Times (1857-Current file),25. Retrieved November 1, 2008, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 90084610).

By JOSEPH DURSO (1969, April 9). Mets Lose on Opening Day for 8th Time in Row as Expos Win, 11-10 :MONTREAL VICTOR IN ITS FIRST GAME. New York Times (1857-Current file),34. Retrieved November 1, 2008, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 90088323).

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/692251-1969-mets-two-pivotal-games-that-led-to-the-world-series

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