NY METS Trivia ?

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

OK, all you Mets fans....can you tell us of a critical turning point that cinched the Mets pursuit of their 1st
National League Championship ?

T-Rex TED

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Posted By: MVSNYC

the black cat running in front of Santo in '69?

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Posted By: Rob D.

Ted,

Just to clarify before the guesses start coming in: How many correct answers to your question are there?

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Posted By: Jim VB

I think Ralph Kiner used to say it was the game (late July?) that Hodges pulled Cleon Jones from the outfield in mid-inning for not hustling to catch a fly ball. Hodges didn't just call him in. He walked out to the outfield and took Jones out like he was a pitcher.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

In my opinion, there was one day's events that clinched it for the Mets in '69.

TED Z

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Posted By: Denny Walsh

Here ya go Ted, Jerry Knew right off the bat!

"In spring training Jerry Grote knew," Seaver said. "He said we were going to win it. We thought he was crazy, nuts. But it made sense. He was the one who had caught us all the year before and he was catching us now in spring training. He just knew." --- Tom Seaver




Life's Grand,
Denny Walsh

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Posted By: Mark

Maybe it was the double-header sweep against the Pirates on Septmeber 12th. I vaguely remember listening to the game that day, since I was a young Pirates fan and expected the Bucs to beat Don Cardwell.

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Ted, did you mean National League or AA?

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Posted By: Jim VB

They also had back-to-back double header sweeps (4 games in 2 days) against San Diego (?) on Woodstock weekend.

(I seem to recall it did rain a little that weekend.)

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Today is the anniversary of Koosman's and Cardwell's Dble-header victories.

Each game was one by a score of 1-0.


Now....PART II of this TRIVIA ?........

What makes these two victories even more interesting ?


Incidently, the Mets secured their 1st place lead for the remainder of the season on this day in 1969.

T-Rex TED

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

starting pitchers Koosman and Cardwell drove in the only runs of the doubleheader.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

You are correct, both Koosman and Cardwell each drove in the winning Runs.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Wish I saw this one earlier because I knew it.

Here's some trivia from the 1969 season: in late July the Mets hosted the Astros for a doubleheader. After eight innings of the first game the Mets trailed 5-3, with Seaver on the losing end. In the top of the 9th the Astros scored 11 runs and won 16-3. In the second game the Astros scored 10 runs in the 4th inning and won that game 11-5.

The loss dropped Seaver's record to 15-7. He would lose only one more game that season, and that was the 2nd game of the World Series. And the Mets would never have another bad day that year, going 38-9 to finish, and 7-1 in the play offs and WS.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Well I thought the use of the word Trivia was redundant... if it was about the mets it had to be Trivia.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

As a 61-year Yankee fan....dating back to the 1947 World Series, the greatest in my lifetime....
I agree with your "dig".

However, us Yankee fans will root for the Mets (as in 1969, 1973, and 1986). The converse of
this is seldom so......

Mets fans rarely root for the Yankees. I have never understood why this is so, perhaps some of
these Mets fans here can explain why ? ?

TED Z

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Frank, two words: Christian Laettner.

Ted, I'm a Mets fan that roots for the Yankees most of the time but I've only been a true Mets fan since the Dodgers broke my heart too many times, so I don't really count. I would say the main reason why Mets fans hate the Yankees is due to the perceived arrogance of Yankee fans. Apparently Mets fans find it hilarious that Yankee fans think their team is entitled. I don't know where Mets fans get that thinking but I'm pretty sure that's the explanation.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Speaking about Jerry Grote, you will appreciate this.

At the 1994 Kit Young Hawaii Show I was set-up next to Jerry Grote (who was promoting some
sort of Mets stuff).

For two days the two of had a great time together "Talking Baseball"....actually he did most of
the talking - I did most of the listening. He is quite the talker and the source of endless stories.

I hit it off with him by starting the conversation about his hometown, San Antonio, TX. In 1960
I was stationed there when I was in the Air Force.

TED Z

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ted, there are like a zillion stories out there about Grote's irascible nature. I think you caught a lucky break during your time with him.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I can't say enough good things about my encounter with Jerry Grote. I must of caught him in
a great mood that February weekend in 1994.

I could fill up pages here, relating all the stories he told me about baseball tactics and many
of the ballplayers.

And especially, his close Texas buddy....Nolan Ryan. I recollect, that he told me that he en-
couraged Ryan to leave New York.

Jerry also demonstrated the difference of where he stood in order to catch Ryan.....relative
to the other Mets pitchers. Jerry backed up as far as he legally could behind home plate when
Ryan was pitching. The difference only amounted to about 2 feet, but he claimed it was the
only way to handle "Ryan's express".


TED Z

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Jeff, Ted, just trying to stir up some folks, I'm laughing!!!!

When I think of the Mets I think of 2 things...

The second one, watching Willie Mays bat in that 1973 World Series, followed by seeing him get a hit, and score a run. Didn't see it in person, but remember getting a college professor to let us watch as he came to bat, and letting us watch as Willie worked his way around to score.

But the first one is a saying of a solid Giants catcher, a great fellow, who later managed the Mets... Wes Westrum. Closely, what Wes said was, "Baseball is a lot like church, many attend, few understand."


Gotta love you Mets fans!!!!

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Posted By: CN

Frank, Mets fans are an interesting group. They are made up mostly of old timers who rooted for the Dodgers and the Giants, The group like me who caught the bug in the 1969/1973 teams and the fans who got caught up in the mid 80,s clubs and the kids whose parents were Mets fans. It only seems since the so called Yankee Dynasty of 1996,1998,1999 and 2000 that the New York fan has developed a so called hatred for the other team. Maybe I am wrong but my grandfather who grew up in shadow of Yankee Stadium and loved the Yanks told me he always rooted for the New York National League Team to win the National League so the Yanks could play them in the W.S. It seems now that fans of both NY teams relish in the other not making the post season. I personally always root for the Yanks as a Met fan hoping for the chance to get even for 2000 even though a payroll of 210 million dollars should almost guarantee a playoff berth considering the next highest team has a payroll of approximately of 140 million.CN