CHAPTER 1 MIRACLE METS New York Mets first baseman Marv Throneberry hit a triple against the Chicago Cubs in 1962 But he was called out because he didn’t touch second base He didn’t touch first base either It’s no wonder Casey Stengel manager of those 1962 Mets famously asked Can’t anybody here play this game The Mets joined the National League NL in 1962 and lost a modern-day-record 120 games in their first season That wasn’t really a fluke They lost more than 100 games in five of their first six seasons They were so bad that they never spent even one day in first place Then came 1969 The Amazin Mets rattled off 11 wins in a row putting them in second place in early June They stayed there for three months before passing the Chicago Cubs in September in the midst of a 10-game winning streak The team that couldn’t get it right for most of the decade was suddenly unbeatable Jerry Koosman won 17 games for the Mets in 1969
From left infielder Ed Charles Koosman and catcher Jerry Grote celebrate after the Mets finished off the Orioles in the 1969 World Series The Mets finished 100 62 champions of the NL East Division They swept the NL West champion Atlanta Braves in the playoffs That set up a showdown with the mighty Baltimore Orioles in the World Series The American League AL champs had won 109 games that season Baltimore won the first game But the Amazin Mets didn’t travel that far to come up short Jerry Koosman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Jerry Koosman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Game 2 one of his two victories in the World Series for the Mets Game 2 one of his two victories in the World Series for the Mets Gary Gentry and Nolan Ryan combined for a shutout in Game 3 Gary Gentry and Nolan Ryan combined for a shutout in Game 3 Ron Swoboda’s run-scoring double in the eighth inning put Ron Swoboda’s run-scoring double in the eighth inning put the Mets on top in Game 5 And when left fielder Cleon Jones the Mets on top in Game 5 And when left fielder Cleon Jones settled under a fly ball for the final out the Mets had completed settled under a fly ball for the final out the Mets had completed their miracle their miracle TOM TERRIFIC Mets ace pitcher Tom Seaver tossed a near-perfect game on July 9 1969 against the Cubs at New York’s Shea Stadium Seaver struck out 11 batters and walked none in the 4 0 victory Rookie Jimmy Qualls singled with one out in the ninth to break up the perfect game Seaver went on to win the NL Cy Young Award that year posting a record of 25 7 with a 2 21 ERA
