20
2012
Trades From The Distant Past – Tommie Agee
An article by Barry Duchan
Ask any Met fan under 40 with a sense of the past about Tommie Agee and he’ll probably tell you that Agee was the terrific center fielder who helped the Miracle Mets win the 1969 World Series. And he’d be right. But, as trades for centerfielders go, after his first season with the club, Agee was right up there as a failure with his predecessors, Cowan, and Bosch.
The Mets traded Tommy Davis, probably their best all-around hitter, and Jack Fisher, their former #1 starter to the White Sox for Agee, Al Weis, and minor league catcher Buddy Booker. Agee was a former rookie of the year, a solid centerfielder with great speed and outstanding power who struck out an awful lot. Kind of like Billy Cowan. Except that Agee already had a ROY season behind him.
Agee promptly started spring training by getting hit in the head with a Bob Gibson fastball and struggled all season to get his average over .200. His final numbers, a .218 batting average with 5 homers and 17 rbi for the entire season were disastrous. But both the fans and manager Gil Hodges admired Agee’s positive attitude and constant all-out hustle and their faith was rewarded when Agee had a super year in 1969 (and a better one in 1970) giving the Mets the gold glove defense, power hitting, and clutch play they were looking for in a centerfielder. Unfortunately, Agee only had a couple of good years with the Mets and he was later sent away for a couple of nonentities. But, if Agee’s day in the sun was short, it was certainly bright and his play throughout the 1969 season and especially in the World Series (coupled with Al Weis’ incredible hitting in the Series, especially for someone with a reputation as good field-no hit) made this one of the best trades during the Mets’ formative years.
Tommy Davis had a long career as a DH in the American League. Fisher never did much once he left the Mets. But if Weis and Agee weren’t long term-solutions for the Mets, their contributions to the 1969 Champions will long be remembered by Mets fans.
About the Author: Barry Duchan
I've been following the Mets since 1962. Have to admit I was a Yankee fan as a kid, but I found it to be so much more interesting to see how a young team could build itself up rather than following a team where the season didn't really begin until October. I remember them all - Casey, Marv, ChooChoo, Don Bosch, The Stork, etc. As the years went on, I became more and more of a Mets fan, and a Yankee hater once Steinbrenner and Billy Martin entered the picture. After retiring, I relocated with my family from Long Island to Chapel Hill, NC in 2005. I spend a lot of my time now checking out all the various Mets blogs. Fortunately, I still get to watch almost all of the Mets games (except those that are blacked out here).
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Mets | 16 | 23 | .410 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
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Nobody knew it at the time but in hindsight this deal represented a critical moment in Mets history. The Agee-Davis trade was completed in principle by then-GM Bing Devine, but with Don Shaw included in the deal. Mets chairman M. Donald Grant for whatever reason was a big Don Shaw fan and held up the deal.
Devine in the meantime had an offer to become the Cardinals’ GM, and amid Grant’s meddling in this deal (and aided by Grant’s reluctance to give him a contract — Grant felt Devine would work harder if he had to sing for his supper constantly) Devine took the offer. The trade was subsequently amended and completed by Devine’s successor Johnny Murphy, but the Mets lost a brilliant executive mind along the way and never adequately replaced him, while Grant’s influence only grew. Much was forgotten in the glow of the 69 championship (a team largely assembled by Devine) but they’d pay for that over and over again for the next decade.
Jon,
WOW!! I had forgotten all about that! Grant also screwed over Whitey Herzog who was the heir apparent after Gil Hodges died. Herzog was offered the job and Grant pulled the offer to give the position to Yogi Berra. How different would Mets history be if Whitey Herzog had become the Mets manager??
If they ever replay the Tom Seaver interview he did a few years ago with SNY (was an hour or so) make sure you watch it. Seaver has never forgiven Grant for what he put him through. Very interesting interview.
Jon, You know your Mets History!!
Interestingly enough guys, Don Shaw saved Tom Seaver’s first ever win which took place exactly 45 years ago today.
Just another example of Grant never wanting to spend any money, especially since he thought ball players in general were so far below ‘his class’.
Grant’s Tomb, indeed.
By the way, who’s buried there?
Those god-awful teams he assembled in the late 70s and very early 80s.
Hi Barry,
Great memories.
I remember when Gibson hit Tommie in the head, he collapsed straight onto his back and just layed there. But back in 1968 the fans indeed never got down on him at all. Once, after going through a long hitless streak, Tommie won a game with a pinch hit single not hit hard but up the middle and his being mobbed by his teammates and cheered by the crowd seemed to have an extra bit of happiness to it, as if we were all in unision rooting Tommie on.
As far as being a team player despite all that happened to him that first year, there was also a game in Houston when both dugouts began to clear – Tommie was the first one out and led the charge.
Actually got Billy Cowen to autograph my scorecard in 1965!
Trades From The Distant Past – Tommie Agee”
That sounds like T agee and his second guessing about trades!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well it should be pointed out that if not for the DH Tommy Davis would not have the long career being used to compare Agee to.
He probably would have been out of the league much sooner if he had stayed in the NL and had to play the field.
Jon,
I always thought that after one year as the Mets G.M., Devine simply wanted to go back to St. Louis. Never thought the screws were being put on him and with Herzog by Grant.
Can see why Grant wanted not to include Don Shaw in the deal. Don actually had a good rookie season in 1967 and I don’t know why he was exactly sent down in 1968 – especially if Grant was in his corner. Selected by Montreal in the 1969 expansion draft, he didn’t fare well north of the border and came back to have one decent season in St. Louis (1971).
But I just can’t see Grant having much influence on player personnel if it didn’t mean having to spend anything more than he had to.
Joey D,
I believe Grant for whatever reason had the ear of mrs. Payson. The Mets were very much a “family” run organization in those days. My own personal opinion was that Grant liked being “buddies” with the newspaper guys. Remember he blamed Dick Young for the Seaver trade. How the hell do you trade a pitcher like Tom seaver based on what Dick Young says??
J.J.,
Dick Young was Grant’s mouth piece and his son-in-law just happened to get a job with the Mets front office so there was a personal relationship as well. They both shared their hatred of free agency and other things. I think the attached sums up perfectly what happened and touches upon Young’s role in all this.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/true-story-midnight-massacre-article-1.224970