On this date in 1965, the Mets acquired catcher Jerry Grote from the Houston Astros for a player to be named later (Tom Parsons) and cash. Grote would become a mainstay behind the plate for 12 seasons with the Mets, helping to nurture a young pitching staff to great heights and guiding the team to two World Series including The Miracle in 1969. A two-time All Star and one of the best defensive...
Read More
“Home runs are over-rated. You don’t have to hit home runs to win. If I don’t get a home run all year, and the team wins, I’ll be more than satisfied.” – Steve Henderson The Reccoppa family piled into Dad’s burnt orange 1970 Plymouth Duster for the short ride across the bridge on Route 37 to Seaside Heights. A visit to grandma’s summer house, a sure sign school would be out soon. Anthony, 10,...
Read More
Thousands of baseball books have been published. Millions of baseball stories have been told, every one of them starts with the same basic understanding: two teams, nine innings, balls, strikes, runs, hits and errors. Along the way there are various twists and turns ending in perfect games, no-hitters, walk off home runs and everything in between. No two games are the same, but many are alike....
Read More
Nelson Doubleday Jr., died Wednesday at his home in New York. He was 81. Two days after his death, the Mets announced they would honor Doubleday with a moment of silence. A moment of silence? A moment? Doubleday was the majority owner of the New York Mets from 1980-2002. He lifted the Mets out of the financial and competitive abyss of the late 1970s and early 1980s and, in six years, recruited...
Read More
On June 20, 1964 Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jim Bunning threw a perfect game against the New York Mets in the first game of a doubleheader at Shea Stadium. With his wife and children in the stands, here’s what happened … By the eighth inning 32,904 Mets fans were cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies, for pitcher Jim Bunning. On Father’s Day 1964, the Phillies...
Read More
