Author: Rob Silverman

Out Of The Shadows: Jerry Koosman

There have been many great players who lived in the shadow of an even greater teammate. Lou Gehrig had Babe Ruth. Don Drysdale had Sandy Koufax. Jeff Kent had Barry Bonds. Jerry Koosman had Tom Seaver. Along with Seaver, Koosman played in a time when pitching dominated the game. It seemed like every team had a legitimate ace. However, no team had a 1-2 righty-lefty punch like the Mets. While Tom...

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A Father’s Day Tale: Heroes Don’t Always Hit Home Runs

It was my first baseball game. And it was almost my last. In the summer of 1972 I was pushing Tonka trucks around the floor in a one bedroom apartment in The Bronx. I noted the wide range of emotions my Dad went through watching a 2 ½ hour baseball game. Happiness, frustration, cheering, despair. I’d casually glance up at the Zenith B&W. Slowly my toys became secondary and I found myself...

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Mets Heroes: Jerry Koosman Lived for the Big Moment

Throughout our history, we’ve had our fair share of great pitchers. The names Seaver, Gooden, Santana and even deGrom quickly come to mind. However, if there was one game that your life depended on, and if your team really needed a big win, there’s only one name you’ll see at the top of the list; Jerry Koosman. The best lefty in team history, Koosman was always capable of shining in...

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Gary Carter: Sometimes There Is Crying In Baseball

Keith Hernandez flied out to center for the second out of the inning. A tomblike silence fell over Shea. Fans stared in disbelief. The 108 regular season wins plus 6 more in the post-season meant nothing. Vin Scully announced Marty Barrett was chosen player of the game. And then… Number 8 stepped to the plate. In a career that spanned nearly 2,300 games and 8,000 at-bats over 19 seasons,...

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Donn Clendenon: The Final Piece of the Puzzle

The 1969 World Series saw Jerry Koosman pick up the win in two of the four Mets victories. His ERA was 2.04 and he allowed only 7 hits in 17 2/3 innings pitched. Ron Swoboda hit .400 and made arguably one of the best catches in Series history. Tommie Agee outdid his teammate and made two unforgettable catches which will live forever in Mets folklore. However, none of these Mets would win the...

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