Over the next six weeks, we’ll look back at the 50th anniversary of the Mets’ 1973 National League pennant-winning team by examining the most inspirational figures of that remarkable run. We start with the man who unofficially initiated the team’s comeback from last place to first and officially coined the phase associated with that season. In July 1973, Tug McGraw’s career...
Sharing the eastern seaboard and the same division understandably creates a rift between fans and players alike, who over the years have exchanged words and sometimes fists. Many notable faces have seen it from both sides: Tug McGraw, Lenny Dykstra, and Zack Wheeler just to same a few. Proximity breeds hatred. And many, if not all, of these memorable games, give added reason for one side to only...
On January 5, 2004, Frank Edwin “Tug” McGraw, one of the most colorful players in Mets’ history, passed away from brain cancer at 59 years of age. McGraw is most famous for coining the term ‘Ya Gotta Believe!” in 1973, during an M. Donald Grant address to the team when the Mets were mired in last place in the National League’s eastern division, and then made...
We are right smack in the middle of the holidays, so there’s a good chance you’re still around some extended family even though Christmas is officially in the rearview mirror. What better way to pass the time than talk about New York Mets history…am I right? I mean, there’s not much happening in the game right now thanks to the lockout, so this is the next best thing to...
On January 5, 2004, Frank Edwin “Tug” McGraw, one of the most colorful players in Mets’ history, passed away from brain cancer at 59 years of age. McGraw is most famous for coining the term ‘Ya Gotta Believe!” in 1973, during an M. Donald Grant address to the team when the Mets were mired in last place in the National League’s eastern division, and then...
Now that SNY has aired the entirety of the 1969 World Series, we thought it might be fun to feature a portion of the Mets’ next Fall Classic appearance four years later — even if the end result wasn’t as satisfying. Game 2 versus the Oakland A’s was arguably the wildest World Series contest to date — in addition to being the longest. After four hours and 13 minutes...
Good morning Mets fans! Monday’s 8:00 p.m. EST non-tender deadline has come and gone, and MLB now has a new crop of free agents. With 56 players non-tendered (including one who retired before being non-tendered), clubs will now be able to take a look at some expected non-tendered free agents, in addition to some unexpected non-tendered free agents. Latest Mets News The Mets tendered...
Someone once said “A baseball team is a living breathing thing.” If that’s true, Tom Seaver is our heart, Gil Hodges our brain, Gary Carter our lungs (he breathed life into the Mets in Game 6), Bob Murphy our voice, Keith Hernandez our eyes. And Tug McGraw? Tug would be our spirit. America has changed dramatically since Tug last pitched for the Mets. In 1974, a new car cost $3,750, a gallon of...
You can learn a lot about a baseball team from its locker room. The clubhouse is where relationships form, character is revealed and leaders speak out (or not). For the major league rookie, clubhouse real estate is valuable — sometimes priceless. Imagine being the rookie who spent eight months out of the year next to Sandy Koufax? Roberto Clemente? Lou Gehrig? Tom Seaver? These were model...
Earlier this season we all heard the gut-wrenching news that our beloved Gary Carter was diagnosed with a brain tumor. As the tears dried and the reality began to settle in, a discussion ensued. The Mets need to retire #8 for Gary. Others countered that if #8 is retired, then #17 for Keith must be retired as well. The debate raged on about who had more of an impact on the Mets: Keith or Gary?...
Frank Edwin ‘Tug’ McGraw was a relief pitcher for the New York Mets for 9 seasons. Over that time he compiled 85 saves with a 3.17 ERA. But he is best remembered for a phrase. In 1973, as the Mets were treading water in the NLE basement at the end of August, McGraw coined the slogan ‘Ya Gotta Believe.’ Fox ‘Spooky’ Mulder was a fictitious character played by David Duchovny on ‘The X-Files.’...
On the surface it appeared to be a typical summer day for the Mets. As usual, we were going nowhere, floundering in the second division, struggling to reach .500. When all was said and done, however, it turned out to be a crucial turning point in the history of our club. Mets GM M. Donald Grant made a rare appearance in the Mets clubhouse and gave the team a pep talk. The gist of his speech was...
