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METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF GAMES FROM THE 1965 SEASON

April 12, 1965 Shea Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Mets 1

Joel
August 12, 2003
Opening day. I remember that Starting LA pitcher Don Drysdale hit a home run in this game.


Bob P
June 23, 2004

As Joel said in August 2003, Don Drysdale hit a two-run homer in this game off Al Jackson as the Mets continued their Opening Day misery, losing to the Dodgers, 6-1 at Shea.


Feat Fan
June 19, 2004

Don Drysdale slugs his 2nd opening day homer, this one a 2-run shot off New York's Al Jackson. LA wins 6–1 at Shea Stadium.

It was a Tuesday season opener, I rushed home from school to watch the last few innings.


Fred of Nyack
June 27, 2005

There was a guy with a bullhorn at this game, yelling stuff like "THIS IS IT DRYSDALE!" "WE'RE GONNA GET YOU NOW, DRYSDALE." Somehow he managed to last most of the game without getting tossed or at least disposed of his bullhorn.

Ron Swoboda talks about this game in Peter Golenback's worthy but uneven oral history of the Mets "AMAZIN'S." It was his first day in the bigs and he sat on the bench never dreaming that he would be called on to pinch hit. When Casey came down the dugout he tried to make himself as small as he could. Wonderful, funny stuff.

Starting pitcher AL JACKSON gets my vote as most under-rated Met in their history. Ron Hunt, who the Associated Press voted as the best 2nd baseman in either league over the winter did not start due to a hand injury from handball.

There exists a great posed photo of the entire starting lineup in batting order, on the steps of the dugout listening to Casey.

This is the first game ever in which the uniforms have numbers on the front (lower left) something that lasts to this day.

April 14, 1965 Shea Stadium
Houston Astros 7, Mets 6

Bob P
January 23, 2004
Astros outfielder Al Spangler stole home in the 11th inning to win the game for the Astros. Warren Spahn made his first start as a Met and came away with a no-decision.


Feat Fan
April 20, 2004

Houston gets their first regulation win as the Astros, an eleven-inning 7-6 triumph over the Mets. Al Spangler stole home for the eventual winning run. Ron Brand has a two-run bunt single that refused to roll foul.

This was the first game that I ever watched on a color TV at my friend's house in Brooklyn.

I was amazed every time the camera showed the old Shea scoreboard !


Feat Fan
June 4, 2005

Houston survives a 7-6 marathon in eleven innings for their first National League win as the Astros. Playing in cool damp weather in what is now the league's second-youngest park, the Astros rally against 43-year-old Warren Spahn to take a 3-2 lead into the ninth. With two outs, Joe Christopher homers off Turk Farrell to send the game into extra innings.

The Astros score four times in the 11th on four walks, two errors, two wild pitches and a bunt. The bunt is a two-run roller from Ron Brand down the third base line that Charley Smith hopes will roll foul but never does. Al Spangler then steals home to complete the inning. But Houston almost gives it back when Farrell and Hal Woodeshick falter for three runs that bring New York back within one. It is up to Jim Owens to strike out Smith for the final out to register his first save of the season

April 15, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 5, Houston Astros 4

Ed K
June 17, 2003
This is the game in which the Mets had a unique triple play: Rightfielder Johnny Lewis to Catcher Canizzarro to SS Roy McMillan. Jimmy Wynn was the batter.


Bob Sohm
June 4, 2005

I attended this game,and next to seeing Sandy Koufax pitch at the Polo Grounds in 1963 this remains my favorite game. It was a rainy, damp and raw but for a diehard young Met fan it had it all. A fine pitching performance by Jack Fisher till he ran out of gas in the 9th. The afore mentioned triple play,a long home run by the "toy cannon" Jimmy Wynn, a fine defensive play by Bob Lillis at short turning what looked like a game winning hit by Jim Hickman into a double play in the bottom of the 9th. Bobby Klaus HR in the 10th off of the hard throwing Quebecker Claude Raymond (the original Eric Gagne), if my memory serves me Klaus just missed a HR on the preceding pitch. Raymond threw the same pitch and Klaus hit it off the foul pole in the mezzanine (then blue seats) I'm sure it was the longest HR of his career. The train ride to Seaford sure was a happy one.


Feat Fan
June 4, 2005

For the fifth straight game (if you count three exhibitions), the Astros go extra innings against a team from New York, this time dropping a 5-4 decision to the Mets in ten on a one-out homer down the left field line from Bobby Klaus off Claude Raymond. Jim Wynn's two-out two-run shot off Jack Fisher in the ninth forces extras this time. Ed Kranepool drives in three to lead New York.

It is the earliest regular-season win in the Mets' short history and they also record a triple play, the third by the Mets in just over three seasons. In the second, with runners at first and third, Wynn lifts a fly ball to right. Walt Bond is nailed at the plate attempting to score then Bob Aspromonte is gunned down at second trying to advance on the throw. As rare as triple plays are, a 9-2-6 model is one for the books.


Ed K
October 13, 2005

I should also note this was the first Met game involving a triple play that the Mets ever won. They had fielded two and hit into two previously, all in losing causes.


Frank
April 24, 2009

I remember this game....I was 14 and it was COLD!!!!!!! It was a cold, raw, April day and we were freezing. I remember getting hot chocolate and it was the worst hot chocolate ever, as long as it was hot. I think they sold more chocolate than anything else.

I remember the triple play from Lewis to Cannizaro to McMillan but most of all I remember Bobby Klaus's HR in the bottom of the 10th (thank God!!!). It was down the left field line, right above the orange line at the 341 sign.

My Dad had a friend who worked for the Mets and I got autographed pics (including Casey) of most of the 1965 team.

April 17, 1965 Shea Stadium
San Francisco Giants 4, Mets 0

Richard Citron
September 1, 2004
All of us remember our first ballgame. This was the first Mets game I ever attended. I remember attending this game with my cub scout troop. We sat in the upper deck and it was so cold that we left in the fourth inning!

I believe that Juan Marichal pitched that day.

And I caught Kiner's Korner as soon as I returned home.

April 18, 1965 Shea Stadium
San Francisco Giants 4, Mets 1

Ed K
March 27, 2008
First time the Mets played at home on Easter Sunday and they lost. Giants swept the short two-game weekend series (Good Friday was an off day back then.)

April 18, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 7, San Francisco Giants 1

Fred of Nyack
June 17, 2005
I believe that this an Easter Sunday and the second game of a doubleheader. There was rain in the forecast so my brother and I brought our blue Mr. Met ponchos which depicted Mr. Met smiling, with an open umbrella as it rained. The caption read "WE CAN'T LOSE TODAY!"

It didn't rainout the first game but I do recall play stoppage.

I remember my uncle saying that is unlike Roy McMillan to make errors. (It seems that he made 2 in this game, in the first innning.) At least one of them was throwing.

Swoboda hit a long home run which he talks about in Golenback's book. And then it rained. The box score confirms my memory (7 inning game) of the rain and the next day's sports page read: SENT 'EM HOME WET BUT HAPPY.

April 20, 1965 Dodger Stadium
Mets 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 2

Gary Crawford
September 26, 2013
Newsday wrote in the next day's headline - "Mets and Spahn ripen with age." Casey came out to get Spahn after a rally by Dodgers in bottom of 9th but pitching coach Spahn (double role) talked him out of it. He then retired next batter on a comebacker - tying run out at home and then a strikeout to end game. A game I'll never forget.

April 23, 1965 Candlestick Park
Mets 9, San Francisco Giants 8

NYB Buff
October 19, 2023
This was one of the most amazing comeback wins in Mets history. Trailing 8-2 after seven innings, the team scored twice in the eighth and four times in the ninth to tie the game. The Mets failed to score with the bases loaded in the tenth, but then came up with a run in the 11th for the victory.

Erratic defense by the Giants played a key role in the Mets' rally. With one out in the top of the ninth, Jim Hickman hit what appeared to be a game-ending double play. However, second baseman Jim Davenport made a bad throw to first base that allowed Billy Cowan to score the tying run. In the 11th, Joe Christopher stole second base and moved to third on catcher Tom Haller's throwing error. Charley Smith followed up with a sacrifice fly that drove home Christopher and put the Mets ahead to stay. Dennis Ribant then pitched a scoreless bottom of the inning for his first and only win of the season.

April 24, 1965 Candlestick Park
Mets 7, San Francisco Giants 6

Bob P
March 4, 2005
A pinch-hit, three-run triple by Danny Napoleon gave the Mets a 7-6 win at Candlestick Park, and gave Casey Stengel his 3,000th career win as a professional manager.


Rick Wey
April 19, 2012

I was seven years old and I remember Danny Napolean hitting a bases-loaded triple. Looking over his career stats, I found that his only triple was in 1965. I remembered that it was an away game and that the Mets had won. That narrowed it down quite a bit!

April 25, 1965 Candlestick Park
San Francisco Giants 5, Mets 0

Bob P
April 28, 2006
In the first game of a Sunday doubleheader at Candlestick Park, Juan Marichal ran his record against the Mets to 11-0 with a five-hit shutout. Marichal struck out nine, and the Mets got just three runners as far as second base in the game.

It was Marichal's second shutout against the Mets in nine days, and he would shut them out twice more in 1965.

At this point, Marichal had pitched 101.1 innings against the Mets and had allowed just twelve earned runs.

In the game the Giants jumped on Al Jackson early. Willie McCovey hit a two run homer in the first, Hal Lanier had a two-run triple in the second, and Jose Pagan had an RBI double in the third. Jackson lost for the third time in three starts. But after winning game two of the doubleheader, the Mets were 6-7 and ended the day half a game ahead of the 5-7 Giants.

April 28, 1965 Astrodome
Houston Astros 12, Mets 9

Bob P
January 23, 2004
This is the game Ralph Kiner often talks about because Lindsey Nelson broadcast this game from a gondola 208 feet above second base at the brand- new Astrodome.


Feat Fan
April 24, 2004

There is a rare audio clip of Nelson calling the game at astrosdaily.net.

What a find!


Feat Fan
June 13, 2005

With Mets broadcaster Lindsey Nelson reporting from the gondola 208 feet above second base, Houston wins their seventh straight, 12-9, in a 3-1/2-hour marathon. Bob Bruce is pounded for four runs in the first two innings but the Mets give it back, two runs crossing on a throwing error by Jim Hickman. John Bateman's single in the fifth puts Houston up, 6-5.

The Mets slap around Larry Dierker to gain a 9-6 advantage in the sixth. Houston answers with four runs of their own, keyed by a two-run single from Bob Aspromonte. Walt Bond's triple in the eighth adds two more to the lead but, by then, Claude Raymond has everything under control. He blanks New York over the final three frames, striking out six of the nine batters he faces for his first save. Jim Owens gets the win. Tug McGraw takes the loss.

April 29th:

An overactive New York media circulates rumors that the Astros are manipulating air currents in the Dome to gain a unique home field advantage. The Astros say the charge is ridiculous but the 6-1 home record has out of town critics mumbling.

Commissioner Ford Frick is concerned enough to send Robert Salinger, an engineer from Chicago, to investigate the claim. Salinger's report would state that air conditioning has no effect on the flight or distance of batted balls.

April 30, 1965 Crosley Field
Cincinnati Reds 6, Mets 1

Bob P
November 18, 2003
From retrosheet.org:

Ron Swoboda lost a grand slam at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. In the first inning, after a single, double and intentional walk, Swoboda hit a long drive to center field off John Tsitouris. At that time, there was a double fence; the main wall was concrete and it was topped with a plywood extension to protect the road construction crew outside. The concrete was in play while the plywood was a homer; Swoboda’s ball hit the plywood and bounced back. Vada Pinson threw the ball back to the infield; second base umpire Frank Secory ruled that the ball was in play. The slam turned into a 1 RBI single. Coach Yogi Berra was ejected for arguing the call for the first time in his National League career. After the game he uttered one of his classic lines: "Anyone who can’t hear the difference between wood and concrete must be blind."


Alan
November 25, 2007

Yes, this was it, almost exactly. However, in my memory the double fence was one in front of the other, with the plywood fence 3-6 feet behind the concrete fence.

The reason it was only a single was that Swoboda hit it so hard the runners barely moved, and everyone was confused, first thinking that Pinson (a great center fielder; probably only Flood and Mays better then) would catch it, and then certain that it was a homer.

Two more notable things to remember: Crosley Field had the incline, and the Mets announcer (I don't remember which one) went as crazy as Yogi did.

May 5, 1965 Shea Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 1, Mets 0

Fred of Nyack
March 18, 2003
This was one of the best games Warren Spahn pitched as a Met and the only run came on an opposite field home run by his opponent that night Jim Bunning. Spahn also doubled as the pitching coach and critics felt he left himself in games too long for the short period of time he spent in New York.


Feat Fan
July 13, 2005

At New York, the Phillies Jim Bunning hits a home run and beats Warren Spahn, 1–0. For Bunning, it is his 6th complete game victory against the Mets in six starts, three of them shutouts. Yogi pinch hits late in the game and somewhere there is a self-created score sheet that I had authored while watching on Channel 9.


john of floral park
June 15, 2014

A cold night in the upper deck of Shea, but what a game to watch. 2 hall of famers going at it, with the junior Bunning providing the margin with a home run over the right field wall. We got in through Borden milk coupons, so how much better could it be? If only Spahn had hit the homer.


Tom Sullivan
November 10, 2014

What a forgotten Met classic! Two Hall of Fame pitchers hooked up in a 1-0 double complete game with Bunning nailing Warren Spahn with a solo home run. Yogi also makes one of his 4 appearances for Mets.


Tom Sullivan
November 28, 2014

What a forgotten Met classic! Two Hall-of-Fame pitchers hooked up in a 1-0 double complete game with Bunning nailing Warren Spahn with a solo home run...Yogi also makes one of his 4 appearances for the Mets.


Steve Bernstein
May 5, 2020

I was at this game on my 15th birthday - 55 years ago today. So memorable because of the 2 hall of fame pitchers- Spahn and Bunning in a classic duel- final 1-0 on Bunning's home run. Also Yogi Berra pinch hitting for the Mets in the 9th- he only played 1 more game after this.


Henry Weeks
May 1, 2023

I attended this game at Shea Stadium, like many with the Borden coupons. What's better than 2 great pitchers, Spahn as a Met and Bunning of the Phillies? I had also attended Bunning's perfect game on Father's Day 1964. The match-up was undeniable, the outcome was unpredictable, winning hit was a home run by Bunning, in a 1-0 final score. The only disappointment was it wasn't a home run by Warren Spahn himself. But, you know that's baseball. Memorable and precious when you focus on the experience.

May 8, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 4, Milwaukee Braves 2

Feat Fan
April 19, 2002
With Cub Scout Pack 448, I'm 9 or 10, our seats are all the way up (I'm terrified). Lemaster vrs Fat Jack Fisher. Swoboda cranks 2 home runs and leads the NL with 8 or 9 at this early juncture. Eddie Mathews hits a line drive home run to right late in the game. We sing BEATLE tunes all the way home.


Joseph Dubin
January 11, 2005

I was at that game with a few friends and not only did Ron Swoboda hit two home runs, driving in all four runs, he barely missed putting out a third to the oposite field, the Braves rightfielder catching it in front of the warning track.

I also got my first major league autograph that day - Billy Cowan signed my scorecard prior to the game


Bill Peck
June 28, 2006

I was 11 years old and had never been to a baseball game before. My dad was really a football fan and did not follow baseball at all. As a kid involved with little league and nightly sneaking the 9v transistor under the pillow, I very much loved the game.

My neighbor, Tom Engleman, took me with his son Tommy, Jr. I had no idea what to expect but came away from this game a giant life-long fan of Ron Swoboda. The two home runs he hit and how the people around me cheered thrilled me to the bone.

I remember Hank Aaron's hits and Eddie Mathews' homer and thinking how great Swoboda must be to do better than these two famous players.

Somehow the Mets held on and won the game. I had been there for the last out. I felt so good. Thank you Ron Swoboda and the New York Mets for my first baseball memories.

May 9, 1965 Shea Stadium
Milwaukee Braves 8, Mets 2

Bob P
May 13, 2006
In the first game of a Sunday doubleheader at Shea, Yogi Berra is batting seventh and catching for the Mets. Yogi strikes out three times for only the second time in his career as the Braves win 8-2.

Yogi struck out his first three times up and then grounded into a force play in what would be the final at bat of his outstanding career.

Through his time in the majors, Yogi struck out just once every 20 plate appearances, and never struck out more than 38 times in a season. That's amazing for someone with his power. Yogi usually had more homers than strikeouts, and in 1950 he hit 28 home runs while striking out just 12 times in 151 games!

May 11, 1965 Shea Stadium
St. Louis Cardinals 4, Mets 3

Fred of Nyack
July 13, 2005
This looks like the game that Phil Gagliano collided with Ron Hunt and Hunt separated his shoulder. Hunt was to miss most of the season but bounced back in 1966 before being traded. My rememberance of the play is that with Gagliano on first, Hunt fielded the ball closer to first than second, seeing that he could not get a double play may have been trying to get an obstruction call by aligning himself in Gagliano's path. My friend, who attended the game, remembers that fans of all ages and types were looking for Gagliano after the game. I am not in a position to vouch for that but I can vouch for the fact that Phil Gagliano was booed at Shea for as long as he remained in the league.

This injury was akin to Piazza's groin difficulty because it deflated the entire season for the Mets and their fans. Perhaps more so in that Hunt was even more important to the team than Mike was.


Red Sox fan in mass..
July 12, 2006

We saw this game on our honeymoon. We had gone to the World's Fair in Flushing NY at same time and I dragged my new bride to a baseball game. I continue to remind her she saw a classic of Spahn vs Gibson. Our marriage continues 41 years later. Seen many Red Sox games since then.

1965 was a time when Mets had many over the hill guys who like Spahn once were the best. Cardinals were a power and Gibson was on the way to being one of the best ever leading to his brilliant 1967 World Series vs my Sox.

May 14, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 5, Cincinnati Reds 3

Dave Saucier
June 9, 2004
Exceptionally well-played. The Mets knocked out Reds' ace Joey Jay, as Charlie Smith and Johnny Lewis homered. Complete game by Al Jackson. Ron Swoboda, recently called up from the minors, was replaced by Casey in the outfield by Jim Hickman, who saved the game with a great running catch. Neither Ron Hunt nor Pete Rose played, but Vada Pinson and Frank Robinson did. The Mets were but a few games under .500 after this win, but couldn't sustain the pace. A visitor from Massachusetts, I've kept my score card in the attic. Friendly crowd of more than 37,000. Modern crowds should be so good natured.

May 16, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 6, Cincinnati Reds 2

Dean Hoffman
August 26, 2003
My first major league game with my dad. I was 8. The game ended and it was quite exciting to be in a big league stadium and have all the peanuts and crackerjacks my 8 yr. old stomach could handle!

After the game, I took my scorecard and yearbook (I still have the yearbook) and was ready to leave when my dad informed me that there was another game!

My reaction was "I WANT TO GO HOME"! He begged and bribed me to stay for a couple of innings so that he could see an "all-time" great pitcher pitching for the Mets. I relented after about 5 minutes and a promise of ice cream!

That pitcher was the great Warren Spahn! Who knew??

May 20, 1965 County Stadium
Milwaukee Braves 7, Mets 1

Jack Waslin
July 22, 2012
It seems this was Warren Spahn's first game in Milwaukee as a non-member of the Braves. It seems he pitched well and unraveled in the 5th. Does any body remember this game? What was the crowd's reaction to Spahn? Was the building sold out? I'm really curious. Please help!

May 23, 1965 Sportsman's Park
St. Louis Cardinals 8, Mets 7

Alan
January 15, 2002
This was a memory that came back to me while I was going through the games. I believe the Mets took the lead in the top of the 14th, but Swoboda misjudged a line drive to right with the bases loaded and two out. The ball rolled to the wall, all three runners scored and Cards won.


Feat Fan
March 28, 2004

The Mets' Ron Swoboda took the field with a batting helmet stuck on his foot. Swoboda had kicked the helmet in disgust and, when he wasn't immediately able to extricate it, Casey Stengel ordered him to take the field as he was.

Sounds like "Rocky" the rookie had hisself quite the night!

May 24, 1965 Connie Mack Stadium
Mets 6, Philadelphia Phillies 2

NYB Buff
December 24, 2023
Warren Spahn pitched a complete game for his 360th career win in this doubleheader opener at Philadelphia. Spahn would collect three more wins with the Giants later in the season for a left-handers record of 363. No pitcher, either lefty of righty, has reached that total since then.

May 24, 1965 Connie Mack Stadium
Mets 4, Philadelphia Phillies 1

Gary Crawford
April 8, 2013
Thomas' infield hit off Lary in 6th was viewed as an error by many. If it had been ruled as an error Lary would have had a no hitter going into the 9th. Many felt he grooved one to the leadoff batter in the 9th (HR) to get the official scorer off the hook.


NYB Buff
December 24, 2023

Gary, it was Tony Gonzalez who got the single off Frank Lary in the sixth inning and not Frank Thomas. Lary still had a one-hit shutout going until Gonzalez homered to begin the bottom of the ninth. Whatever the facts were in regard to the official scorer over Gonzalez's two hits didn't matter. Lary still got his well-deserved win.

After Gonzalez's home run, Dick Allen singled and Tug McGraw came in relieve Lary. McGraw retired three of the next four batters to finish off a doubleheader sweep for the Mets. This was Tug's first save of his major league career.

May 30, 1965 Shea Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 9, Mets 1

J. Eckert
March 31, 2002
Game 1 of probably the most dreadful doubleheader in Mets history. See the game 2 score also to fully understand why. Getting to a Mets game was a huge event in my life at age 15. It was Memorial day weekend, the possibility was a tiny bit alive we might make the trip from Pennsylvania, but it didn't happen. The only thing I remember was looking at the scores next day and being glad we never undertook the trip. Does anyone else remember actually attending this butt-kicking, one for each cheek? Tell me some tale of the agony of watching 18 innings of 21-1 battering, (or however many innings you endured). Or maybe it was one of those events that was so bad it was actually good in some perverse way.

May 30, 1965 Shea Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 12, Mets 0

J. Eckert
April 1, 2002
See also game 44, the first of the doubleheader. I dare anyone to come up with a more wretched Mets twin-bill in their history. Wasn't really there, was glad of that. Never was the cliche "they haven't given the fans much to cheer about today" probably more often said and more true.

So let me know if you were there and what you remembered, if not repressed, seeing that this must have gone beyond even "lovable losers" entertainment.


Tom
September 27, 2005

We were visiting friends in the City and took in this doubleheader, riding the subway to Shea Stadium with some neighborhood kids form Flushing. It was my first time at Shea, and also my first time seeing the Mets play in person. Despite the drubbing, the games didn't seem really out of hand until the later innings when the Pirates poured it on. (or the Mets just fell apart). What I remember most was great pitching performances by Bob Friend and Vern Law of the Pirates this day. Though 40 years ago, I can still recall that in game two Bucs pitcher Vern Law was totally in command and constantly ahead on the count on the Mets hitters all day. Couldn't help admiring a really impressive performance by Pirates pitching.

May 31, 1965 Wrigley Field
Mets 3, Chicago Cubs 3

Ed K
June 10, 2006
I am surprised the Mets did not have more 2nd games of doubleheaders at Wrigley cut short before lights were installed there.

June 3, 1965 Forbes Field
Mets 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 6

George Cassidy
April 14, 2002
This was the first MLB game I ever attended. 2nd grade was winding down and I went to Forbes Field with my Dad and one of his co-workers. I think I remember the Pirates being down 8-0, in the ninth, and while most of the Pittsburgh faithful had long left, the Pirates managed to stage a ninth inning rally to get to 8-6. I think the last out was a deep fly out to center by Bill Virdon. Deep center at Forbes Field was about 460, if memory serves, and we all thought for a minute that the Pirates had the win. Great first game memory; has lasted a lifetime. Does any one have a copy of a box score or news article on this game?


Bob P
June 16, 2005

To follow up on George Cassidy's post in 2002, The Mets did indeed have an 8-0 lead in this game, but the Pirates scored six times in the bottom of the eighth, not the ninth. Bill Virdon made the last of out the eighth inning, but it was a groundout with the bases empty.

The Pirates did not threaten in the ninth. Former Pirate Tom Parsons pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save, which was the only save of his major league career.

June 8, 1965 Shea Stadium
San Francisco Giants 2, Mets 1

RBR
September 30, 2015
It was pouring rain before the game. Batting practice was rained out. As a 9 year old I was so worried the game wouldn't be played.

Galen Cisco pitched a great game! First 2 pitches of the game were strikes to Schofield. He hit Dick Schoefield with the next pitch. Jesus Alou then singled and then Willie Mays hit a double off the left field wall to drive in both runs. Ron Swoboda, a rookie, hit a homer in the middle innings, but that's all the Mets could muster.

I remember it like it was yesterday!

June 9, 1965 Shea Stadium
San Francisco Giants 4, Mets 2

J. Eckert
April 6, 2002
Two things I can remember about this game was that Willie Mays hit a homer, maybe 2, and that Jesse Gonder took a called 3rd strike on a perfect pitch that got about a molecule of the outside corner.


Bob P
April 28, 2006

To follow up on J. Eckert's post in April 2002, Willie Mays did hit one homer in this game, a two- run shot off Jack Fisher in the top of the first. Willie later singled to drive in what would be the winning run in the top of the eighth.

Gonder was called out on strikes as a pinch- hitter in the bottom of the seventh with two on and one out. An oddity (by today's standards): Gonder was batting for leadoff hitter Bobby Klaus, and one of the runners on base was pitcher Jack Fisher, who had just batted for himself!

Charley Smith homered off Gaylord Perry in the bottom of the fourth after a Johnny Lewis single for the Mets runs. Gaylord recovered to pitch a complete game and strike out nine, including the last two batters of the game, pinch-hitters Joe Christopher and Hawk Taylor.

June 11, 1965 Shea Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Mets 1

Flitgun Frankie
November 12, 2020
Another tough one for Spahn. About a month after losing to the Phillies 1-0 on a home run by the opposing pitcher (Bunning), he loses one 2-1 on a home run by the opposing pitcher (Drysdale).

The Mets were getting some pretty good pitching this year, but talk about a bad hitting ball club. Looking at that line up might not even scare a Double-A pitcher.

June 12, 1965 Shea Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Mets 0

rich edwards
September 19, 2002
Attended this Saturday afternoon game. Koufax pitched. He had a no hitter for about four innings. When the first Met hit blooped into right field you could sense the fan disappointment. I think every fan in the stadium was rooting for a no-no. Koufax had an aura about him. I don't think anyone disliked him. It's a shame the mindset of the sixties was for a pitcher to complete every game he started. Koufax may have avoided arthritis and lasted a lot longer.


Bob P
June 16, 2005

Accoring to retrosheet, Koufax gave up his first hit to Hawk Taylor with one out in the second, a clean single to CF.

Al Jackson pitched well (outstanding by today's standards, 3ER in 7 innings) but it wasn't good enough with Sandy on the mound. Koufax retired ten of the last eleven batters in the game and did not allow a hit after the sixth inning.


klem klimek
June 27, 2011

I was 13 years old and a zealous Dodger fan living in Connecticut. (How that came to be is another story.) I remember watching the Friday night game on tv. Hard to imagine what station would have been carrying the game in northern Connecticut. During that game, I seem to remember a pause in the action while the Dodger trainer had to come out to the mound to pop Don Drysdale's arm back into its socket after a pitch. Hard to believe that's accurate, but I remember it pretty strongly.

During the game the next day's starters were announced. Koufax going for the Dodgers! Well, my father, younger sister, and I were taking a bus trip to the 1965 New York World's Fair that Saturday with a Polish cultural organization (I still have the replica of the "Pieta" I bought at the Vatican pavilion that day after seeing the real thing bathed in a blue light.) On the way down to Flushing I told my father, "Koufax is pitching today." Well, being a loving father, while the rest of the group toured the fair, he walked my sister and I across the highway overpass from the fairgrounds to Shea.

When we got to a ticket window I asked the vendor for three seats behind the Dodger dugout. I believe it was Ladies Day as well.

Well we got three seats behind the dugout, in the last row of the upper deck behind third base. From up there I am not able to attest that Sandy was actually on the mound. Any ball hit in the air looked like it could be a home run or a foul back.

I would love to find the photos taken on my old Kodak Instamatic of the Dodgers and Sandy on the field. No zoom back then. You'd have to trust me that the picture has Koufax in it.

Sorry Met fans, but that Dodger lineup contained mythological figures to this young Dodger worshipper - Wills, Davis, Gilliam et al. and KOUFAX!!! The greatest. Can't remember many details from the game, but very thankful to this site for the box score which triggers very strong memories.

During this same time period, I sent separate letters to three Dodgers: Sandy, Drysdale, and Wills - c/o Dodger Stadium, Chavez Ravine, Los Angeles, CA.

"Dear Sandy (or Don or Maury). Would you please autograph the piece of paper enclosed and send it back in the self addressed stamped envelope. thank you, ______"

I didn't get anything for a while, but can you imagine how I felt upon opening an envelope with my handwriting on it with a postmark from the unimaginable land of California and finding the 3 by 5" piece of paper inside with simple "Sandy Koufax" written on it? (Never got anything back from Drysdale or Wills.) I really don't care if Sandy signed it himself, or a secretary or whomever, but forever - KOUFAX WAS/IS THE GREATEST!!!

That was my first visit to Shea. My father took me and my cousin to one other Dodger/Mets game a few later. A game the Mets won despite a Ron Fairly home run off the right field foul pole. That night, there was a sign on the scoreboard saying that Willie Mays and the Giants would be coming in for a visit. You don't know what you got till it's gone. I can also remember my father complaining about the preponderance of semi trucks on the highway on the way home to Connecticut while my cousin kept tormenting me by singing "Meet the Mets".

long live Shea and Mr. Met and Choo Choo and Koos and Swoboda and Cleon and Grote and Jane Jarvis.


klem klimek
June 3, 2013

Drysdale the stud!! I swear I remember watching Dodgers/Mets on tv in June 65 when his shoulder popped out during a pitch, my memory is that I could hear it pop over the tv speaker. The trainer came out, popped it back in, and Don was good to go. The next day, my dad, sister, and I took a bus trip to the New York World's Fair with a Polish group from Enfield. Well, I told my dad "Koufax is pitching today" so after some fair visiting we walked over the highway to Shea Stadium, my dad bought 3 tickets and we saw Sandy defeat the Mets. At least I think it was Sandy. At the ticket window I asked the man for seats behind the Dodger dugout. It was Ladies' Day so my sister got a discount. Well we got tix behind the Dodger dugout alright but they were in the top row of the stadium. From up there it could have been Alston pitching for all we knew, and he probably could have beat that Met lineup. I took a picture of the Dodgers and Sandy on the field with my Kodak instamatic. Wish I knew where that photo is.

June 13, 1965 Shea Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Mets 2

Ed K
January 24, 2016
This doubleheader drew 57,175 in attendance - an all-time record that still stands for the regular season. Of course, the Mets lost both games!

June 13, 1965 Shea Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Mets 3

Mr. Met
October 4, 2023
The crowd came to its feet with applause when Podres strode in from the bullpen.

June 14, 1965 Crosley Field
Mets 1, Cincinnati Reds 0

Joe
November 27, 2001
Reds' Jim Maloney had no-hit the Mets for 9 innings at Crosley field. Johnny Lewis homered in the 10th to win the game.


Bruce
September 13, 2003

Maloney no hit Mets for 10 innings.Lewis hit HR in 11th.


Ed K
February 8, 2006

Little known fact: this game was the first combined shutout by Met pitchers. Casey liked to let pitchers who were pitching a shutout go for the complete game. This was the only combined shutout during his Met managerial career. Wes Westrum had a different view and after he took over as manager the following month after this, the Mets had several more combined shutouts the rest of 1965.


Mr. Met
July 31, 2018

I remember listening to this game on my transistor radio...I was 13.

June 20, 1965 Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Mets 1

Richard Culvyhouse
May 2, 2011
Great memories with my father on a Father's Day (and my birthday) doubleheader seeing Spahn, Koufax and Drysdale all pitch from our nosebleed seats on a sold-out Sunday; Koufax bested Spahn with a one hitter, but Spahn had a courageous end-of-career performance!


Flitgun Frankie
November 12, 2020

Father's Day wasn't good for the Mets in those days. A year after getting a perfect game thrown at them on Father's Day, in Shea Stadium by Bunning, they get a one-hitter thrown at them in Dodger Stadium by Koufax. Koufax got them out in order in the first three innings, and the first guy out in the fourth, so that was 37 consecutive Mets going down on Father's Day over two years. Hickman's hit was a HR, so Koufax didn't even get a shut out.

A recording of the broadcast of this game is available for listening, and it sounds like, except for that one shot by Hickman, the Mets didn't even bring their bats up to the plate. It was like, "Why bother?" Also, all three Met announcers pointed out (several times) that this was the first time the Dodgers ever started both Koufax and Drysdale in a double header. I see the Mets beat Drysdale in the second game, which would have raised their all-time record vs. Drysdale (up to that point) to 2-15.

June 24, 1965 Astrodome
Houston Astros 4, Mets 2

Feat Fan
July 11, 2005
No matter how bad life gets for the Astros, they always have one thing to fall back on - they are better than the Mets. The expansion twins get together for a four-game series in Houston and the New Yorkers are a sight for weary Houston eyes.

As usual, the Mets are generous guests, giving up three unearned runs as the Astros take the series opener, 4-2, behind the five-hit pitching of Claude Raymond. Bob Aspromonte doubles off Jack Fisher in the second and advances on a bunt single by Jim Wynn. A wild pitch brings Aspro home. Ron Brand walks. Next, Bob Lillis taps back to Fisher who fires to second to start a double play - except nobody is covering second. Wynn comes home on the error. Raymond then hits a roller to Ed Kranepool at first but, after seeing Fisher is late breaking to the bag, Kranepool loses his race to Raymond at first base while Brand scores. In the fifth, Joe Morgan triples off the right field fence and Lee Maye plates him with a single for the last Houston run. Raymond gives way to Jim Owens with two aboard in the ninth who picks up his third save while Claude evens his own mark at 3-3.

June 25, 1965 Astrodome
Houston Astros 6, Mets 2

Feat Fan
July 7, 2005
The Astros pass the 1,000,000 mark in attendance for the first time. The lucky person, selected by postgame drawing to be chosen as the millionth fan, was Mrs. Charley Williams of Jacksonville, TX who is there to watch her first baseball game.

She picked a dandy, starting with a pitching matchup for the ages. That would be 44-year-old legend Warren Spahn against 18-year-old Larry Dierker. It is Houston left fielder Lee Maye who plays like someone having a senior moment, dropping two fly balls and pinning another one against his chest like it was a fair catch. But Dierker works around this, nine hits and three walks over six innings to come out with a 6-2 victory. Nine strikeouts help to bail him out of trouble. Joe Morgan opens the scoring with a triple to left-center in the second (his sixth of the year), driving in Maye and Dierker. In the fifth, Dierker singles and Morgan walks before a single by Joe Gaines chases them home. Jim Wynn triples to left-center for another run and Spahn gets the hook but his understudy, Tom Parsons, is touched for singles by Walt Bond and Bob Aspromonte to push the lead up to 6-1. Dave Giusti, having lost his starting role, finishes with three innings of relief.

New York infielder Chuck Hiller is ejected after his relay toss strikes umpire Ken Burkhart in the leg.

June 26, 1965 Astrodome
Houston Astros 2, Mets 0

Feat Fan
July 4, 2005
New York (23-47) at Houston (31-41) The Astrodome

Turk Farrell makes his third solid start in a row, blanking the Mets on a five-hitter, 2-0. The shutout shrinks Farrell's ERA down to 2.10.

Joe Morgan scores the game's only runs, both beginning with walks. In the first, he steals second against Frank Lary and comes home on a single by Jim Gentile. In the sixth, he crosses the plate on a double by Lee Maye, who had three hits. Jim Wynn steals his 13th base of the year to break the club record held by Roman Mejias.

The only person to give Farrell any trouble on the night is Charley Smith who raps three hits, including two doubles, but gets no help from his teammates. 33,500 attend for a Saturday night show that is over in just two hours and eight minutes.

June 27, 1965 Astrodome
Houston Astros 4, Mets 2

Feat Fan
April 13, 2004
Nice matchup in Houston, "Little Al Jackson" vs Bob Bruce. Bruce hurls 8 strong innings, fanning 10 and Lee Maye hits a home run to aid his cause.


Feat Fan
July 13, 2005

The Mets' offense had tallied just 32 runs in their last 23 games and Bob Bruce extends their misery with a 4-2 triumph to sweep the four-game series. Bruce fans ten and walks one while giving up just three hits over eight innings. Bruce also singles home a run and Lee Maye delights the throng with a solo homer off Al Jackson. Jim Wynn and Walt Bond each have two hits and an RBI. Wynn adds his 14th steal. The Mets, however, don't go quietly in the ninth. After Bruce leaves with a sore shoulder, Jim Owens allows two hits. Mike Cuellar comes in to get the final two outs and the save. Houston is 7-1 against the New Yorkers this season, 6-0 at the Astrodome.

July 5, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 3, Chicago Cubs 2

Bob P
August 23, 2006
The Mets swept this holiday weekend doubleheader at Shea, winning game one by the score of 3-2. Warren Spahn made his second-to-last appearance for the Mets and pitched four innings. Larry Bearnarth pitched five innings of one-hit relief for his third and final win of the 1965 season.

The Mets scored three runs in the first. Billy Cowan and Roy McMillan both singled, then with one out Ron Swoboda hit his fourteenth home run of the season. Jim Hickman followed with a single. But the most memorable thing about this game was that after Hickman's single, Cubs' pitchers Dick Ellsworth and Lindy McDaniel retired the last 26 batters they faced!

Another amazing coincidence---this was the last time the Mets had all their hits in the first inning of a game they won until 41 years to the day later, when they pulled off the same feat against Pittsburgh.

July 5, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 3, Chicago Cubs 0

Bob P
May 24, 2006
This was Tom Parsons' shining moment in his major league career: his final major league win (he only had two), his second complete game, and his only shutout.

The Mets swept this doubleheader at Shea and in game two Parsons allowed six hits as the tenth place Mets gained ground on the ninth place Cubs. Ron Swoboada hit a two-run homer in the second and Jim Hickman drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth for the only other Mets run.

Unfortunately, after this sweep the Mets went on a ten game losing streak.

Parsons finished the year 1-10 for New York but was a part of their long term success in that he was traded to Houston after the 1965 season in exchange for Jerry Grote.

July 7, 1965 Shea Stadium
Chicago Cubs 8, Mets 3

Jim Serven
June 2, 2010
A special game for me, my first Met (and MLB) game at age 10. My grandfather brought me to this game. Many years later, after his death, I went to a library and dug out the NY Times account of the game. Turns out it was Senior Citizens Day so he got in for free (which is presumably why he chose it) except for a very negligible service charge, which could not have been more than 50 cents and was probably less.

As might be expected, vague memories are mixed with some very vivid ones, such as:

A special day.

July 9, 1965 Shea Stadium
Houston Astros 6, Mets 2

Feat Fan
July 13, 2005
The Astros jump on Jack Fisher early, allowing Larry Dierker a cushion to sink the last-place Mets, 6-2. Rusty Staub plates Lee Maye with a first-inning single before Houston explodes with five runs in the second. Jim Wynn doubles to start the uprising, followed by a walk to Gus Triandos and an error by Chuck Hiller which allows Bob Lillis to reach first and load the bases. One out later, Morgan rips a triple to right that drives in three and causes Fisher to get the hook from Manager Casey Stengel. Lee Maye triples off Gordie Richardson to score Morgan and Maye comes home from third when Met shortstop Roy McMillan hauls in Staub's pop fly in shallow left.

Dierker scatters seven hits in eight innings as he gets his third victory. Ron Taylor works a perfect ninth. Houston also swipes four bases, two of them by Wynn - his club-leading 19th and 20th of the season.

July 10, 1965 Shea Stadium
Houston Astros 10, Mets 1

Feat Fan
July 11, 2005
Houston scores early and often for the second straight night. Legendary lefthander Warren Spahn is spanked for four runs in just over an inning's work. The Mets release the 44-year-old southpaw four days later with a 4-12 record.

Joe Morgan cracks two more home runs to give him ten for the season and six in the past two weeks. The other 17 Houston hits are all singles as Lee Maye, Jim Wynn, Rusty Staub and Bob Lillis slap three each in the 10-1 rout. Wynn steals his 21st base of the season. He's been thrown out only twice.

Dick Farrell celebrates his naming to the National League All-Star team by coasting to his seventh win. His only run allowed is a homer from Johnny Lewis in the second. Ron Taylor works the final three innings in relief for the Astros.


Ed K
September 6, 2008

My first game at Shea and Warren Spahn's last game pitching for the Mets. It was a slight improvement over my first Met game in the Polo Grounds in 1962 when the Mets lost 15-1 !

July 20, 1965 County Stadium
Milwaukee Braves 7, Mets 1

Bob P
September 19, 2003
From retrosheet.org: In the game of July 20, 1965, the Braves won 7-1, scoring all 7 in the 7th inning, the last two on a home run by Henry Aaron off Larry Miller. After the game, Stengel is quoted after being asked why he'd bring in a mediocre lefty to face Hank Aaron: "You don't bring in the best surgeon when the patient is already dead."

July 21, 1965 Forbes Field
Mets 1, Pittsburgh Pirates 0

Ed K
September 18, 2005
Perhaps the first of the near misses by Met pitchers trying to pitch a no-hitter. Jackson took a no-hitter into the 8th inning but future Hall Of Famer Willie Stargell broke it up. He ended up with a two-hitter.

Jackson is more often remembered for his one- hitter on 6/22/62 beating Houston 2-0 in the opener of a twi-light doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. In that game, however, he gave up the hit in the first inning, so there wasn't the hope of a no-hitter as the game went on.

July 23, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 3, Philadelphia Phillies 2

Spartacus
July 27, 2017
This was Casey Stengel's final win as a major league manager. The game had the bizarre feature of Phillies players colliding with each other on pop-ups three times in the eighth and ninth innings. A total of seven Philadelphia guys, two of whom got hurt and had to leave, were involved in the collisions. John Stephenson got an RBI single in the 10th to win it for the Mets, but Stengel would not see victory again. He suffered his own injury in a fall one night later and was forced into retirement immediately.

July 24, 1965 Shea Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Mets 1

J. G. Jennings
June 6, 2002
This was the first MLB game I attended. I was nine. As I dimly recall, Bunning started and won for PHI, there were no home runs, and the game was preceded by an Oldtimers' game between '55 Dodgers and Giants in which Bobby Thomson again homered down the left-field line.


rich edwards
June 13, 2002

JG, I was at this game also, mainly to see the old timers. Thompson did indeed hit a homer off Branca. They actually brought Branca to pitch especially to him. I'm sure he just lobbed it right in. The real game was almost deja-vu as Bunning retired the first 13 or so batters until Johnny Lewis got an infield single.


Bob P
January 23, 2004

This was Old Timer's Day 1965, and it turned out to be Casey Stengel's final game as Mets manager. After the game Casey, perhaps enjoying the company of his old friends a little too much, had a nasty fall and broke his hip. The Mets were 31- 64 following the loss.


Tom P
September 27, 2013

First MLB game I ever attended, was soon to turn 7. Went with my Dad and his friend whose cigarette butt dropped on my knee leaving my first Mets scar. Roy Campanella got a standing O during the old timers introduction. The other old timers name that struck me was Van Lingo Mungo. We sat near Bobby Thomson on the train ride home to NJ.


Bill Yovino
June 1, 2022

My dad had been a diehard Brooklyn fan growing up. He took me to this game and to a few other Old timers games over the years. I remember how his face lit up as they announced each former Brooklyn Dodger and I remember the standing ovation for Roy Campanella. Of course the Mets didn't have any old timers of their own yet but it was nostalgic for so many in attendance.

July 25, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 8, Philadelphia Phillies 1

Joel
August 13, 2003
The very first game I ever went to! A doubleheader (we stayed only for the first game) my father took me to Shea for the first time ever. We had terrific box seats near the first base dugout. The Mets won the first game beating Bo Belinksy. I think (I might be wrong) that the very first major league batter I ever saw- Cookie Rojas - hit a lead off HR for the Phillies in this game.


Bob P
January 23, 2004

This was Wes Westrum's first game as Mets "interim" manager while Casey recovererd from his broken hip.

If I recall correctly, Wes was very well liked, but many people were surprised that he got the job over Yogi, who of course had played for Casey, and who had joined the Mets the past winter after being fired by the Yankees.

July 29, 1965 Wrigley Field
Mets 14, Chicago Cubs 0

Ed K
April 6, 2008
Set a record for most-lopsided shutout win in Mets history. Later tied on 4-19-98.

July 29, 1965 Wrigley Field
Chicago Cubs 2, Mets 1

Ed K
December 29, 2015
Musgraves had his only MLB start in this game. He hurt his elbow, went on the DL, and never made it back to the big leagues. He is one of six Mets born on Christmas Day.

August 3, 1965 Shea Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 7, Mets 0

Robert M McDonald
December 10, 2021
This was my first baseball game that I attended. My dad brought my older brother, older sister, and I to the game. I was 7 years old and had became excited about baseball earlier that season because my dad, a former Giants fan, was watching the Mets on WOR-TV Channel 9; at seven years old, I guess I was getting mature enough to appreciate and excited about the game of baseball through the black and white images on our Zenith 19 inch tv in Caldwell, NJ.

But let's back-up a few weeks . . .

In July our family had gone to the World's Fair for the day. At night, while we waited for the subway, we walked to the ramp leading to Shea. As most Mets fans recall, from that ramp a person could see into the stadium from "right field". You could only see the batter at home plate, the pitcher on the mound, the first baseman and the right fielder through that sliver of daylight between the backs of the stadium and the scoreboard. When I looked, I saw something I never saw before: multi-colored seats rising to Heaven; cigar and cigarette smoke creating a haze around the brilliant lights on top of the stadium; the rich green of the grass; the distant but excited burst of the crowd when a Met got on base. WOW, what an image! THIS WASN'T CHANNEL 9! IT WAS IN COLOR! This was pretty heady stuff for a seven year old.

So, I guess mom and dad thought this was as good a time as any to teach me the "facts of life" as a Mets fan. My dad probably bought the tickets a few days later in downtown New York where he worked. The tickets were for the Tuesday August 3 game v the Pirates.

Because I was seven, I probably was overwhelmed with the whole event of being at Shea; the playing of the game was secondary.

Here though are images, snippets that have remained in my memory of that game:
1 --- We sat in Mezzanine Reserved, Section 7. Since my dad was only a clerk in a brokerage firm, he could only afford $2.75 per ticket. Field box seats were out of his financal league; they were $3.50 per ticket. PS-The last year of Shea and my last game at Shea in 2008, for old time sake and to complete the circle, I bought a ticket to a August game, sat in Mezzanine Reserve, Section 7. I can't recall the 2008 price but my dad would have thought I became a millionaire after he had died. I pretty sure it wasn't $2.75.
2 --- I remember seeing Ralph Kiner or Bob Murphy standing near the Mets dugout with a stick microphone interviewing a Mets player before the game. Hmm, no tv camera on the field? My dad said it was in the press box just below our seats opposite first base. Ohhhh.
3 --- I saw Mr. Met walking around on the field before the game shaking hands and having his picture taken with those stuck-up rich fans in the field boxes. Now, I may not have known what 6 X 7 was in school but I knew Mr. Met was just a guy in a Mets uniform with a baseball-shaped hydrocephalic head. My dad said it was made of paper-mache. Ohhhh.
4 --- Sometime during the game, one of the umpires was injured. I don't know which umpire or how it happened but I swear I saw him being carried off the field on a stretcher. Now, here on this page, I see this photo on the back of the Daily News, the next day. It shows the ump walking off the field with help from Chris Cannizzaro and trainer Gus Mauch. Maybe I imagined him on a stretcher? My dad always said it was my drinking too many Rheingolds at the game. Ohhh.
5 --- I learned the Mets version to the "Facts of Life" . . . they lost 7-0. But I stuck with the Mets through those horrible late '60s teams and was going to be rewarded with a unbelievable 1969! Ohhhhhh, now I get what it'll be like as a Mets fan.

lox & knishes and LETS GO METS !!!
bmcd

August 7, 1965 Shea Stadium
Chicago Cubs 7, Mets 1

Joseph Dubin
January 11, 2005
The Mets scored in the first but after that combined on a series of fielding errors and walks to lose to the Cubs, Chicago scoring seven runs even though they had only three base hits. I still remember the headline in a local sports page the next day: "Cubs Three Hit Attack Sinks Mets 7-1".


Bob P
June 16, 2005

This was the sixth straight loss for the Mets on their way to eleven in a row. As Joseph Dubin said in an earlier post, the Cubs scored seven runs with just three hits!

The weirdness started in the first inning as Cubs starter Bill Faul was hit with a shot off the bat of Mets leadoff batter Johnny Lewis. Cal Koonce came in to relieve Faul and held the Mets to one run in 3.2 innings (an RBI single by Ron Hunt) before veteran LHP Billy Hoeft pitched five shutout innings for the win.

The Cubs scored four in the top of the fifth with just two hits. Glenn Backert led off with a single, and after a fielder's choice and error by Galen Cisco, the Cubs had runners at second and third with no one out. Pinch hitter Doug Clemens reached on an error by Ed Kranepool then an infield out gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead. After a walk, Billy Williams doubled in tow more runs and it was 4-1 Cubs.

In the seventh, Gordie Richardson walked a batter then hit a batter, and Billy Williams followed with a three run homer, giving him two of the Cubs' three hits and five RBI for the afternoon.

August 8, 1965 Shea Stadium
Chicago Cubs 14, Mets 10

Bob P
January 23, 2004
After losing game one of this doublehader at Shea, 7-6, the Mets take a lead into the ninth inning of game two. But the Cubs score six runs in the top of the ninth inning to win the game, 14-10, and sweep the four game series. Cubs catcher Chris Krug strikes out twice in that ninth inning.

It's the eighth straight loss for the Mets on their way to eleven straight (their longest streak of the year), and drops their record to 34- 78.


Feat Fan
June 14, 2004

Recently released by the Mets, Warren Spahn wins his 361st victory and first as a Giant. San Francisco beats the Cards 6–4 ... In New York, the Cubs score six runs in the 9th inning to whip the Mets, 14–10. Chris Krug is not much help in the 9th, as the Cubbie strikes out twice. It's the first time since 1922 a Cub has K'ed twice in one inning.

I think that this was a banner day doubleheader. If I am correct, the famous " Don't Get Sore, The Mets And I Are Only Four" banner was paraded around the diamond between games and made the '66 yearbook!

August 11, 1965 Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 1, Mets 0

Bob P
September 8, 2004
The Mets were still 0-for-August after this 1-0 loss to Don Drysdale. It was their tenth straight loss to start the month and they would make it eleven before beating the Astros on August 13.

Gordie Richardson, who came to the Mets with Johnny Lewis from the 1964 World Champion Cardinals, took the loss in relief in this game. Maury Wills and Jim Gilliam singled in the seventh inning, and Wills scored on a passed ball by Chris Cannizzaro.

August 13, 1965 Astrodome
Houston Astros 3, Mets 2

Feat Fan
October 4, 2005
New York (34-80) at Houston (47-67) The Astrodome

Friday the 13th is an appropriate time to get together the two clubs at the bottom of the standings. Once again, the Mets demonstrate why they deserve to be last. After an error by Bob Lillis leads to two New York runs in the fifth, the Astros tie it in the seventh against Jack Fisher. Joe Morgan draws a walk then Jim Wynn singles. Jim Gentile and Bob Aspromonte spank base hits to get the two runs home. Don Nottebart is doing well, scattering six hits over nine innings when he gets a break to get his third win. Morgan leads off the ninth with a fly to short left. Shortstop Roy McMillian races out to get it but collides with left fielder Jim Hickman as Morgan pulls into second. A long fly out by Wynn advances him to third. Gentile and Aspromonte are walked intentionally to fill the bases. Rusty Staub, limping with a hamstring injury, slaps the game-winning hit for a 3-2 victory.

August 14, 1965 Astrodome
Mets 1, Houston Astros 0

Ed K
March 5, 2006
Finally, on thier 8th try, the Mets won a game in the Astrodome!


Flitgun Frankie
November 20, 2020

The winning run, scored by Chuck Hiller, was set up by Hiller stealing second base. They mentioned on the broadcast that it was Hiller's first stolen base of the year. It turned out to be his only stolen base. Earlier in the game, Charlie Smith stole two bases, his first and second of the year. They were the only two HE had all year. What was going on with the Astros, LOL. Hiller scored on a suicide squeeze by Ron Hunt. They tried the squeeze on about five straight pitches during that at bat, and it only finally worked because the Astros' pitcher, Danny Coombs, threw the ball away. Well, keep on trying. I remember Coombs later on as a pitcher for the Padres. Being with the Astros and Padres at that time meant you saw a lot of bad baseball.

This must have been Darrell Sutherland's best game in the Major Leagues. He pitched 4 innings and gave up no hits and got the win. He faced the minimum amount of batters because the two walks he gave up both were eliminated on double plays. I don't remember seeing Darrell Sutherland play, but I do remember his brother Gary, who was a weak hitting SS for the Phillies and Expos.

Also, during the broadcast, Bob Murphy was bragging on the Mets having two "great" catching prospects in their farm system. One was Greg Goossen and the other was Tug McGraw's brother Henry. I read elsewhere on this website that Henry was an outfielder, but I guess they were trying to turn him into a catcher by 1965. Well, you could count on Bob Murphy to be optimistic.

August 15, 1965 Astrodome
Mets 3, Houston Astros 0

Michael Weil
August 20, 2004
I've no memories of this game, played in Houston at the newly-opened Astrodome. What this game may be best noted for -- aside from an Al Jackson win -- is what happened at Shea Stadium that night.

The Beatles played before a packed house as Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon turned in the best infield performance in the two-year history of the new ballpark!


Ed K
February 22, 2006

Actually, what the game should be noted for is that it completed the first back-to-back shutouts by Met pitchers in history. The Mets had won 1-0 on the previous night.

August 21, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 6, St. Louis Cardinals 2

Larry
May 9, 2005
My first visit to Shea Stadium. I was 7 years old at the time. My Dad and I had great seats, Fat Jack Fisher was on the mound, and the Mets won! Joe Christopher drove in a couple of runs, the Mets' fielding was good, and they beat the defending champs. All in all, a great initiation to live baseball. The stadium wasn't full, and in retrospect, it was probably because the '64-'65 Worlds Fair was winding down next door in Flushing Meadows Park, and visitors were more likely to go to fair than the game. Despite obvious realities, I assumed that Mets would always win when I attended. Unfortunately, my youthful optimism didn't pan out.

August 22, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 7, St. Louis Cardinals 5

NYB Buff
December 8, 2023
A great comeback win for the Mets in the first game of a doubleheader. Darrell Sutherland pitched six shutout innings before the Cardinals scored three runs in the seventh and two more against reliever Gordie Richardson in the eighth. The Mets rallied with five in the bottom of the eighth, capped off by Jim Hickman's three-run homer as a pinch-hitter. Dave Eilers then hurled a scoreless top of the ninth for his first career save.

August 22, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 4, St. Louis Cardinals 2

Shickhaus Franks
May 24, 2014
Earlier today, I was watching an MLB Network special on the infamous John Roseboro-Juan Marichal brawl at Candlestick and they played a radio clip of Bob Murphy breaking the news on the brawl; this was pre-ESPN and pre-24 hour sports radio.


NYB Buff
December 8, 2023

The Mets defeated the Cardinals for a doubleheader sweep on a Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium. Tug McGraw hurled a complete game (yes, he was once a starting pitcher) for his first major league win. Roy McMillan hit a triple in the bottom of the fifth inning that scored Ron Hunt and put the Mets ahead to stay. In the sixth, Joe Christopher doubled to drive home Ron Swoboda. McGraw then faced the minimum nine batters in shutting down the Redbirds from the seventh to the ninth.

August 24, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 3

Thom
January 4, 2021
Went to this game 55 years ago with my father to see Al Jackson pitch. Remember Chris Cannizzaro, who had a rocket for an arm, throw Wills out stealing and then later picking him off first. Down 3-1 in bottom of 9th, Mets score 3 to win on John Stephenson's bases-loaded pitch-hit double. Jackson pitched a tough 8 innings, but unfortunately didn't get the win.

August 25, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 5

Patrick Sweeney
October 20, 2004
I sat in Johnny Murphy's (Mets GM) seats, second row behind home plate with my 3 friends, one of which had a sister that married J. Murphy's son! I talked him out of going to the Sandy Koufax game, the the Mets had never beaten him. Boy! Was he upset the next day after the Mets beat Koufax. I remember we talked to Joe Christopher before the game and he promised us a home run. I remember that he did hit a homer that game, but I can't find the box score of the game to verify my childhood memory!

August 26, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 2

Won Doney
August 30, 2001
This should be the game where Tug McGraw beat Sandy Koufax.


Joe
November 27, 2001

Yes, Mets beat Koufax for the first time ever! SK had been something like 20-0 against them over the years, including a no-hitter in '62. Considering that Koufax lost only 8 games in '65 and the Mets won only 50, this was a rare occurance for both sides!


DAN HEIDEL
March 14, 2003

It was a warm, humid night and the game had an electicity about it. I was with a group of guys from work and our seats were in deep left field. The only Dodger player I can specifically recall was the left-fielder Len Gabrielson who was right below our field of vision of the field. It was a classic match-up of David against Goliath with the great KOOFOO matched against the Tugger. Over the years, I have never forgotten the score of 5- 2 and I was hopeful in reading the most recent biography of Sandy Koufax that some mention of this game would have been made. Were it not for the Tugger's grave condition today, I never would have thought about doing a look-up. Tug was the man over Koufax on that great and wonderful night and he provided many other wonderful thrills in the pennant years of 1969 and 1973. He was the quintessential man playing a boys game and his enthusiasm and can do attitude "You Gotta Believe" made the players around him play better.


Michael
March 15, 2003

Yes, I was there with my Dad; it's one of those great memories. The news of Tug's condition led me to look up the game as well. It was indeed, one of the dog days of August and one of the first noteworthy Met victories. The Met were still a terrible team. Imagine, beating Sandy Koufax! Great fun. God bless my Dad, and God bless Tug.


son of the bronx
June 27, 2003

My first Met game. Dad got us mezzanine box seats a few feet away from the left field foul pole, providing us with a view of the Worlds Fair fireworks set off at 9 pm if I recall.

Yep, McGraw became the first Met to ever beat Koufax, and from 1966 at least thru 1973 [the You gotta believe year], McGraw's Topps baseball card reminded you of this fact.

But the best part of the game for this 5 year old was watching Joe Christopher and Ron Swoboda (?) hit back-to-back homers, both of which cruised right past me on the fair side of the pole.


Joel
August 9, 2003

Len Gabrielson was not on the Mets or Dodgers in the 1965 season, he was on the Giants. I was a big Koufax fan and this game made me sick. Ron Swoboda I remember making a lucky catch to save two runs. Big deal the Mets beat Sandy Koufax. As if he never lost in his life! This was his first game after the Roseboro - Marichal incident.


Lenny
September 30, 2003

Was at the game with my friend Paul and his Dad. I remember that the traffic was so bad driving out from NJ that we didn't get to our seats (upper deck, right field) until the 3rd inning.

I was/am a huge Giants fan so I loved every minute...for some reason I also remember that Don Drysdale pinch-hit for Sandy that night.


Art
January 6, 2004

I was 9 years old and sitting along the right field sideline with my dad. He kept telling me, "This is incredible, nobody beats Koufax." I read of Tug's passing today and I had to find this game. Did my childhood imagination make this up? Did it really happen? It happened. Tug beat Koufax.


Mr. Ed
September 18, 2006

Yes, this was the FIRST time ever the Mets beat Mr. Koufax. I too was there that night sitting on the first base side field level seats! My dad, mom and 3 older brothers were rooting for the Dodgers (what with them starting their baseball years with the Brooklyn Dodgers) and I was the lone Mets fan among us! Well, I was not a happy camper when I found out KouFou was pitching, but I was as honored as can be just to watch him pitch live and in person! A foul ball also landed in the box next to ours, the closest I've ever come to one, but I would have been crushed by my brothers in a fight for it. But, I got the happy ending by Tug beating perhaps the greatest pitcher of ALL time and I was there! The ride home was quiet since my brother told me to be quiet when I brought up the win!


Dave
March 28, 2013

My brother and I were there with our parents. I was 13 at the time. We were big Sandy Koufax fans. We took a bed sheet and wrote "All the way with Sandy K" on it and hung it on a railing before the game started. I remember many Dodger fans cheering when we unfolded it. We were sorry to see Sandy lose.

I'm trying to find out if the game was video recorded and if a recording of it is available, either from the Mets, the Dodgers or the TV station that broadcast the game, if in fact it was on television.

Can anyone give me an idea on how to find out if a video recording of it exists?


Larry Bernstein
April 12, 2013

I was at that game as a 14 year old. As I recall, when Koufax was pulled from the game he shrugged his shoulders and threw his mitt into the dugout. At least that's how I remember it.


Andrew
April 1, 2014

I was 13 years old, when I attended this game with my Dad and my 12 year old brother. I was very excited to see the fabulous Koufax and curious too about the new pitcher the Mets were starting that night, a kid named Tug McGraw. Tug who was 19 was making if not his first one of his first starts in the major leagues. It seemed a true David and Goliath confrontation.

We sat in the left field upper deck, right in front of a large group of sailors. It was early in the game when the Mets scored some runs against Koufax, later after Sandy had left the game, Ron Swoboda and Joe Christoper hit back to back home runs. I was thrilled to see my Mets finally breaking through against the invincible Sandy! Tug was great keeping the 1965 World Champs in check. Later that week the newspapers ran a photo of Tug M, who had done some barbering in the Marine Corps, giving a haircut to Yogi Berra, then the Mets first base coach.

My story about this game concludes with another very special memory. It was just a few days after the death of Tug McGraw in 2004 and I was returning from Florida with my wife from a visit to my mother-in-law in W.Palm Beach. After landing at LaGuardia, we went to an airport parking lot to reclaim our car when I recognized Ed Kranepool picking up his vehicle. I realized Ed was returning from Tug's funeral in Florida, and I introduced myself as a fan and of course I offered my condolences on the death of his friend and teammate. I then told Ed that I had attended the game the night that Tug had beaten Koufax and remarked what at great game that was. Ed's face and mood brightened immediately and as we shook hands he said "Yeah, that was a great game."


Canyon Rick
July 17, 2013

I saw this game as a 16-year-old with a high school friend. Pure luck that we choose a game Sandy Koufax started. As I recall, The Beatles had performed at Shea about a week earlier and you could still see some some spots where the turf hadn't recovered yet in the area behind 2nd Base. I remember thinking it looked hopeless even before the top of the 1st was completed as the Dodgers scored. I was sure the Dodgers would score more and the Mets would never catch up. But, amazingly, they tied it and then went ahead in the bottom of the first. Roy McMillan, a good fielder, but not so distinguished at the plate, got a double. I thought he'd be an easy out for Koufax. I remember the back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the 7th. Johnny Podres had come on and I remember being about excited about seeing the hero of Brooklyn's 1955 World Series win. I guess I learned something about aging athletes when Joe Christopher and Ron Swoboda hit high arcing homers that easily cleared the wall. Many were still cheering Christopher's homer when Swoboda hit a nearly identical one. For a moment, there was disbelief as back-to-back homers by the Mets against Dodger pitching seemed unimaginable.

This, along with the 1964 All-Star game, are the games I most remember.


Les
November 28, 2014

This game is the reason I became a Mets fan. My father took me to my first MLB game - my 9th birthday was the next day, and the excitement of a sold out stadium, and seeing for the first time the deep expanse of green grass of a major league park was breathtaking. When the game ended, I thought, if the Mets can beat the best pitcher in baseball, they must be a good team to root for. The rest is history.


Bernie
January 26, 2015

I was single and a "maniac" met fan. I had a bet with the bartender at my local saloon hangout. It was to be a shot of Power's Gold Irish whiskey for the winner of the bet. Well, I won and because of Tug's fantastic victory, it resulted in an unlimited amount of a Powers! I will never forget that night!


Tom
March 12, 2015

I was there too as an 8-year-old with my dad. Then a few years ago I took my son to a game on August 26th. They had a "on this date in history" and it was McGraw's victory. Great memories of my dad and new ones with my son.


Bill
May 10, 2015

Lived in Liberty, NY and five of us drove to Shea Stadium. We were seated on the third Base side a little high off the field. I never stopped talking about that game. The next day many of my friends and customers told me they had seen me on TV that evening since a camera must have been right in back of us. Four years later I moved to the Tampa Bay area and now root for the Rays!! That was a very special game.


Kevin Smith
October 4, 2015

I was there as well to see Tugger's great win; however somehow I remember it as a day game. I may be getting old, but that win was one to remember, particularly after so many spankings by the Jewish kid from Bensonhurst with the murderous fastball!


Eugene McElroy
August 5, 2019

Looking it up, I see that the Mets had a 4-game series vs the Dodgers from 8/23/65 to 8/26/65. Drysdale beat us in the first game but then the Mets (miraculously) took the next three. Al Jackson was the winner on 8/24, "Fat Jack" Fisher defeat Claude Osteen on the 25th and then the unforgettable win over Koufax on the 26th by the rookie Tug McGraw. Ex-Brooklyn Dodger World Series hero Johnny Podres came on in relief for Sandy in the 9th. A 21 year old rookie named Ron Swoboda, was batting clean-up for the Amazins. The other future Miracle Met playing that night was Ed Kranepool. I remember the games on the 25th and 26th, now 54 years ago, like they were yesterday because I was 10 at the time and was staying for a few nights at my grandmother's apartment on Grant Ave in Brooklyn. She let me stay up to watch the games. Staying up late was a big deal to this 10 year old! Nana was a big Mets fan as well!


Michael Donlon
March 31, 2020

This is one of the few individual Met games I remember. I was sitting way out in left field near the foul pole and just above the auxiliary scoreboard. These were the best seats we could get because of Koufax's immense popularity. I remember the back of Sandy's uniform was soaked because of the heat and humidity, also that when he came to bat late in the game trailing with men on base, a guy near me yelled, "Do it to yourself, Sandy!" He didn't and the Mets beat him for the first time, and behind Tug McGraw, who is not remembered as a starter. All of us Met fans went wild because of this unexpected victory. Ah, memories!


Steven Lester
July 6, 2021

My dad and I were at Shea that night in 1965 when rookie Tug McGraw went up against Sandy Koufax and became the first Met pitcher to beat him. I was only 10 years old then, but among the things I remember include my dad returning home the next morning before breakfast after his weekly run to the bakery with a copy of The Daily News where the front page headline screamed "METS KO SANDY." Among the highlights of the game, I remember a towering fly ball that left the park way over the left field wall fairly early in the game. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Ron Swoboda the one who hit it?


Barry Burr
May 10, 2023

Did Yogi come to the on-deck circle at some point when the Mets had two outs? One aspect of the game that box scores and comments thus far haven't told. I was entering second grade, this my first live baseball game, my Dad grew up in Brighton Beach and I couldn't have imagined til being a grown adult what seeing Sandy Koufax pitch against the Mets meant to him, just that something special was going on when he took me on a school night to my Grandma's on Brighton third street to pick up tickets that his cousin had connections on, close behind the Mets dugout.

Did Yogi come to the on-deck circle? I remembered the back to back home runs, my Dad explaining that the Dodger fans standing when the Dodgers were at bat and the Mets fans standing when the Mets were at bat, and vaguely, my Dad fixated at a time when, if my distant little kid memory recalls it right, like my Dad was the little kid wanting Yogi to come to bat against Sandy Koufax.

Do any of you remember?

Two outs, maybe men on base, and Yogi coming on deck? It was more than only my Dad, people all around noticing, wanting, hoping, but then the batter made and out and I never did get to see Yogi at bat live. Can you imagine my first baseball game ever, seeing Yogi batting against Sandy Koufax, in Yogi's last at bat ever? Do any of you remember that happening? I just can't remember more than vaguely thinking that it did.


NYB Buff
May 16, 2023

Barry, I'm guessing that you were referring to the bottom of the eighth inning when you saw Yogi Berra in the on-deck circle. I cannot verify that he was there, but it is possible with catcher Chris Cannizzaro being the next batter in the Mets' lineup when the inning ended. Wes Westrum may have intended to send Berra up as a pinch-hitter for Cannizzaro and then left him in to catch in the top of the ninth. However, it didn't work out that way.

I don't mean to disappoint you here, Barry, but Sandy Koufax was removed from the game after seven innings. Yogi would've batted against reliever Johnny Podres, who was pitching for the Dodgers in the eighth.

August 27, 1965 Shea Stadium
San Francisco Giants 9, Mets 2

Bob P
October 2, 2005
Heading into this game, tonight's starting pitchers, Warren Spahn and Darrell Sutherland, had combined for 362 career victories. Spahn owned 361 of them!

Sutherland pitched pretty well in this game; he allowed just one run, on a Willie McCovey home run, through six innings. But in the seventh he gave up a single to Jim Ray Hart followed by a Len Gabrielson home run and Sutherland was soon taking a shower.

Tom Parsons and Jim Bethke could not contain the Giants after the Mets pulled within a run on a Charley Smith pinch-homer in the seventh. After an error by Smith, Parsons gave up back-to-back homers to Mays and McCovey in the eighth. Bethke got the first two outs in the ninth but then walked Mays and McCovey and gave up a three-run homer to Hart.

The win for Spahn was the second-to-last of his career.

August 29, 1965 Shea Stadium
San Francisco Giants 8, Mets 3

Bill Van Alstyne
April 20, 2004
Almost 50,000 at Shea. I sat way down the right field line. Jack Fisher started and looked like he had great stuff. Ron Herbel for the Giants. He survived a 2nd and 3rd one-out jam in the 1st by striking out Joe Christopher and Charlie Smith. Fisher got into trouble in 3rd. Bloop double just inside the right field line by somebody. Herbel hit a 23-hop single up the middle to drive him in. Another couple of bleeders, and up stepped Willie Mays. He hit one that is still going. Tremendous shot to left. Giants plated 5 in the 3rd. Mets rallied gamely but fell 8-3. Joe Christopher hit a solo shot in the 8th off Masanuri Murikami.


Feat Fan
July 4, 2004

My aunt had passed away suddenly earlier in the week so we were somber despite the fact that our boys, the Jints and illustrious Willie were in town.

Willie sets a National League record for home runs in one month with his 17th of August, 41st overall.

Mays tops Ralph Kiner, who slugged 16 for Pittsburgh in September, 1949.

Wonder what Ralphie boy was thinking as Willie touched them all!


John Bohl
July 13, 2004

I sat in the upper deck behind home plate. I remember Mays hitting a homer that broke broadcaster Kiner's record for home runs in a month. Willie also made an excellent catch. The World's Fair was in progress adjacent to Shea, so the overall atmosphere seemed uniquely charged to this teen-aged boy from Jersey.


Ray
October 6, 2010

This was the first game I ever attended. I went with my dad and we sat in the mezzanine last section in left above the visitors bullpen. I remember watching Bob Shaw and Chuck Hiller warming up in the bullpen. I remember the tape measure shot Willie hit to left center. I can still remember the thrill of watching the ball in flight landing not far from my seat.

And I got to see Masanuri Murakami pitch. The first Japanese player in MLB.

To top it all off I found a Soupy Sales button on the ground on the way out. It said "Charter Member of the Soupy Sales Society" on it. I still have it. This brings back good memories of my now deceased dad and being a kid in love with baseball.

August 31, 1965 Shea Stadium
Houston Astros 4, Mets 3

Bob P
January 23, 2004
The day before this game, Casey Stengel announced he was retiring as Mets' manager after breaking his hip five weeks earlier.


Feat Fan
March 28, 2004

Frank Thomas, aka, The Big Donkey hits two two run home runs providing Houston with all of it's scoring. Gary Sutherland's older brother ( Gary a former middle infielder with Philly and Detroit) Darrell works 6 1/3 splendid innings in the loss.


Pat
January 17, 2008

My first Met game. Eight years old, a day at Shea with dad, two Met losses. I've been hooked ever since.

September 1, 1965 Shea Stadium
Houston Astros 8, Mets 5

Feat Fan
June 19, 2004
Rookie LHP Rob Gardner from Binghampton NY makes his ml debut.... Diamond Jim Gentile cracks 2 home runs and Rusty Staub one in the Astro win...

September 2, 1965 Shea Stadium
Houston Astros 4, Mets 3

Feat Fan
September 11, 2005
Houston (58-76) at New York (44-91) Shea Stadium

Rusty Staub stays hot with three hits, including a homer and a double, as Houston edges the Mets, 4-3, to win four of five on the series. Normally dreadful on the road, the Astros emerge with a 10- 5 record for the trip and 14-4 for the season against the Mets, 7-2 at Shea Stadium. Houston leads the all-time series versus New York, 49-21.

Rookie Larry Dierker evens his mark at 7-7, allowing one run over eight innings but he has to watch from the dugout after giving up a leadoff walk in the ninth. Jim Owens surrenders a hit and a walk to load the bases then Joe Christopher singles home two runs. Claude Raymond comes in with nobody out and the tying run in scoring position. Cool Claude gets the next three batters for his third save. Lee Maye has a good day at the plate with 4-for-5, including two doubles. Ron Brand chips in two hits and an RBI.


Ed K
September 18, 2006

This was the night they honored Casey Stengel by retiring his number. Casey had given up the managers job earlier in the summer when he broke his hip in an accident.

September 3, 1965 Sportsman's Park
Mets 6, St. Louis Cardinals 3

Ed K
February 16, 2009
Jim Hickman became the first Met ever to hit three homers in a game - and he hit them all against future Met pitcher Ray Sadecki.


NYB Buff
July 7, 2023

Jim Hickman became the first Mets player to hit three home runs in a game on this night in St. Louis. The homers drove in four of the Mets' six runs in their win over the Cardinals. Hickman also had a single in the eighth inning for thirteen total bases and a 4-for-4 game.

Hickman's slugging overshadowed the solid relief pitching of Gordie Richardson against his ex-teammates. A member of the Redbirds' championship team a year earlier, Richardson hurled four scoreless and hitless innings with five strikeouts for a well-earned save. This was the third time that a four-inning save was recorded by a Mets pitcher. Gordie was preceded only by Jay Hook (7/15/63) and Willard Hunter (7/1/64) in accomplishing this feat.

September 5, 1965 Sportsman's Park
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Mets 0

Feat Fan
April 22, 2004
Gibby throws a two-hit shutout. Tug McGraw threw 7 innings of one-hit ball but three unearned runs did him in. Gibby runs his stellar record to 17-10.

September 6, 1965 County Stadium
Milwaukee Braves 3, Mets 1

Shickhaus Franks
November 28, 2014
Last game the Mets played in Milwaukee until 1998 when the Brewers moved from the AL to the NL.

September 11, 1965 Shea Stadium
Milwaukee Braves 9, Mets 0

Bob P
September 19, 2003
According to retrosheet.org, former Yankees catcher Johnny Blanchard pinch-hit for Henry Aaron in this game. Given the final score, I assume it was late in the game!


Bob P
January 23, 2004

The Mets are on the wrong end of a one-hitter for the second stright day as Tony Cloninger wins, 9–0. Henry Aaron has two hits, a stolen base, an RBI, and a run scored before leaving for pinch hitter Johnny Blanchard.


Steve S.
December 18, 2008

This was the first live Mets game I ever attended, with my dad, brother, uncle and 2 cousins. We sat in the field level behind third base. I was only six years old and I don't remember too much about the game except for Cleon Jones getting the only hit for the Mets toward the middle of the game.


Rob R
February 18, 2022

First game I ever went to. My Uncle Frank took me and my cousin Albert. We were both 7 years old. Remember Al Jackson striking out the first two batters and being happy only to see the Braves scoring three runs before the inning was over enroute to a blowout! What a sucky first game to ever go to!

September 12, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 1, Milwaukee Braves 0

Feat Fan
July 4, 2004
In his second start in the major leagues, Selma defeated the Braves, 1-0, and recorded 13 strikeouts -- at that time, a record for a Mets' pitcher


Bob P
July 19, 2006

Dick Selma became the first Mets pitcher to win his first two starts in the major leagues. Selma threw a ten-inning shutout, allowing just four singles, a walk, and a hit batsman.

Milwaukee pitcher Bob Sadowski took the tough- luck loss. Sadowski allowed just three hits through nine innings, but gave up a single to Joe Christopher leading off the tenth. Ron Hunt bunted Christopher over, and after Ron Swoboda grounded out, Charley Smith delivered the game- winning single to center and the Mets had the win.


Gregory P. Forrer
October 28, 2006

Up until this game, I was a noninterested 12-year-old living in LI, NY. The announcing of Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner, and the improbable win in what seemed like a mismatch (weren't they all back then?) made me a Mets fan for life.


Rob R
February 18, 2022

Second game I ever went to which was amazingly the day after I went to my first game! Much different game and result as the Mets won 1-0 after losing 9-0 the day before. This time I went home happy!

September 15, 1965 Shea Stadium
Cincinnati Reds 2, Mets 1

Pablo Diaz
October 13, 2008
I was impressed. This is my only major league game I was in a stadium. I remember Pete running to first after a walk. Johnny Stephenson missed a play at home plate that allowed a run. In the last inning he hit one ball to the center field that looked like Vada Pinson couldn't catch though he felt backwards, but Pinson ruined Josephson's night catchin' that ball even though he was crawling backwards. I still got that in my mind.

September 18, 1965 Wrigley Field
Chicago Cubs 4, Mets 3

Bob P
January 23, 2004
Chicago's Larry Jackson wins the game for his eleventh straight win against the Mets!

Over his 14-year career Jackson finished a total of eleven games over .500.

September 25, 1965 Connie Mack Stadium
Mets 4, Philadelphia Phillies 1

Ed K
July 16, 2006
Carl Willey's last major league game and he ended up a winner. It was a shame that the 1963 ace of the Mets pitching staff was never the same after taking a line drive to his jaw during 1964 spring training.


John H
April 8, 2013

This was Willey's last appearance and he played on a Met team that had on their infield and catcher a group that was anywhere from 19-24 years old.. The old pro showed the new people how to win.

October 2, 1965 Shea Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 6, Mets 0

Feat Fan
August 8, 2004
Another Mets' marathon twin bill features an 18- inning scoreless tie in which Philadelphia's Chris Short (18–11) fans 18 batters in the 15 innings he pitches. In ML history there has been one other 18-inning scoreless tie and a record 19- inning scoreless tie. New York loses the first game 6–0 to Jim Bunning (19–9), setting ML records with 27 scoreless innings and 31 strikeouts in an overtime twin bill. Bunning's win is his 7th shutout of the year, the most by a Phillie

October 2, 1965 Shea Stadium
Mets 0, Philadelphia Phillies 0

Ed K
November 10, 2003
Next to last day of the season and the Mets got shut out for an entire doubleheader that lasted 27 innings. Bunning won the opening game shutout and Chris Short pitched the nightcap and struck out an incredible number of Mets (about 18?) in his 15 innings of work. The 0-0 tie forced the two teams to finish the season the next day with another doubleheader and they lost both games but at least scored a run each game.


Feat Fan
March 1, 2004

I used to score all games while sitting in front of the TV (OK, I was a nerd back then.) I remember Rob Gardner fanning a bunch of Phillies and going 15 innings or so. Chris Short was unhittable but then again, against this porous lineup, even Buster Narum would dominate!


Richard Citron
August 6, 2004

I recall watching the game on television and seem to remember that both starting pitchers, Chris Short and Rob Gardner, pitched 15 innings, a feat that would be unheard of in this day and age.

Do anyone remember why the game was halted after 18 innings? I don't believe that the National League had a curfew rule at that time, unlike the American League.

I have been a lifelong Mets fan and this particular game sticks in my mind as one of the most fascinating that I can remember.


Ken Akerman
May 14, 2020

In this article by ESPN Senior Writer David Schoenfield, he declared this pitching performance by Rob Gardner to be the best pitching performance in a single game in Mets' history:

October 3, 1965 Shea Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 3, Mets 1

Joel
September 4, 2003
Last game of the season, cap day. I went to the first game with two friends of mine. I remember that the Mets had two 20 game losers starting in both games.







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