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George Theodore

George Theodore
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 112 of 1218 players
Theodore
George Basil Theodore
Born: November 13, 1946 at Salt Lake City, Utah
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.05 Weight: 195

George Theodore has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 15 times, most recently on April 16, 2023.

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First Mets game: April 14, 1973
Last Mets game: October 2, 1974

Share your memories of George Theodore

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Jon
One of the first Mets games I recall attending was the game in '73 when Theodore and Don Hahn collided violently in left-center chasing a hit by (I think) Ralph Garr. I clearly recall the two of them, just lying there on the grass, and Garr guiltily looking over his shoulder as he jogged home. Only later would I understand what a character Theodore turned out to be with his hippie-inspired philosophies on life he would dole out to writers. Not many like him come along.

Kevin
January 17, 2001
As a Lifelong Mets fan (since 1970), "The Stork" was always one of my favorites. He was pretty awful in almost every aspect of the game, yet he was one of those rare characters that no longer exist in the game of baseball. We never complained about how bad he was (well almost never), because he entertained us, despite his failings. Those few times when he DID come through with a big hit made us appreciate the man all the more. Thank goodness he doesn't play today, because he would just be considered another overpaid, undertalented ballplayer. As Mets fans we may not have a great winning tradition, but we will always have Casey, Yogi, Marvelous Marv, and George "The Stork" Theodore.

Mr. Sparkle
March 31, 2001
I hear so much about the Mendoza line (.200) but I always judge a player on whether or not they can break the Theodore line (.219).

I was there for his collision with Hahn. It was pretty scary.

One of the dorkiest guys ever to play for the Mets. But you gotta love the guy.

john presto
April 18, 2001
A forever Met fan, a bunch of us drove to Montreal in summer of '73 to catch a series. We were walking down St. Catherine St., when above the crowd stood this head. Immedidately we recognized the Stork. I yelled, "Stork, Stork" He looked in amazement, but was thrilled that someone in another country, be it Montreal, knew who he was. It made our day seeing a Met out of uniform in a casual setting, and I'm sure made his day as well. A Met memory that never died.

Pete
October 20, 2001
The thing I rembember most about "The Stork" is that everytime he got up to bat people went a little nuts for him. Fans just took to George.

Fr. Kaz
January 24, 2002
I think that the Stork holds the Met record for "most times being taken off the field in a stretcher".

Lee
February 7, 2002
I guess I am one of the few who liked George big time... Few may remember that he had some pretty strong minor league seasons and was considered an up and comer...My favorite line was from an announcer who said "He looks like he swallowed a coat hanger."

Joe Figliola
March 14, 2002
If you notice George's power numbers in 1974, the ONE home run and ONE run batted in are significant in Met history. In a game against San Diego, George along with (I think) Rusty Staub and the late John Milner, hit back-to-back-to-back home runs. I also think this was the first time in Met history that this was done (someone can check on that).

Regardless of accuracy, George damn well made the most of his power supply in 1974!

Larry Burns
May 31, 2002
"THE STORK" A complete colorful character whose dorkiness makes him indelible in the minds of all Met fans. Collisions, beanballs and broken bones marked his career. Rumored to have been the true inspiration for either the Kramer character on Seinfeld or the title character of "I Am Sam." He actually made contributions in the pennant drive in 1973. Long live the Stork!

Teddy
July 19, 2002
The back of his baseball card says that George "likes marshmallow milkshakes."

LenDog
March 28, 2003
Three or four of my group of friends became huge Stork fans in '73. We waited in the Shea parking lot after a game; he drove out in a station wagon and we chased him until he stopped. He rolled down the window and chatted with us. What a cool guy.

That same year, we also got on Channel 9 while carrying a banner around Shea:

"The Mets are for the birds; so let's go Stork, Krane, and Swan." Bob Murphy called it clever, my Dad told me when I got home.

Ken Akerman
April 16, 2003
One of the respondents here wrote that George Theodore hit his only home run in 1974 in a game against the Padres as part of three consecutive home runs hit by Mets batters. According to my research of box scores of Mets-Padres games in 1974, it appeared that this occurred on July 20 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. The three players who hit back-to-back-to-back home runs were Theodore, Rusty Staub, and Cleon Jones.

mets
June 1, 2003
"The Stork" was another one of the characters in Mets history. I recall the collision between Theodore and Don Hahn against the Braves on a Saturday afternoon at Shea in 1973. He played hard and always gave his best, something that is sadly lacking in today's game of millionaires.

nick p
July 16, 2003
The Stork was a heck of a bunter, not pretty but he got a few hits that way with those long strides! Long live the Stork!

Phil Thiegou
September 30, 2003
George was a lousy player, but if his body was as strong as his heart he would be ten times better than Piazza. Maybe the Mets of the last couple of years (2001-2003) should take note of George Theodore. Less talk, more Stork! If the Mets want to turn their fortunes around, instead of planes, there should be a Stork flying over Shea.

jonnymac
November 10, 2003
Believe it or not "The Stork" was a superstar in the minor leagues.

I think he hit .330 with like 36 home runs one year in AAA.

Jerry Miller
April 19, 2006
Just like to let all you diehard Met fans know that the stork is still cool! We went to a game last night down in Salt Lake (PCL) between the Angels and Padres AAA farm teams SLC Bees and Porland Beavers. Our seats were behind 3rd base dugout. The Stork and about 10 other ex-big leaguers threw out the 1st pitch (as it was opening day) The cool thing is when he got back up to where he was sitting (right behind me and my boy and my 2 grandsons) he signed a ball for us!I don't like to eavesdrop but I did hear a little bit behind me. And this man still has a love for the game and is very knowledgable about it. Nice to read your memories. In the 60s growing up I was an Angel fan and they were pretty crappy too but we had some characters! Long live the Stork and hope to run into you out at the ol ballpark again!

Tom L
November 4, 2006
The 1974 series of TOPPS cards featured little cartoons of players on the back, that contained little tidbits of info on the player, like "'so-and- so' led the NL in triples in 1971", or " In 1968 'Joe Blow' was drafted in the first round out of Arizona State. The Stork's card said, "George Loves Marshmallow milkshakes'. Kind of sums up the level of talent we had on our bench back then.

Martin Ricks
September 16, 2007
As an elementary school student in Hunter, Utah in the late 1970's, I knew George Theodore as our school's counselor long before I knew him as the Stork.

We'd heard rumors that Mr. Theodore had been a major- leaguer, but didn't really believe it until my sixth grade year, when he finally showed us his baseball card. All we knew was that (unlike so many other adults) he made all of us kids feel valued and important, and talked to us as though we were equals.

It's no surprise that the Stork is a beloved figure for Mets fans. He remains a beloved figure for me, though the only game I ever saw him play was against my fellow students. (For what it's worth, I believe he got at least one or two home runs in that game!)

Thanks, George, for being a guy kids could look up to.

Mike Allen
June 1, 2008
I've been reading the posted comments on the website... Awesome. But my memories of George Theodore go back to 1971 when he played class A ball in Visalia in the Mets minor league system. He was a HUGE fan favorite here. It's a memory I'll never forget getting to see him play. I now take my kids to the same ballpark where I saw George play and tell the stories of players I watched play there when I was their age. Those were good days I had as a child getting to see the Visalia Mets play.

Ramblin' Pete Millerman
October 1, 2008
"The Stork" was always a favorite of mine as a little kid.

The long hair, the glasses, the gawky physique and boundless enthusiasm...

I remember the yearbook metioning he was into astrology and meditation, and he seemed like a genuinely happy-go-lucky guy. The perfect baseball anti-hero for the '70s. And he was OURS!

Steve T.
October 13, 2008
For some strange reason "The Stork" holds a special place in the hearts of Met fans. To this day he still is one of the most popular players in Mets history. Couldn't hit or field, but we loved him just the same. Maybe it was his nickname?

Rob
May 6, 2009
Apparently, George was quite the student athlete at the University of Utah where he's in the Hall of Fame. And it's actually not that surprising when you consider he made the big-leagues. He also had success in the minors. He should be in the Mets Hall of Fame.

"As a freshman outfielder he hit .495. He was named to the all-Western Athletic Conference baseball team in 1969."

"In 1971 he led the California league in RBI's with 113 and also finished second in runs and third in hitting and home runs."

http://utahutes.cstv.com/genrel/040401aaa.html

MetsfaninMaine
May 2, 2010
George is obviously a cult favorite from the early '70s. I met him in Montreal in 1974 when I was 12 years old, and he was so friendly when he gave me his autograph.

VIBaseball
May 16, 2010
A nice little book called "Baseball's Golden Greeks" came out several years ago. The Greek-American author wrote chapters on all the men who shared his heritage who made it to the majors. The chapter on George no doubt has more info on him than any other place. To Fat Don from 2003: the family name was originally Theodosiou.

Mike Melendez MD
May 28, 2010
I played against George in junior high and high school in Utah. As you know, he never looked like an athlete. However, I can tell you he was a fearless competitor and a great all around athlete. Our teams always feared playing against him becasue he always seemed to knock in the winning run. I watched him go from a kid like myself to the University of Utah and eventually landing in the New York. The "stork" is genuine and of my true heroes. I know why he is still admired by Met fans decades later.

Brian Clark
May 31, 2011
Mr. Theodore (as we knew him) was my school counselor at Fox Hills Elementary school in Kearns, UT in the 80's. He gave me a bunch of big (not regular baseball cards) Mets player cards. If I recall some of them were autographed. He was a really nice guy, and all the kids looked up to him, literally and figuratively.

Ralph
November 4, 2011
I was raised in Astoria and most of my friends were Mets fans. The Stork had an apartment in Jackson Heights on the same block as my aunt. It seemed that on many occasions, between 10:00 - 11:00 PM, he'd cross Astoria Blvd. and go to the McDonalds. We'd be driving by and we saw him a few times, but never stopped to speak, although we did yell out the window more than once, "Is that a marshmallow milkshake?"

Dale Hepworth
August 11, 2015
My first memories of George were on our local Salt Lake Valley junior bowling league whet even then he was called "The Stork"! Then, later I was surprised to hear of a good local baseball player being scouted by the pros when our high school teams played!

antino
November 20, 2014
I met George Theodore or Mr. T as he is affectionately known by the kids. Most of my memories of him are post baseball but I've read about his baseball career and have watched sports clips of his days with the Mets. He has never lost his love for the sport or his love for life. What a great guy.

Chuck Zlatkin
September 17, 2022
As a Mets fan and also someone who worked at the historic Elgin Cinema in New York City, I sent George a pass to the movie theater that could be used any time for as many times as he would want to use it. Unfortunately, he never used it. Toward the end of his time with the Mets, I contacted George. He thanked me for the pass, and commented that he really didn't participate much in NYC when he was here and to some extend he regretted that. A good guy in every way.








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