Mets
Statistics
Situational
Statistics
Randy Tate
vs. Other Teams
Ballpark
Statistics
Monthly
Statistics
Game Log
Pitching
Decisions
Cover
Gallery
Scrapbook
Articles
Memories of
Randy Tate

Randy Tate
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 212 of 1218 players
Tate
Randall Lee Tate
Born: October 23, 1952 at Florence, Ala.
Died: March 25, 2021 at Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.03 Weight: 195

Randy Tate has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 20 times, most recently on March 7, 2022.

height=70

First Mets game: April 14, 1975
Last Mets game: September 27, 1975

Share your memories of Randy Tate

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

RAY AYLING
June 26, 2001

I just remember that he came so close to a no hitter. And I was 15 very excited to see it but it was not to be I think he lost it at 8 1/3 ining but it was fun I remember you randy

Don Hahn Merlis
August 13, 2001
What was symbolic of Randy Tate's no hitter bid, was that not only did he lose the no hitter he lost the game.

Jon
November 27, 2001
I'm glad you guys remembered that game. I think I'm on this site recalling this game, but with Jackson Todd pitching. Shows my recall when I was 9 can't be trusted. All I remember was that it hurt -- bad!

Mike Cohan
May 31, 2002
I absolutely remember Randy Tate's almost-no-hitter. I was 10 at the time, and in Florida visiting my grandparents (all grandparents live in Miami, don't they?) The headline in The Miami Herald the next morning was "Homer stuns Mets' Tate."

The thing is, nowadays a 4.43 ERA would be considered pretty good.

bunker
August 13, 2002
First ball player I ever wrote to who sent back an autographed pic...for nothing! Randy Tate where are you?

Deadmet
September 11, 2003
I too wonder why he never resurfaced. His rookie season wasn't spectacular, but he was effective enough to warrant another shot. I remember that when the season ended, the Met's brass was high on him. Go figure. BTW, I just 'Googled' RT. Looks like he is the superintendant of a golf course in Alabama: http://www.alexcitypr.com/randytate.htm

Paulie Walnuts
April 13, 2005
Sorry guys, but DEADMET above is incorrect. The Randy Tate that he says is a superintendent in Alabama is not the Randy Tate that graced the Shea Stadium mound. I made the trip to that golf course in Alabama, and unfortunately it was not him.

I am really interested in finding him though. I would love to have that 1976 Topps card and 1975 SSPC card autographed. Believe it or not he is one of my favorite obscure Mets along with Billy Baldwin, Butch Benton, Brock Pemberton, Amado Samuel, and Greg Harts.

VIBaseball
April 19, 2005
Count me as another who remembers the no-hitter Tate took into the 8th. I still remember who broke it up -- former Yankee Jim Lyttle.

Tate was also a remarkably weak hitter. I believe he was something like 0-for-43 that season.

Mark Corrao
December 23, 2005
I saw him pitch two times in 1975 for the Mets at Shea; my father took me and my brothers when I was 11 years old. They lost both games. Always hoped it would be Seaver pitching when we went.

Ed Rising
August 19, 2006
That near no hitter was something else! I was 14 and like everyone else, I was really rooting hard for Randy to pitch the Mets elusive no hitter! I remember watching the game at home in our 'family room'. Then having to switch to the tv in my parents room. This was in the 8th inning. No sooner had I gotten up to the other tv - Randy lost the no hitter and eventually the game. I felt awful for him.

When my brothers and I played whiffle ball, I would always 'be' Randy Tate. For some reason I became a fan of his. I suppose I'm just drawn to underdogs and the Mets had a few dogs on the pitching staff in '75 such as Hank Webb and Rick Baldwin.

Its a shame Randy didn't get his control together and made it back to the majors. At least he'll always be amongst my favorite Mets - lord knows why!

Bob P
October 4, 2006
Just to clear up the previous accounts of Randy Tate's near no-hitter:

The game was played at Shea on Monday night, August 4, 1975. Randy struck out a career-high 13 Expos that night. He allowed no hits through seven innings and took the mound in the eighth with a 3-0 lead.

With one out in the eighth, pinch-hitter Jim Lyttle singled to left. After a walk to Pepe Mangual, Randy struck out Jim Dwyer for the second out of the inning. But rookie catcher Gary Carter followed with a single, and there went the shutout. Mike Jorgensen was the next batter. Jorgy hit one over the fence, and there went the win.

Randy wound up the losing pitcher, dropping his record to 4-10 (the team at this point was 56-51). He finished the year 5-13 for a team that was over .500.

VIBaseball's post is correct in two ways--not only was it Lyttle who broke up the no-hitter, but Randy Tate finished the season and his career 0-for-41 as a batter, with one walk, 22 strikeouts, five sac bunts, and a caught stealing.

In his final major league appearance Randy had the bad luck to go up against Steve Carlton. Randy was pulled after allowing six walks and a double to the first eleven batters he faced. Carlton went on to pitch a one-hitter as the Mets lost the game, 8-1. Larry Bowa was the last batter Tate ever faced in the majors (as you might think, he walked).

Mr. Sparkle
October 4, 2006
He started 26 games and had only 41 at bats. That's less than 2 at bats a game. He averages 5 and 1/3 innings pitched, which is pathetic for the 70's but the fact that he didn't even get 2 ABs a game, means no one else on the team was hitting either. What a disaster. Unfortunately, I just realized I share the same birthday with Randy, only he's 10 years older. He was a disaster.

gary
March 31, 2007
Does anyone have any idea why he only played one season? From what I remember he had some nasty stuff and was very young so I wonder what happened?

Mr. Sparkle
July 21, 2007
My parents just bought my son a Mets hat for his 8th grade graduation. When he put it on, with his hair, he looked exactly like Randy Tate. I had flash backs of Randy Tate all day.

Brock Tate
October 19, 2007
For anyone out there who is wondering about Randy, he is my uncle. Although he was a young legacy of a pitcher, he is but that of a person. Randy traded to Pittsburgh Pirates the next year and pitched in Triple A. He tore his rotator cuff and was forced out of the league.

After he went home in hopes of surgery, but opted out to start a career working. With numerous calls from Yogi Berra, Hank Aaron, etc. begging and pleading for him to come back to try and play or coach in the Newly formed Mexican leagues, he said NO. Furthermore, he ran from his career of reckless baseball performances, drugs, and alcohol into downward-spiraling career.

I went and played a couple of years in college before tearing my rotator cuff then transferring to Alabama to play, and he still won't even come to watch me play. He truly will not talk about the game.

mike DiSciullo
March 5, 2008
I remember listening ( on my transistor radio) of the game in which Randy flirted with a no-hitter. He of course did not do it but also lost the game. After that year he never made it back up to the big league level. But for that one night (listening to the Murph) I was pulling for him as if he was a legendary Met!

david lozano
July 20, 2008
I was a teammate of Randy's in 1974. He was a talented young pitcher who went from A" Ball Anderson S.C. to the Major leagues the next year. He was big shouldered and threw very hard with an outstanding curve ball. The Mets front office had high hopes, in fact he was being referred to as the next Nolan Ryan.

Jay Tysver
May 15, 2012
I lived in Florence, Alabama from 1999-2009. That is where Mr. Tate is from. There was a story in the newspaper about four or five years ago that he was arrested for stealing copper from some homes. Not sure on the outcome of that.

Chayim Lando
May 24, 2019
I was at the almost no-hitter game. I remember Jorgensen's home run vividly. I recall being amazed at how many walks he had given up, but no hits...until...

Doug Davis
September 20, 2019
I met Randy and his wife while trying out for the Santurce team in Puerto Rico. He, Jim Wohlford and I were inseparable. His talent was exceptional. Medical issues held him back from being the best for the Mets and Met fans.

Jack Morrow
February 3, 2021
The Sporting News ran an article around the end of spring training in 1975 saying that the Mets didn't have a fourth starter, which probably explains why Randy Tate ended up in that position.

The Mets weren't that bad in '75--82-80, tied for third with the Cardinals. Dave Kingman and Joe Torre joined the Mets that year. Tom Seaver had his sciatic nerve problem in '74, when he was 11-11; in '75 he was 22-9, leading the NL in wins.

I saw Randy play in St. Louis on July 30--presumably his last start before the near-no-hitter--and he was knocked out in the 2nd inning and lost.

He scored one of his 2 major league runs in that near-no-hitter.

Mark Corrao
September 14, 2021
I was 11 years old in 1975 when my father took me to a few games at Shea to see the Mets play. I remember two of those starts were by Randy Tate. I remember being disappointed that Tom Seaver wasn’t starting, no offense to you Randy. RIP.








Meet the Mets
  • All-Time Roster
  • Mug Shots
  • Player Awards
  • Transactions
  • Managers and Coaches
  • Mets Staff
  • Birthplaces
  • Oldest Living Mets
  • Necrology
  • Games
  • Game Results
  • Walkoff Wins and Losses
  • Post-Season Games
  • No-Hitters and One-Hitters
  • All-Star Games
  • Opponents and Ballparks
  • Daily Standings
  • Yearly Finishes
  • Mayor's Trophy Games
  • Stats
  • Interactive Statistics
  • Team Leaders
  • Decade Leaders
  • Metscellaneous
  • Fan Memories
  • Mets Uniforms
  • Uniform Numbers
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • FAQ



  • Copyright 1999-2024, The Ultimate Mets Database