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Doug Flynn
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 55 of 1233 players
Robert Douglas Flynn
Born: April 18, 1951 at Lexington, Ky.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 5.11 Weight: 172

Doug Flynn has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 12 times, most recently on December 11, 2023.

First Mets game: June 17, 1977
Last Mets game: October 4, 1981

Share your memories of Doug Flynn HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: rich n Doug Flynn, even though he was a terrible hitter, was by far the best fielding 2nd baseman the Mets have ever had. kn Doug Flynn was my favorite player when I first became a Mets fan. He was indeed a terrible hitter, but an above-average fielder. He played on some of the worst Met teams ever. David Priever I have been a Met fan since 1967. Somehow my brother got me hooked with them. I would be able to find something good to say about every Met, except Doug Flynn. I remember after a game I was waiting with with fellow Mets fans to see the players as they drove out of the players parking lot. I saw him in his jeep and very innocently asked him something like, "Are we going to be in first place this year?" His answer was a very sarcastic, "Don't ask stupid questions". I don't remember his athletic talent, but I certainly didn't appreciate his professionalism toward a fan. Mike While Flynn's bat was as limp as a pre-Viagra Bob Dole, he did have 60 RBIs one year and was a good hit- and-run guy. luv mets January 20, 2001 I loved Doug Flynn...he was a great fielder!!! He could dive for a ball and throw it to first so fast..it was amazing!! You had to watch it on replay to appreciate it. I also remember him being a country singer in the winter..he would sing at night clubs. Andy from Rego Park March 14, 2001 Okay... maybe he was no Edgardo at the plate, but Flynn did drive in 61 runs, batting 8th on the attrocious '79 Mets, and he once hit 3 triples in the same game, against Montreal. So there! Jon April 18, 2001 I'm posting this message on Doug Flynn's 50th birthday, if you can believe that. Doug became one of those Major-Level slow-pitch softball players after he retired, with an equipment deal and everything. He hit there pretty well I think. murphy May 2, 2001 I loved Doug Flynn. He epitomized those terrible teams. Couldn't hit worth a damn, but sometimes he would come out of nowhere to hit a triple. His .292 slugging percentage is worse than Ordonez's .295. Feel the power. Ernie. May 15, 2001 Say what you will about Doug Flynn, but there's no denying one fact: He certainly loved his dog. Flynn played Pro softball prior to Pro Baseball. That's where the Reds scout found him. I remember in 78 or 79 when the Mets someone came within like 6 or 7 games of first. Flynn gets on Kiner's Korner and says "we're in the pennant race now." The next series the Phillies come into Shea and sweep the Mets 4 straight, and that was all downhill from there. His Little Brother November 13, 2001 Doug is my brother and I look up to him for everything he has done for me. He is a great role model and does alot for the community. I dont understand how heros get made out to be the bad guys. If he wasn't a good hitter or whatever why did he play in the major leagues. I guess all people who are no good at sports play pro ball. Mark November 17, 2001 Doug was my hero growing up...always kind to his fans and always willing to sign an autograph. The Mets were bad in his days, but he always played his hardest...especially in the infield DINO December 14, 2001 Doug Flynn was one of my favorite Mets during some pretty dark days at Shea Stadium. You dopes on this site that talk about him not being able to hit are correct-yet fail to understand that Flynn did do the little things necessary to help win what few games the Mets managed to win during that era. Flynn always hustled, and his glove work was amazing if not the very best of N.L. second baseman during that time. Flynn had a way of making the difficult play look very routine. I liked Doug Flynn, he was like other players for the Mets during that era, he kept me loyal to the orange and blue. Turn two Dougie! Jim Resseque March 18, 2002 Saw him hit an inside the park homer once which a few years ago helped me win a prize on "Mets Extra" for knowing the answer. Howie Rose pronounced my name wrong though. Thanks Howie! Andy from Rego Park May 5, 2002 Right you are, Jim Resseque... Flynn did hit an inside- the-park home run against the Reds in the middle of the Mets first-ever 10-run inning. With a couple of men on base, he drilled a line drive right at the usually reliable Ceasar Geronimo who let the ball first go over his head and then riccochet past him when it hit the old unpadded outfield fence. Flynn, who had pretty good speed, legged it all the way around the bases. Next to Mazzilli's all-star game homer, this was the highlight of the 1979 season. Larry Burns May 16, 2002 Complete all glove, no stick guy. The hero worship that surrounded this punch and judy hitter was a thorn in my side during the dark days of the late 1970s and early 80s. Everyone said he was the best glove in the NL at the time...who cares! You need your glove at shortstop and a little offensive production to be a decent 2nd baseman. "He did the little things" is the argument of the truly desperate. We needed him to do some bigger things. Besides I guess it is a complete shock to all the Flynn Fans that the Mets turnaround to one of the best teams of the 1980s was after he was traded. So much for all the "intangibles" he gave. Let me finish by naming 2 of the intangibles he gave -- a bat that sucked and a team that matched! clubhouse report May 30, 2002 The Mets did stink in the late 70's and early 80's but I never realized it was all Doug Flynn's fault. He actually had plenty of help: poor pitching, poor hitting, poor farm system coupled with poor talent evaluation. Even before the ship got righted, Flynn was long gone. Like Rey Ordonez, a gold glove fielder but a below average hitter. That doesn't mean he hurt the Mets as much as the DeRoulets. At least he could do something. Barry F. May 31, 2002 Doug Flynn was VASTLY superior to Rey Ordonez. For one, he didn't strike out as much. He was a better clutch hitter. Most significantly, he was a vastly better fielder. Flynn was, if anything, underrated defensively. He could have won three or four Gold Gloves if his timing was right. Ordonez won a few on reputation. Joe Figliola August 22, 2002 Ummm... excuse me? Doug Flynn a poor hitter? Perhaps in the 30-something games I scored in 1978 (he something something like .147 in 106 at bats), but not overall according to the stats. I didn't think he looked lost at the plate; he just didn't have any power and I didn't have much luck (scoring him, that is). Looking at his stolen base totals, I could've sworn he swiped more bags. Wow! Maybe I thought he could run because of all the triples he hit. Guys like Flynn and John Stearns made it somewhat tolerable to be a Mets fan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also had a great sense of humor, loved his dog, sang a little, and won a Gold Glove. Not bad. Monika Dudley December 22, 2002 The one and only reason I became a Mets fan in the first place was because of Doug Flynn. He was my favorite player on the Reds and when they traded him to New York for Tom Seaver (who I could never stand), I became a Mets fan. OK, maybe his hitting wasn't his strong point, but he could field that ball like no one's business. I also have to admit that I had a HUGE crush on him. When I played softball, I made sure that I wore #23, and when I play the lottery, to this day I always play #23. If Doug reads this, I want him to know that he was appreciated, very much so. Metsmind December 23, 2002 Doug Flynn, believe it or not, was a streak hitter. He would hit .270 for a stretch, and then go 2 for 45. He played very hard, and shouldn't have been expected to do too much. He certainly was one of the few players from that era who didn't have to be ashamed of what they brought to the field (like Youngblood and Maddox) Sadly, I seem to remember something about his sister disappearing after his playing days. Hopefully someone knows a happy ending to that story? Mr. Sparkle December 30, 2002 I liked Flynn because of his glove but boy did he suck with the bat. I liked him because I was young and wanted to think the best of my team. There were players I didn't like but for some reason Doug wasn't one of them. Looking back I realize he was a light hitting 2nd sacker who I wouldn't tolerate playing for the Mets today. I remember a picture of him in the Post, which my father would bring home from work every day for me to read- the afternoon edition, of Doug playing guitar in some country band. That's when I started to think what a loser this guy really was. But, I still don't dislike him. Bob R. January 9, 2003 A very good fielder and a very weak hitter. He could have been carried by a team that had a lot of good hitters, but not the Mets of his era. It's unfair but true that he'll always be connected to the infamous Tom Seaver trade. Steve G. January 12, 2003 I remember rooting for the Mets during the bad days as well as the good. The thing that reminds me of Doug is his idiosyncracies at the plate, he constantly played with his eyelashes! No wonder he couldn't hit... but that doesn't make him a bad person. Kenny M August 29, 2003 Doug Flynn's at-bats were like watching the grass grow. I never understood how team management stuck with him all those awful years only for his solid glove. He epitomized the Mets awful teams of the late 70's, and he always seemed like he would kill a rare rally. After the number 7 hitter, my feelings would sink knowing that Flynn and the pitcher are coming up. End of inning. The most boring Mets batter that I regularly had to endure for what seemed like eternity. John October 13, 2003 I rooted for Doug Flynn, albeit a light-hitting opposite field hit-and-run guy, for the same reasons I admired Willy Randolph of the Yankees (the class act in the Bronx those days). Not nearly as talented as Randolph, he quietly worked hard every day and kept his nose clean. How refreshing that would be today, when guys grandstand after making a tackle at Giants Stadium. Thanks Doug. Doug Flynn June 23, 2004 No, not that Doug Flynn. I'm the other one. I used to watch the Mets all the time during the late 70's on Channel 9 solely because of Doug Flynn (even though I really was a fan of the team that played on Channel 11 back then.) As a 12 year old it was fun to watch my name in lights when he would come to bat or make a great fielding play. He was a terrific fielder, but he sure couldn't hit well. I just liked him because he was "Doug Flynn." I still do. Believe it or not, to this day about once a month or so, new people I meet ask me if I am the "Doug Flynn that used to play for the Mets." Of course, he is about 15 years older than me, but they all seem to remember him from the Seaver trade. Anyway, Doug Flynn is the only reason I don't hate the Mets to this day. Kiwiwriter July 5, 2004 Believe it or not, for a brief period in early 1980, he actually led the National League in batting average. It was some obscene number, like .483, caused by the start of the season and very few at-bats. When he came to bat at Shea Stadium, I remember the announcer mentioning that he was the NL hitting leader. Of course, he spiralled off the page soon after that. But he was always a great defensive second baseman, and would have been a walking highlight reel if his Mets teams had highlights. He was on the 1975 Reds, where he replaced Pete Rose in the late innings at third base. Doug Flynn came in the Seaver deal from the Big Red Machine to Shea Stadium, and had to replace Seaver and Felix Millan. No way. To Doug's little brother...you should be proud of him. He made it to the bigs and won a Gold Glove. Good on him and good on you. duff 23 September 1, 2004 Doug Flynn was my favorite Mets player of all time . Where I grew up in the 70's and early 80's kids were either Phillies, Pirates or Yankees fans and you could get a Mike Schmidt or Willie Stargell or Reggie Jackson T-shirt. But I had to get a white T-Shirt and with a black marker write METS on the front and FLYNN 23 on the back. I was a Met fan in good times and bad and proud of it. Joe P. September 12, 2004 I still remember that picture of Flynn wearing the big cowboy hat signing the contract leaning on the guy's back. Chris Kirby November 16, 2004 I am a true FLYNN FAN. He might not have been the best hitter but the man could play the field like nobody else. It is men like him who truly made me enjoy the sport of baseball. Dudley Ellis June 16, 2005 I have met many players over several decades as a fan, but I have never met a more "class act" among the players than Doug Flynn- a complete gentleman. jamey bumbalo November 15, 2005 A couple people referred to Doug Flynn's inside-the-park home run in 1979. I watched that game on TV, and I remember it as a pinch-hit, inside-the-park, grand-slam home run--an incredible combination. Does anyone else recall it the way I do? Jonathan Stern December 1, 2005 The name "Doug Flynn" is still invoked whenever my family mentions weak-hitting infielders. But I've seen worse numbers from second sackers. And I have seen few field the position better. In fact, he might have been the best Mets defensive second baseman I have ever seen other than Edgardo Alfonzo in his 1999-2000 prime. He also was an important cog in the 1970's Big Red Machine. Mikey Boy December 4, 2005 Kaz Matsui is no Doug Flynn. If Matsui was half the fielder Doug Flynn was, there would be no need to search for a second baseman. Flynn was a star in the field and I am not exaggerating. Bklyn Met December 21, 2005 Doug was an excellent fielding 2nd baseman, the best the Mets have ever had. Better range than Alfonzo, one of the best at turning the DP as the ball barely touched his glove! What a weak sister hitter he was, forget being called a Punch and Judy hitter; he was just Judy!! Tom L January 26, 2006 My dad use to call him 'paper bag', due his lack of faith over Doug's ability to hit his way out of one. Sweet glove though. I think he would have been better received if he was in NY on one of our early 70's, pitching dominant teams. Heck, I remember even thinking Don Hahn was a great player back then, and what was he hitting, .220? Ray February 22, 2006 I had to read all the way down to Steve G. to finally see what I remember about Flynn - before every pitch he would step out and play with his eyelashes. I don't know if it was a nervous habit or contact lenses or what, but besides that, he was a forgettable mediocre Met like a thousand others. agee_of_aquarius March 1, 2006 That's dead wrong. Doug Flynn was a gold glove- caliber second baseman. So he wasn't Joe Morgan with the bat. Few were. It's more important for a middle infielder to field well than it is to hit well. On a team with good pitching, I don't think you'd feel he was so "forgettable". JFK June 9, 2006 Great fielder. I asked my little league coach if I could play 2B and where number 23 because of Flynn. I also remember Flynn always playing with his eyelashes before every pitch. May be that is why he did not hit well---you take a glove filled with pine tar and place it on your eye---that could hinder one's vision. =Chuck= October 6, 2006 If Doug Flynn was playing today, with such "quality" pitching, he'd probably be a .265/.270 hitter; pretty respectable. I do agree that he was a great fielding 2nd baseman! dave October 19, 2007 Doug Flynn was one of the worst baseball players I ever saw. How he made it to the majors is beyond me. Also look at that physique. He looks like an anorexic. JFK February 13, 2008 Met Flynn at Fantasy Camp in January. A gentleman and a good story teller--loved his story about how he found out he was traded to Mets. I think he gets bigger thrill out of Fantasy Camp than the campers. Jeff i- Minneapolis June 12, 2008 Ernie wrote: > I remember in 78 or 79 when the Mets someone came within like 6 or 7 games of first. Flynn gets on Kiner's Korner and says "we're in the pennant race now." The next series the Phillies come into Shea and sweep the Mets 4 straight, and that was all downhill from there. **************************** Nope, it was a 5-game sweep, I remember it well, totally devastated me as a 12-year-old who didn't know just how bad those Mets were. Flynn was a great fielder, of course, a pretty decent bunter if I recall and always was up there among the leaders in drawing IBB's (mostly because those Mets had some of the worst-hitting pitching staffs ever). Feat Fan June 14, 2008 Didn't he drive 60+ runs in one year as a light hitting 8th place infielder? Delgado may not do that this year. Diane June 14, 2008 I met my best friend (Meg) at Shea Stadium - over 25 years ago - we were the two Doug Flynn Fans in our group of friends. I had the pleasure of becoming friends with Doug and his wonderful family. He will always be my favorite baseball player. He is a wonderful person with a wonderful heart. Brian D 23 July 19, 2008 After they traded Seaver to the Reds, Flynn became my favorite Met during those very tough years, in fact, I took his #23 when I played baseball, well before the number became one of the most popular in just about every sport (Mattingly, Jordan, to name a few) Thanks #23 for the great play at second! MetLover August 9, 2010 Doug was my favorite Met when I was a kid. I remember the inside-the-park home run he hit. He also won a Gold Glove in 1980. I think he was only the second or third Mets Gold Glove winner. Doug and some of the other Mets players were once on an episode of "Eight is Enough", which was my favorite TV show. Doug actually had a speaking line on the show. Does anybody remember that? It was cool! Shickhaus Franks September 21, 2010 Doug made an appearance on SNY recently when he was interviewed about his days with the Mets during a recent game at Citi Field. I remember he played in a country music band during the baseball strike of 1981 and I'd rather have him (or Wally Backman for that matter) play 2nd base than that overrated Luis Castillo. Mook October 29, 2010 Solid second baseman and gold glover. Was the Horace Clarke equivalent of the "Doug Flynn Mets". One interesting thing about Doug: I remember reading that his sister was kidnapped and originally believed to be a victim of Ted Bundy. Never heard anything after that. Turns out she is the central player in a scandal involving organized crime, Politicians and the Lexington PD and her case is reported in a book called "The Blue Grass Conspiracy" by Sally Denton (actually available on google books). It is suggested that she was killed by someone connected to the Lexington PD and her crime was covered up. Her case was never officially solved. Diane July 27, 2012 Doug is a man with a heart of gold. He did play in a wonderful band called The Greg Austin Band - he also toured with The Oak Ridge Boys - he really cared about his fans. Thank you #23 for the memories you gave to all Met Fans. Larry Laughing at the Late 70's April 18, 2013 Doug was a solid fundamental player, but only in a utility role was he helpful, as he was on the Big Red Machine. The Mets of the late 1970's needed raw talent, and opposite Flynn at the keystone was Frank Taveras, who so perfectly fit that description. If Flynn had Frank's ability and Taveras Doug's brain, it would've been a winning combo. But hence, as Bob Murphy if he were more objective might've called the "unhappy recap", the Mets were a collection of good backups. As Karl the Sign Man called it, in reference to Laurel and Hardy - One Fine Mess. MetsTV August 6, 2020 Doug had a good year in 1980. He was a Gold Glove winner, received a National League Player of the Week award and became the first Met ever to hit three triples in a game. Flynn also had a moment in the national spotlight after the season. On October 29, the 'Eight Is Enough' episode in which he and some of his teammates appeared went on the air. Doug got his solo shot on camera as the batter in a team pepper game in front of the dugout. When rookie Merle Stockwell (actor Bryan Patrick Clarke) comes out to join them for the drill, the players welcome him. Flynn's cameo comes at the end of the scene with him saying to Merle, "All right, Rook! Try it again."

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