andy from rego park
December 2, 2000
Unless I'm mistaken... this was the Dwight Gooden no hitter that wasn't. He spun a one-hit shut out where the only Cub to get a hit was Keith Moreland who hit a slow roller to third base that Ray Knight bobbled, then threw late. Moreland had no speed (didn't even run well for a catcher, Tim). If Knight fields this ball cleanly, he gets Moreland, and Doc has his first no-hitter. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Steve Laraia
August 4, 2001
I was at this game, and I feel this should have been the Mets first and probably only no hitter, if I can remember correctly (Keith)Moreland hit a slow groundball to Knight at 3rd who bobbled it. I feel that Knight should have been charged with an error, and the Mets would have there first ever no hitter. Can we lobby somebody to overturn the official scorers scoring. Otherwise at this rate the Mets will never get a no hitter. Its amazing there in there 40th season and have never had a no-no!

It Gets by Buckner
July 8, 2002
I agree that this was the closest a Mets hurler has come to a no-hitter. I was at the game and if my memory is correct, Knight did not even make the throw. Everyone in the stands groaned because we all thought he could have got the runner even though he had trouble getting the ball out of his glove. Could have been scored E-5, but doubt this can be changed so many years after the fact (I think 100 out of 100 official scorers today would call a play like that a hit).

Bobby J
November 25, 2002
First game I ever went to, and the reason I became a Mets fan, a pitching fan, and especially a Doc fan. I did remember the Moreland hit being in the infield, but for some reason I thought it was the pitcher that hit it. Maybe it was the cheap nature of it that made me think that.

Anyway, forget about those games with the HR hitting contests. Give me Doc in the 80's mowing down the opposition.

Joe Lanzisera
June 30, 2003
This was a Friday night after the first week back to school. I remember that everybody was talking about the Mets and Doc. The Mets were actually in contention, just a few games back, which for those of us in High School had never happened before!!!

On the whole it was a great game. Lots of offense, dominant pitching from Doc. Just for the record, Moreland's "swinging bunt" was a fluke, but it was a hit - Knight was playing deep.

LenDog
July 13, 2004
I was at this game.

It may be the best Mets game I ever saw. It obviously wasn't competitive, but after watching that 1977 - 1983 club with great frustration, having a studly team that hit HRs and dominated was a dream.

I agree with the poster above about Moreland's single. It was an error, particularly b/c Moreland was a lardass catcher. If some speed demon hit it, maybe it's a different scoring decision, but Knight had time.

Looked like an easy play to us in the upper deck with beers in our hands, anyway. Was probably a bit tougher on the field.

Mark Heaney
May 22, 2005
This is one of those "all-time greatest" memory games. I went with my Dad (who I lost in 95), and yes it was the no-hitter that should have been. It eas E-5 all the way. It would have been interesting if it had happened later in the game to see if it would have been scored a hit or errror. When the play happened, a no-no was not in anyone's mind. I remember Backman was all over the field, and my section was singing to the tune of "Batman", "da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Back-Man!"

As a side note, does anyone remember that someone fell off the escalator of the upperdeck and died? I think that happened this night.

original mets
June 3, 2005
I saw this game on NBC, since I was living out of NY at the time. I remember Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola discussing the only hit that wasn't a hit.

Mark Corrao
December 3, 2005
I remember this game vividly. The only Cub hit was a little dribbler down the 3rd Base line by Kieth Moreland, a slow runner, that Ray Knight, who was playing back, fielded while on the run, came up clean with it in his glove, but never got a good grip on the ball and failed to make a throw. He did state during a post game interview that he didn't know it was going to be the only hit of the game for the Cubs, and if he knew it was, he would have at least attempted to make a throw. Knight also said that Gooden would have plenty of opportunities and will throw plenty of no hitters. Too bad not for the Mets.

david roth
October 14, 2006
I was at this game sitting in the top of section 16. I remember this play as vividely as any I have ever seen before. Keith Moreland, probably the slowest member of the Cubs that night, hit a dribbler down the third base line. Ray Knight at first bobbled the ball then could not get it out of his glove. Knight never attemted to make a throw. Red Foley wherever you are, called it a hit. Now that I am 43, I say poppycock. I know for a fact that was an error if I had ever seen one. That ladies and gentleman was the only no-hitter the Mets have ever had.

Will - Howell, NJ
March 13, 2008
Yes, this was the no-hitter that wasn't. I too was at this game at that game and I think this was quite possibly the best game Gooden ever pitched. From my POV, it was E-5. I was very surprised he was not given a error.

The irony is he did pitch a no-hitter for the Yankees. Problem is, is also walked 6 or 7 batters that game. Some no-hitter.

Ed K
April 20, 2008
Doc's first shutout at Shea. He had two on the West Coast before this game.

Daniel Lebovic
October 23, 2008
I saw this game when I was 6. First Mets game I ever went to.

Does someone - ANYONE- have a clip of the Moreland hit?

email me at drltoo@aol.com Would be willing to pay for the clip or the game (if you happen to have it on tape or DVD)

Thanks! dan

Charlie
June 9, 2012
I was at this game. Definitely more of a no-no than Santana's...now that he threw one I felt compelled to post this here because Dr K was a homegrown Met, not a trade and sign. Does anyone else remember 84 and 85 Met homestands? Seemed like a sellout every 5th night and the stadium would shake whenever Gooden had 2 strikes on a hitter. Never saw him waste a pitch either. Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. Take a seat. Don't think we'll ever see that again. Such a shame what happened to him. Was also at the first game of the home/away day/night Yankee doubleheader in July 2000, his first game as an opposing pitcher if memory serves (Piazza got beaned by Clemens in the nightcap in the Bronx). Was surprised he didn't get more of an ovation when he took the hill. The game, and its fans...sure have changed.

Mark G
October 21, 2015
Like many on this list, I too was fortunate enough to be at this game. With the Cubs in first and in town and the Mets in a pennant race for the first time in my memory, atmosphere at Shea was electric, like I'd never experienced before. Of course the Moreland "hit" stands out -- at the time, the way Gooden was throwing, I was sure that would be the only hit on the night, especially since every Met game I attended I always thought "tonight will be the night" for a no-hitter. But no way that could have been scored an error. Knight had trouble getting it out of his glove, and I joked after that he should have had the decency to make a bad throw to first to try to draw an error, but was clearly a hit, even if a very cheap one.

Len
July 11, 2020
I was fortunate enough to be at this game and thought it was an ERROR by Knight.....should've been a no-no :-(