First time the Mets opened a season against defending World champs. Seaver and Tug shutout the Pirates at Shea.

This was the delayed season opener, delayed by the brief players' strike. It was also the first game after the sudden death of Manager Gil Hodges, just a week or two earlier. The team was still in shock.

Just found out that a partial video of this game exists. Regardless of completion, I would love to see the Mets Classics guys air this one. Wow!

Watching the NBC Sports telecast with Sandy Koufax on YouTube. The first game as Mets for Rusty Staub and Jim Fregosi.

Nearly 52 years later, it’s still hard to accept that they traded the generational talents of Nolan Ryan and Ken Singleton for these older players.

The Vietnam war was still going on and I was a freshman at college. Students were still holding protests, but they were mostly half-hearted as the draft lottery was instituted (I was #182) and schools administrators were acquiescing to most student demands. (Kent State was a couple of years earlier.) The annual spring call for a strike from classes and rally in the quad went out. The first part sounded like a capital idea, the second, well, we could do better things, like head to the bar, or in my case, hit the subways for the day Mets game.

I had to go alone (sports weren't the biggest thing in '72), but what a great day. I see a Seaver shutout and get back in time for another great dorm weekend. I remember the game, but not the weekend. (Don't remember many details of those.) The immoral war ended. I graduated. Seaver got traded. Things end. memories endure.

This was one of those late night games from the west coast that was probably not tuned into by many New Yorkers. It featured Rusty Staub’s first home run as a Met and a homer by Jerry Grote that turned out to be a game-winner. Also, it was Don Zimmer’s debut as a major league manager. Zimmer had just taken over the Padres after the firing of Preston Gomez.

This game was historic, at least from the perspective of the Dodgers, because it was the day that Bill Russell unequivocally became their regular shortstop.

My hero was Tom Terific my dad remained a Willie Mays, Giant fan for life. This one featured Tom striking out Bonds 4 times, a feat that was okay considering Bonds was a strikeout kind of guy, but he also struck out the center fielder, Maddox, 4 times. With his short stroke that was quite a feat. Seaver, knee dirty and hopping to the grass in front of the mound was awesome. On the knees on the black rising into the strike zone and curve tight modest break starting on the black and breaking 2 inches off on the right handers. Willie was no factor; Seaver dominated.

I was outside my house when a neighborhood friend, who was watching this game on TV, told me that Bud Harrelson had just hit a home run. I had trouble believing him because I was convinced that it was something Harrelson just didn't do. I tuned in later and heard Lindsey Nelson say that Bud had, indeed, homered. I was sorry I missed it. A home run by Harrelson was even more rare than a no-hitter or a triple play. He only came up with one every two to three years.

How often does a pitcher pitch a two-hitter where both of the hits he allows are triples? It happened at Candlestick this day. Gary Gentry gave up leadoff triples in the fourth and ninth innings, both to Bobby Bonds. Gentry gets the complete game victory, 4-2 as Cleon hits a homer.

My first game ever! My best friend's communion and his father brought us to the game. Great seats, not far back from the Mets dugout. A beautiful day. A young kid, I was in awe of being at the ballpark. Two distinctive memories, naturally the Mets lost, a precursor to being a Met fan. The fondest memory: Watching Ed Kranepool's Home Run sail over the bullpen wall, standing on my seat to watch it go and go and go ! I was given money from my father for a souvenir; I got a Mets cap. I kept that hat for forever. I wish I still had it. I regret that I do not have the stub from that day.

I remember being mesmerized by the Padres uniforms and asking my father why we couldn't get Ed Kranepool's home run ball. I was fixated with that ball until a stadium employee lazily walked over and picked up what could have been a wonderful souvenir for this seven year old boy.

It was in this game that Tom Seaver suffered his first loss ever to the Padres. Seaver had dominated the San Diego team with wins in each of his first ten decisions against them since 1969. Nate Colbert drove in four runs with a double and homer in giving his club their first-ever victory over Tom Terrific. The defeat was just a temporary setback for Seaver. He would not lose another game to the Padres for another three years, during which he beat them eight more times.

I am 38, and this was the first ballgame I ever attended. Tommie Agee hit a walk off homer if I remember correctly.

Tony, you are correct! Agee's two-out homer in the bottom of the tenth after Bud Harrelson reached on an error gave the Mets an 8-6 win in this game.

The Mets were down 6-0 going to the bottom of the eighth but they scored five in that inning and one more in the ninth before Agee won it in extra innings. The Padres made six errors in the game, including four over the last three innings when the Mets scored all eight of their runs.

San Diego OF Johnny Jeter had two homers in the game.

I went to this game with my father and two sisters. We sat in the upper deck behind the Mets' dugout. It was the first game of a day- night doubleheader against the Dodgers. The Mets won, 2-1, as Tom Seaver got his 100th career victory and Ed Kranepool hit a home run. There was also a rumor going around Shea Stadium that the Mets had just acquired Willie Mays, which turned out to be true.

Dad bought souvenirs for all three of us. He got a Mets' Yearbook for me and, for my sisters, a pen and pencil set and a Mr. Met rag doll. The total cost of all of these items was $4.25!

We all went home happy that day with our souvenirs and memories of a Mets win on a sunny Thursday afternoon at Shea.

As Hank M mentioned in his entry on this game, this was Tom Seaver's 100th career win which came on the same day as the trade for Willie Mays. The news headlines covered Willie's return to New York much more than they did Tom's milestone. It was probably the only time Seaver was ever overshadowed as a Met.

This game was the latter half of a day-night doubleheader that concluded a very eventful day in Mets history. It started with the acquisition of Willie Mays, after which came Tom Seaver's 100th career win. Also, this nightcap was the last Mets loss before a team-record tying 11-game winning streak.

There was one item worthy of note from this game. Jim Beauchamp, who had worn uniform #24 over the first month of the season, donned #5 for the first time. Jim (understandably) had to change his number with Mays about to join the team.

One more event that occurred on this night was the Rangers losing the last game of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins. It was truly a day of highs and lows in New York sports.

This was the first game Willie Mays was in uniform for the Mets. The Mets had completed the trade with the Giants earlier in the week. I was at the game with my dad, who died 2 months later, one of the last games he and I went to. I remember when John Milner came out of the dugout, everyone mistook him for Willie and gave him a standing ovation, until they saw it was number 28, not number 24.

This was my first MLB game in person and is probably the reason I am still a fan. I was just 11 at the time and I can still remember the excitement of the game. I know who Mays was and the significance of the game. I wish he had played.

This was the day the Giants retired Willie Mays' number 24. Why did they pick this day, while he was still an active player? And why this day, when the Giants were at Shea Stadium? Couldn't they wait till July when they went to Candlestick park? Or maybe they did both? I don't really remember. I was 10 years old.

This was Buzz Capra's finest day as a Met. He pitched eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and got his second major league win. Capra provided his own support with a single that drove home Cleon Jones for the game's only run. It was Buzz's only RBI of his three seasons with the team.

I wasn't at this game, but I sure do remember it! This was the day that Willie Mays returned to New York as a member of the Mets! As a kid I had heard about what a great ballplayer Willie Mays was and even though I heard people talking about Willie's age, I figured a great baseball player was a great baseball player! Who cared how old he was? He's the "Say Hey Kid"! And what a fitting return. Against his former team, Willie hit a HR that gave the Mets a 5-4 win. Of course, Willie's age DID matter and many thought he stayed too long when he hung around for the 1973 campaign.

I recorded this game off the TV with my tape recorder. When Willie hit that HR, Ralph exclaimed, "There's a drive to left! Going back, and gone!" You can hear me in the background, yelling for my dad. Then when Willie came up the next time, Lindsey said "If you've been a Met fan since 1962 when they won only 40 games, just the sight of Mays in a uniform that says 'Mets' across the front of it, has got to do something for you."

Fran Healy, current Mets broadcaster, was catching that day for the Giants.

One more thing about this game: the Giants' starter was former Cleveland fireballer "Sudden" Sam McDowell. Sam, who was kind of the Nolan Ryan of his day (lots of walks and strikeouts), walked the first three batters in the game (Mays, Harrelson, Agee) and then Rusty hit a grand slam. McDowell then struck out Cleon, Fregosi, and Teddy Martinez to end the first inning. Four runs, one hit, three walks, three strikeouts!

I was at this game with my father. I was 15 and I remember Rusty's grand slam. We sat down the left field line and when Willie hit the home run it was during a slight drizzle of rain and the ball was a line drive over the left field fence. Never will forget it!

I was at my grandparents apartment in Manhattan watching the game. I still remember jumping up and down when I saw that line drive clear the left field wall. Willie was finally home again. I was glad to see probably his last dramatic moment in an illustrious career and share it with my grandfather who always called him the greatest player ever.

I was at this game with my father and I remember Rusty Staub's grand slam after Sam McDowell walked the bases loaded. Also Tito Fuentes went 4 for 4 that day. I Remember when Willie came up to bat in the 5th inning my saying, "Come on Willie, hit one off the bullpen cart" which if I remember he just missed it. Great game. Never will forget it.

This was the first game I had ever been to. I was 5 years old. I don't remember the game details any more than I remember the Mets won. What I do remember is the smells: stale beer in the concrete walls, pretzels, hot dogs and the spectacular site of the wonderful green green grass of Shea Stadium. I remembered it rained and a lot of people left. I thought my Dad was the greatest person in the world, cause somehow we went from being in the upper deck (which I thought was great anyway) to being on the field level behind 3rd base. I didn't know how he did it, but he got us as close to game as possible and everything I imagined seeing a baseball game was, came to life.

When Willie got traded to the Mets we were so happy and excited. Then we realized we would be attending his first game as a Met and against of all teams - the Giants. Wow, we were so excited.

I don't remember details of the game except Willie's home run. It was one of the greatest of my Mets moments - including attending Game 5 in '69. He just blasted a shot into the mezzanine seats in left field. The place went nuts. The Mets won thanks to Willie. It was perfect.

I was at this game as a nine year old. When we bought the tickets before the season we had no idea it would Willie Mays's first game as a Met, and he would hit the game-winning home run. What no one has mentioned is the bizarre sequence of the bottom of the first inning. It went: walk, walk, walk, grand slam, strike out, strike out, strike out. I'll bet anything that sequence has never happened in a major league game, let alone in the first inning.

Mothers day at abuelita's. All the men cheering one of New York's most eligible bachelors Staub's grand slam. I tell you even at 10 years old that made me sick when Murphy used to say that lol. The frustration of Tito Puentes homer then the explosion of joy for Mays homer. Nice memory. Yeah I know it's Fuentes lol...

The Mets win their seventh in a row to improve their record to 21-7, and they have a 5.5 game lead over the second place Phillies.

Willie Mays leads off with a walk off Mike Torrez. Teddy Martinez follows with an extra base hit to right field, and on the play at the plate Mays kicks the ball out of catcher John Boccabella's glove and into the dugout, allowing Martinez to come all the way home. The Mets don't score again in the game but Jim McAndrew and Tug McGraw combine on a seven-hitter for the 2-1 win.

I'm not positive of this, but I think Jim Beauchamp hit a homer (or maybe 2?) off Steve Carlton as the Mets defeated the Phillies. It was one of only 10 losses Carlton had on the season as he won the Cy Young with a 27-10 record.

I stand corrected! In the bottom of the 8th, Beauchamp pinch-hit for Seaver and singled. Mays, batting leadoff that day, hit a 2-run homer off Carlton as the Mets won their 11th in a row.

Tommy Hutton homered off Seaver earlier in the game, as he used to own Seaver in those days...

This was the game...The Zenith. On the morning of May 22, the Mets awoke and found themselves sitting at 25-7. They had completed an 11-game winning streak and the news media were hailing them as invincible. With Rusty, Seaver, Agee etc all of us kid-types were not only getting ready for the inevitable World Championship but debated whether the Mets would also smash the all-time records for wins in a season (at that time 111). Then a funny thing happened: Rusty got in the way of a George Stone fastball and the injuries began accumulating. By August, Duffy Dyer found himself in RF. The Met leader in HR was Staub with 9 until September (he went out June 9) a feat that was not matched until the pathetic 2009 edition of the team.

The suffering lasted until September 1973 and then... well that is another story.

This was one of the first games I ever attended. I remember being excited about seeing "Super Stever Carlton," pitch. He had been traded to the Phillies in the off-season for a very popular pitcher in Philadelphia, Rick Wise (who had no-hit the "Big Red Machine," the previous year, including hitting two home runs in the game).

Carlton was five-and-0 to start the 1972 season and Willie Mays had recently been traded to the Mets from the Giants. Late in the game, Mays hit a long drive off Carlton which sailed into the "dancing waters" fountains beyond the center field fence at Veterans Stadium, which turned out to be the winning run.

Three future Hall-of-Famers all figuring in the decision of the game, Seaver got the win; Willie Mays the GW hit, home run #648 for him and the GW RBI; Carlton took the loss, one of only ten he had in a Cy Young award winning season for him. I was hooked on baseball after that game.

The Mets were the only team that beat Steve Carlton more than once in 1972.

Jon Matlack pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout on this night. He got all the support he would need on Rusty Staub's two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. The double came on a fly ball down the right field line that hit the orange stripe above the wall. It should have been ruled a three-run homer, but it wasn't and Staub argued about the call. Rusty followed up with a pair of RBI singles and another double for a 4-for-4 game. Also, Bud Harrelson reached base four times and scored three runs. A night to remember for Matlack and the Mets.

It was a Friday night and Aaron and Mays were tied for 2nd in homers at that time. There was a lot of anticipation that one (or both) of them would hit one out that night. Not to be. The Mets were horrible. The only saving grace was Milner hitting a homer in the 9th to break the shutout. It was also the first time I saw the Braves candy-ass blue uniforms. Too bad it wasn't the last.

As Kevin McLaughlin said in March of 2002, Henry Aaron and Willie Mays were both in the starting lineup this night, and they were tied for second place in career home runs behind Babe Ruth with 648.

Neither man added to his total this night. Aaron struck out twice, grounded out, and fouled out. Mays struck out, flied out, popped out, and walked as the Braves won behind Phil Niekro.

Rico Carty hit a two-out, three-run homer in the sixth off Gary Gentry to break a scoreless tie. Felix Millan and Ralph Garr drove in runs in the seventh, and Darrell Evans homered in the eighth off Ron Taylor to give the Braves a 6-0 lead. The only Mets run came on a ninth inning homer by John Milner, who had all three of the hits allowed by Niekro.

The Mets are 31-12 and have the best record in baseball after this win. But during the game with the Mets up 4-1 Rusty Staub is hit in the hand by a George Stone pitch. Rusty's hand is broken, and he will miss three months of the season.

After Staub's injury the Mets go 52-61 the rest of the way and finish the year 13.5 games out of first place.

I'm pretty sure that this was the first Met game I ever went to. At least it is the first one I can remember. I was 8 years old at the time. I distinctly remember the Mets beating the Braves and Tom Seaver hitting a ground double. I remember him hitting it down one of the foul lines but I can't remember which one. I don't remember Rusty Staub breaking his hand though.

Johnrd, yes...Seaver grounded a double just inside the first base bag in the fourth inning.

My second Mets game. Went with my brother. Remember Duffy Dyer hitting a home run to left. Loved Tommie Agee but he was having some issues in center field. Definitely remember my favorite player (Rusty Staub) getting hit by George Stone.

This is the game where Rusty Staub was hit by a pitch from future teammate George Stone. He fractured his his hand. What a damn shame. Rusty was hitting .317 up to this point and the Mets were in first place. The injury woes began and the Mets slipped in the standings. Rusty played through the pain but would later on have surgery and would go on the DL not returning till September. His numbers in '72 and '73 were very misleading as he would eventually get hit again on the other hand, this time by the Pirate's Ramon Hernandez in '73.

I was at this, and it was the beginning of the end after Staub got hit. I remember Dyer really filling in well for Grote that summer at the plate. His blast was so unexpected and was long gone.

The world look wonderful from the upper deck that fine June evening. All was well in Metville (never mind the loss), the Mets were in 1st, Willie Mays was in NY, a wonderful summer awaited. Then, reality! Staub starts an incredible sequence of injuries which ends up with Duffy Dyer playing right in August.

But I do remember that wonderful heady feeling only a kid can have at a ballgame in June when your team is in first.

Other lasting memory, for some reason, is catcher Larry Howard's (Is that right, isn't he one of the Stooges?) HR over the 396 sign in left.

It was my 13th birthday and I saw my favorite Met, Duffy Dyer, drill a double down the left field line. It was Helmet Day and there were over 55,000 blue helmets blanketing the stands on a sunny Saturday.

Something I saw in this game had me fooled for a long, long time. In the fifth inning, Joe Morgan sent a line drive to left field that hit John Milner’s foot and caromed far away from him. Morgan circled the bases for what looked like an inside-the-park home run, but that doesn’t seem to be what happened. Websites that cover play-by-play accounts of past games state that the play was an error on Milner all the way and not even a hit was credited to Morgan. For more than forty years, I thought of this moment as the first ITP homer I ever saw. It was apparently scored as a four-base error instead. Funny how some of your experiences as a youth can turn out to be illusions later in life!

Tom Seaver was the big star on this day. He pitched a complete game in a 2-1 win over the eventual National League Champions. Tom allowed only five hits, all of them singles.

It was Seaver himself who provided the margin of victory. In the seventh inning, he broke a 1-1 tie by hitting a home run over the left field wall. Pete Rose just looked up helplessly as the ball sailed out. Tom Terrific had won his own ball game!

This game was played on Father's Day. I don't know if this is true, but it might have been Tom's first one since becoming a father for the first time. Whether it was or not, he had a great day in more ways than one.

This was the game that Rusty Staub hurt his hand.

Yes, this was the game Rusty hurt his hand. He was out for exactly a month, came back for one game on 7/18, then was out for exactly two more months until 9/18 and played the end of the season.

Meanwhile, the Mets who were 36-20 and in 1st Place by a half game after this win, played under .500 the rest of the way to finish 83-73 and way off the pace. In short, 1972 turned out to be a disappointing season that had started with much promise despite the loss of Gil Hodges and the short-lived players strike. But it was followed by the miracle of 1973.

The Mets lose under the dome to Larry Dierker and the Astros, 3-0.

Dierker, having seen his teammate Jerry Reuss pitch a one-hit shutout the day before against the Phillies, goes out and pitches his own one- hit shutout. Duffy Dyer had the only Mets hit, a leadoff single to center in the third inning.

In one of the worst starts of his Mets career, Tom wasn't so Terrific on this warm Saturday afternoon. Someone named Luis Melendez (I think) slugged a Grand Salami off Seaver, Reggie Clevelend was the winning pitcher, and some guy named Joe Torre, in the midst of his MVP/career season, played 3B for the Cards. As a naive 12-year-old, I actually sat through all 9 innings.

This is the first MLB game I ever saw in person. My dad who was NOT a baseball fan agreed to drive me the 2+ hours it took to get from our home in upstate NY to Shea. Perhaps the most generous thing my dad ever did for me. He hated traffic and didn't care a whit about baseball. I lived and died with Tom Seaver every 5 days. I was sure I was going to see him pitch a gem. He got knocked out of the box in the 5th (?) inning. I continued to live and die with #41 every 5 days, but I didn't see him pitch in person again until Spring Training 1985 - by that time he was at the end of his career with the White Sox.

I saw this game with my Dad. Did that horrible drive from NJ to Shea - the worst 35 miles you can drive in the US.

Lou Brock hit Seaver's first pitch like a rocker past Tom's head and into centerfield. First pitch. You could tell it was going to be a long day.

It was June, so we didn't bring jackets, and it must have been 50 degrees (felt like it) in the upper deck. My Dad LOVES the Mets but never liked going to Shea. He was miserably cold that day and the game was awful.

Fortunately, I probably saw Seaver 10 ten times between 1969 and 1975 and the results were usually much better.

WHN, the radio station that carried the Mets during this time, sponsored a Father-Son contest that featured tickets for this game, as well as a pre-game lunch in the Diamond Club with some old- timers. My father and I were among the winners, and we enjoyed meeting Casey Stengel, Hank Bauer, Johnny Lewis at lunch before Tom Seaver got rocked early on.

To follow up on some earlier posts on this game:

Luis Melendez, pinch-hitting for Bernie Carbo, did hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, but it came off Ray Sadecki, who had just relieved Seaver after Tom had loaded the bases with nobody out.

Tom wound up pitching four innings, allowing seven runs and ten hits. Sadecki gave up the other four runs in 1.2 innings of work. Reggie Cleveland pitched the complete game shutout for the Cards.

I definitely was at this game, but for some reason I remember that this was an Old Timer's Day game. Can anyone confirm that?

Ira,

If you are still reading these boards, I can indeed confirm that it was Old Timer's Day at Shea--and the Mets sure looked like the Old Time Mets!

This was my second game ever and it was a thrill because it was Old Timers Day! As each of the old players was introduced, my Mom would give me a quip about some of her favorites. She was a big baseball fan (Brooklyn Dodgers originally). I do remember seeing Tom Seaver getting shelled. What a rude awakening to realize at a young age that my hero was fallible.

We were enroute from Hawaii to Europe with a stop in NYC. My parents took my twin brother and me to the game. He was a Mets fan, I was a Cardinal fan. Tom Seaver was an icon, as was Bob Gibson. I remember Seaver getting lit up and the Mets going down in flames, and my twin brother in tears. What a game !!!!

I got my one and only foul ball. My Dad caught it -- I was 11 -- as we were walking from our third base box seats toward the exit. It was thrown by Jerry Koosman and hit by Bob Robertson. Judging by the box score, it was probably the eight inning. We were leaving.

I've since lost the ball.

Thanks for a great web site. My Dad and I were at Shea and reminiscing about the ball he caught some 32 years ago. I didn't remember the exact date, but thanks to this web site I've nailed it, and I have the box score for posterity.

This was the second game I ever attended at Shea, and the first time I ever saw the Mets win in person. This day's game would end up being the only bright spot in Jim Fregosi's career with the Mets. He hit a three-run homer to break a 4-4 tie and win the game. I also remember being disappointed that Roberto Clemente didn't play that day. As it turned out, he would die in the coming off-season, so I never got to see him play in person. One final memory from that day: My grandfather's respect for Willie Stargell as an opponent. During the pre-game announcement of Stargell's name, he shouted "That's the guy you oughta boo!"

Not only did Fregosi hit a three run homer to give the Mets a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh, but he earlier had driven in two runs with a first inning single, giving him five RBIs on the night (he only had 32 RBIs all season). I'd have to think this was Fregosi's best game as a Met.

I remember Dave Marshall (remember him?) drove in the only runs in this game with two home runs.

The Mes scored three in the top of the ninth to tie this game. A pinch single by Willie Mays brought in the tying run.

Rookie RHP Bob Rauch came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and faced six batters: walk, sac bunt, intentional walk, walk, strikeout, walk.

Rauch got into just 19 games in his major league career (all with the 1972 Mets) and this was his only decision. He was traded to Cleveland after the season but never pitched in the majors again.

This was the first game of a doubleheader and my first ever Mets game at Shea. I was 5 years old and I believe it was also batting helmet day. I remember that Willie Mays hit a foul ball which the man in front of me caught barehanded. Best of all was that Tom Terrific carried a no-hitter into the 9th inning. He was masterful. I also remember those awful mustard yellow Padres jerseys. The Mets won 2-0. Since this game, I have always wanted to be at the first no- hitter in Mets history. I've never been this close to a no-hitter or a foul ball since!!!!

I was at this game with my family - my last trip to Shea before starting at the Naval Academy on 7/6/72. It was Leron Lee who spoiled the no-hitter.

What is interesting about this game is that Tom Seaver retired all 27 batters yet didn't get a no-no. After Leron Lee got a base hit, Nate Colbert hit into a double play.

Metman, your comment is a little misleading. You make it sound as if Seaver had a perfect game going, but he didn't. He had four walks and faced a total of 31 Padre hitters. The walks were all left on base.

Tom had 11 strikeouts in the game and the Mets' two runs came on consecutive bases-loaded walks to Jim Fregosi and Ed Kranepool.

It was a double header and Navy day at Shea and Miss Navy was carried around the field in a battleship replica (on a truck bed) between games. I was 11 and accompanied my uncle (a Navy officer) in that battleship replica to the game but unfortunately was not allowed anywhere near Miss Navy and could not ride around the field in the replica. However, I got to watch both games from the bullpen and I met and got autographs on my baseball from Jon Matlack and Buzz Capra from the Mets and Johnny Jeter and Al Severinsen from the Padres. I still have the baseball. It was hands down the most awesome baseball experience of my life.

Another lefty dunker breaks up a Tom Terrific bid, also 1out-top of the 9th, for a special event in front of a Big Shea crowd: first it was July, 1969, now July 4, three years later. It’s to Tom’s credit that he makes these guys famous! This one however, Leron Lee was a respectable hitter. Like against Qualls (Who?) Tom pitched up in the zone (the image in my mind from a backstop camera angle which gives the hitter’s perspective, out of use today unfortunately) but that was his forte. Once again, a prolonged standing ovation, the Shea fans ensuring that this will nonetheless be an unforgettable performance. Despite another meaningless single, Tom authors 1 of his 61 shutouts -7th all-time, tied with protégé Nolan Ryan. Despite the best efforts of a bevy of pesky lefties looking to make a name for themselves -the premier RH power/control pitcher in MLB history! So, Happy 4th to the ex-Marine and virtuoso performer, G. Thomas Seaver!

I attended this game, stayed for the entire 14 innings and watched McGraw walk in the go-ahead run in the top of the 14th. Not a happy night.

The Mets managed just two hits in this fourteen inning game!

Padres RHP Steve Arlin threw ten innings, allowing just one hit, a leadoff single by Dave Marshall in the fourth. Jim Fregosi had the only other Mets hit with two outs in the twelfth off Gary Ross. Jerry Koosman pitched ten scoreless innings for the Mets, striking out twelve.

The Padres scored in the top of the fourteenth when they loaded the bases with nobody out. It looked like the Mets might escape as Tug McGraw got Nate Colbert to hit into a force play at the plate, and Clarence Gaston struck out. But Jerry Morales walked to force in the only run of the game.

The Mets threatened in the bottom of the inning when Bud Harrelson walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and to third on a sac bunt. But Dave Marshall grounded to short and was thrown out at first, and as the throw went to first Harrelson tried to score. Nate Colbert threw home to Pat Corrales and the game was over.

On this same night the Pirates won a 17-inning marathon at the Astrodome, so the Mets fell 2.5 games out of first place.

The fourteen inning game was over in three hours and twelve minutes!

I watched this entire game, right up to its bitter end. Bud Harrelson was thrown out at home to end it, but it happened a little differently than the way its described above.

With Harrelson on third and two outs, John Milner was batting. Gary Ross threw a pitch that got by catcher Pat Corrales. Harrelson raced for the plate, but Corrales recovered quickly. He threw to Ross covering home and Ross tagged Harrelson--late! But the umpire (who might have been tired and just wanted to go home) called Harrelson out. It was a terrible call. Buddy, Milner and Yogi Berra were all arguing intensely, and with good reason.

It was a frustrating end to a long game that should have been tied up at that point.

Hank M, thanks for pointing out my mistake in describing the play that ended the game! I misread the summary off retrosheet. I'm glad you have the real live memory of the disappointing ending of the game (although I wish Buddy had been safe!)

I have a video of about 4 innings of this game. Players in the line-up that day included Mays, Fregosi, Beachamp (replaced at 1B by Kranepool), Dyer, Martinez, Garrett, Harrelson, Milner. Starting OF of Staub, Agee, and Jones were all injured. In Dodgers line-up was Buckner, Lacy, Parker, Wills, Lefebre, Sims, Davis, and Frank Robinson! Pretty uneventful game..but there was a great play at the plate, where Seaver attempted a suicide squeeze off Osteen with Dyer on third after Dyer had doubled off the wall in the gap in right. He was called out after the replay clearly showed safe, and Berra and Dyer argued the call. Fregosi looked terrible at plate.

There is footage of this game on good old You Tube courtesy of KTTV 11 Los Angeles. Here's some irony for you: Part of the footage has Seaver pitching to a young Dodgers phenom by the name of.....Bill Buckner. Who would of thought that 14 years later that Buckner and Seaver would be teammates on the Red Sox. You can seriously do comparisons between the 1969 and 1986 World Series just like Abe Lincoln-John Kennedy and even John Belushi-Chris Farley.

This was the game.. This was when I really knew that the 1972 season was all over, and it wasn't even rock bottom. After looking invincible in May and early June, the Mets were so depleted that the RF tandem in this game was the immortal Ted Martinez and then the great Duffy Dyer. Now I liked Duffy as a player and a catcher, but it was painful watching him lumber around the outfield on this stifling humid July night. I remember he made an error going after a ball essentially tripping over his own feet. I recall that this night was so miserable, I had actually had pain watching the Mets bumble!

I went to this game with my grandmother. We saw Jon Matlack shut out the Giants, 4-0, on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. Jon pitched a 4-hitter and got Willie McCovey on a called third strike for the final out in the ninth.

The only run Jon would need was scored in the first inning when Jim Fregosi hit into a double play with the bases loaded after Sam McDowell had walked the first three batters of the game. Also, Bud Harrelson hit a triple that scored both Wayne Garrett and Matlack in the second inning.

Grandma and I enjoyed every minute of this game. It was a great day to be at Shea!

This was the first baseball game I ever attended. Me and my dad. I was seven years old. I remember seeing the grass for the first time - so green. Most of my memories of this day have faded. But my love for my dad and the Mets have only grown stronger.

This is a great site. I only remembered the final score of the game and our opponent. Now I feel like I have an anniversary that I can share with my family forever.

A successful major league debut for Dave Schneck. He hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to give the Mets the lead for good. Tom Seaver pretty much did the rest with a complete game five-hitter to continue his dominance over the Padres. The win was the twelfth in thirteen career decisions for Seaver against the San Diego team.

What a return for Willie Mays! He slugged a two-run homer in his first game back at Candlestick Park since being traded by the Giants. The home run was the difference in the game as the Mets won by two. It was the only time Mays ever homered at "The Stick" as a visiting player.

Check out this box score: Mets score in the top of the 10th to go up 1-0 and Matlack is allowed to bat later in the inning! Baseball was so much better before Tony Larussa ruined it with his parade of specialists out of the bullpen after the 6th inning!

Third Mets game I ever went to. Family Night at Shea. Willie Mays almost tied the game in the ninth with a three-run homer but the ball went foul down by the left field foul pole.

Willie Mays had three hits in this game, the second of which was the 140th and last triple of his career. Mays had led the N. L. in triples three times with the New York Giants in the 1950s and this was his only three-bagger as a Mets player. Also, Montreal's Terry Humphrey slugged his first major league home run in the ninth inning. Humphrey would have only five more homers over a nine-year career.

I was 8 years old when I attended this game.It was one of the few times that my biological father came around to spend time with me. He took my mother, one of his nephews and myself. My Mom still talks about it once in a while recalling the great seats (third base field level) as well as a trip to the Diamond Club.

As for the game, I had always remembered the final score and that Jim McAndrew had started for the Mets. Also that the Expo run had come on a steal of home. But for all these years I had always thought that it was Ron Hunt who had made the steal. Not Clyde Mashore.

I have been visiting some of the other games I attended in my childhood. I find it interesting that Mets "closer" Tug McGraw would pitch 2, 3 or sometimes even 4 innings. How times have changed.

I went to this game with my Aunt Pat and Grandfather and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was nine years old and wore a wool Mets uniform, before wearing team uniforms was a big deal. My Aunt took my Grandfather and I to the game for his birthday. I remember the steal at home but more importantly, I remember the great time I had with my family and miss my grandfather and the memories he provided me to this day.

My dad usually took me to a Met Game every year for my birthday. This year it landed exactly on my 13th birthday. My dad got us Press Box seats from some unknown connection and I was having the time of my life. Unfortunately my Mom was pregnant with my younger sister. We all thought she would give birth later in August but she started experiencing early labor pains that night at home. My Dad called her and felt we needed to leave before the game was over. I would have none of this as the game was tied and I was having a great time. When Duffy Dyer hit the game winning homer in the eighth, I felt justified in staying for the final out. Fortunately my mom held out and gave birth the next day. Boy was happy and damn lucky, no way my dad was staying for extra innings!

Banner day twi-night doubleheader,also the first time I sat below the Upper Deck at Shea (loge Sec 3 Row 3). The players looked almost like they did on TV rather than those distant specks darting in all directions I was used to. First game goes 18 innings thanks to a HR by Don Money. The fans in left field left the game to assemble outside the centerfield wall in the 7th inning. Where they waited...and waited...and waited. Lasting memory other than Money's HR was Dave Schneck's triple in the 1st. I told everyone within earshot that Schneck was going to be the Met's CF of the future, and would possibly be in the HOF: predictions I later made about Dan Norman and Gregg Jeffries . What do I know, I'm the only investor to LOSE money in the late 90's market.

Second game was a treat watching true HOFers Steve Carlton and Willie Mays face off. Carlton his 21st of 27 victories in his incredible season.

It was a twi-night doubleheader and my brother Tom and friend Frank DiCola and I made a banner and had great seats down the left field line with my sister Kathy and my Dad. We went outside after the 7th inning and the Phillies tied it up and it went 18 innings. We finally went back inside to see the last inning. The Mets won and we got to parade on the field. My Dad made us leave after the 2nd inning of the 2nd game and I only got to see Willie Mays get up once. The Mets sent all the people involved in banner night free tickets for a game against the Expos in September.

I was at this game as well with my sister and our proud banner! They held Banner Night between games of a "scheduled" twilight doubleheader against the Phils (ah, remember those?). The first game lasted 18 innings, the Mets winning 3-2. What was funny was that we were told to huddle under the stands leading to the outfield with our banners sometime around the 7th inning, but we couldn't see the game!! We were way back in line and didn't want to lose our place, so we missed the ending. When we heard a huge roar echo through the stadium, we knew the Mets had won. Very funny night. I was 11 years old.

We had Loge seats overlooking the Phillies bullpen so I watched Carlton warm up for game 2. I was absolutely amazed how loud he popped the catcher's glove!

And yes, I also remember getting those freebies for a Mets- Expos in September.

I was seven years old. My grandfather took me and a buddy, with our ready gloves in hand. We lasted the whole first game, but not into the Banner Day festivities.

I was a one man banner that read "The best banner is a Mets Pennant" I was the first one on the field for the parade. During the second game they announced the winners on the scoreboard. My banner was one of the winners. My father and I rushed down the ramp to claim our prize. My father thought we had won the first prize which was a trip to California. I told him it was actually 5th prize which was a radio and 2 free box seat tickets. Didn't really matter. It was a thrill I will never forget.Thanks dad for making the banner even though the bathtub was sprayed with orange and blue paint.

I went to the game with my sister and parents. I carried a banner that said, "Remember the champs of 69 in 72 it would be sublime!" It was tiring but exciting.

I was 13 years old. A friend's family took us to the Banner Day Twilight Double Header. Our banner read

"The Mets R Grand, we must admit, but they need a basketball to get a hit"!

Spent 11 innings outside the stadium, then watched game 2. Got home around 5 AM.

I remember this game very clearly though we did not participate in the banner parade. I was 12 at the time and my Dad would always get Mets tickets for my Mom as a present. She was a lifelong Mets fan and taught us to be the same. The first game was great in the stands to see 18 innings!! Like an extra game for free! I did feel bad for the Banner Parade participants as they were standing outside the field in the heat forever! One of the first banners was a large, hooked rug that must have been very heavy. I can't remember who won as top banner. We stayed for part of the second game and were very disappointed, including my Mom, when my Dad said we had to leave around midnight as he had to work the next day even if we didn't! It's a great memory today even with both Mom and Dad gone. Thank you Mets!

I was 6 months pregnant at this game. First game went 18 innings then came the banners and then another game. Could not go to work the next day but that is why my son who will be 50 this year has always been and still is a Met fan. He must have loved “being” at Shea this incredible night.

We brought our banner “The Universe Revolves Around Our Mets”. They told banner holders to lineup in the parking lot in the 7th inning. We figured we could hop on the end of the line so stayed in our seats. The game goes 18 innings so we made the right decision. Poor folks were visible waiting in line beyond the outfield.

I had just turned 13, and I was at Shea Stadium with my best friend. We had a banner for Banner Day, and went down to line up around the 7th inning. But we were listening to the game on a transistor radio (remember those?) and when it went into extra innings, we went back up to our seats. Plenty of time, even if we stayed in our upper deck seats, to get down in time to be part of the parade. When Game 1 ended we went back down for the parade, and of course we stayed for the entire second game as well. I imagine I called home from a pay phone (remember those?) so my parents wouldn't worry about me coming home late. Too many years have gone by, so I don't recall any other details.

My brother and I got tickets to this game, realizing neither that it was part of a double header nor that it was banner day. We were 10 and 12 years old at the time. Mom dropped us off and promised to pick us up after the game. Remember, this was before cell phones! When game 1 ended after 18 innings, it was already long after we expected mom to pick us up. We thought we might get in trouble with her, but were willing to take our licks! We certainly didn’t want to miss banner day or the second game! So we took our chances and stayed through everything. Luckily Mom had been watching on TV so she knew not to come until quite a bit later than the original plan. We really felt like we got our money’s worth!

The last banner to come out of center field said " We love you this much Mets" and stretched from 1st to 3rd base. Due to its size it was ineligible for consideration in the awards. That didn't matter to all the neighborhood kids who helped carry it. 7 years old, shaping up for 11 innings with no way to see the game. Despite growing up with a bedroom poster of Tom Seaver in the stretch (my older brother is a Mets fan) I rebelled and became a Yankee fan. Thank you Reggie, Thurman and Ron for helping me see the light.

I was one of the girls carrying the last banner that said Mets we love you this much! We were a Girl Scout troop and had so much fun making it. We laid it out on a cul de sac and the paint bled through the bed sheets onto the street. Right in front of the house of an avid Yankees fan!

This is my first game ever! My mother, brother and I sat in $2.75 seats on the 3rd base Mezz. My mother bought the tixx the week prior at Manufacturers Hanover. I'll never forget the anticipation. I'll never forget walking up the ramp and seeing the field for first time. Seaver's HS friend and former Met teammate Dick Selma got the win. I can remember Deron Johnson's HR in the 10th. And Willie Mays played too!

The ending of this game was a disaster! Having the lead in the ninth inning with Tom Seaver on the mound usually meant victory. Not on this night. Instead, we got Larry Bowa scoring all the way from first on a double by Tommy Hutton (who was a Seaver tormenter) and a pinch-hit 2- run homer by Deron Johnson to left-center field. The Phillies took it right away from us.

The next morning, I saw my friend Glenn, who was the biggest Mets' fan I ever knew. He said to me,"That game they should have won!" I agreed, and ever since then, I've always believed that any game in which the Mets have the lead entering the ninth is one they should win!

One note about Hutton. He was a musician and on Kiner's Korner after the game, Ralph asked him a few questions about his guitar playing. About a year later, Tommy gave a performance on "The Mike Douglas Show."

This was the first baseball game I ever attended. I was 8 years old. Don't remember much, but I was disappointed that Bud Harrelson was not playing. I know Willie Mays had an at bat, but I just don't know if I was still at the game when he came to the plate. Sitting at the top of the stadium behind home plate seemed like miles from the field. I bought a Mets ring. Lost it quickly.

This was my first visit to Shea at age 10. A neighbor had given my father two tickets, Field Level Box seats right behind third base; great seats that went for $4 each back then. The Cubs scored a run in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, after Agee and Garrett were put out, Willie Mays cracked the first pitch over the fence in the left field corner. I clearly remember the final score, 6-1 Mets, but not much else after 31 years. I do remember Joe Pepitone's crazy hairstyle though. I'm glad I got to see the great Willie Mays in action... the homer was a truly great memory.

John,

Thanks for sharing! It's amazing what we can all remember about insignificant games from so long ago!

Thanks to retrosheet.org, here are some more details from the game:

The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a sac fly by Billy Williams after Bill North and Glenn Beckert led off the game with back-to- back singles.

Mays' homer tied it in the bottom of the first, and then the Mets took the lead for good in the third on an infield out by Wayne Garrett. Mays followed with a single and another RBI to make it 3-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, a Duffy Dyer sac fly scored John Milner, and in the fifth Mays struck again, this time another RBI single to drive in Garrett. Tommie Agee finished the scoring with a leadoff homer in the seventh to give the Mets a 6- 1 lead and that's how it ended.

What a performance that night by Jim McAndrew! He pitched a complete game three-hitter for his seventh win of the year. After giving up those back-to-back singles to the first two batters, he allowed just two more baserunners (one hit and one walk) the rest of the way. Meanwhile, the Mets tagged Fergie Jenkins with his tenth loss of the season, scoring all six of their runs off him.

The win improved the second place Mets to 54-44 and brought them to within 6.5 games of the first place Pirates. But the Mets would split their final 58 games to go 83-73 and finish in third place, 13.5 behind Pittsburgh, and two and a half games behind the Cubs.

I remember watching this game as a Cub fan the night before my family left to move to Florida the next day. I recall a ball dropping in deep in the OF near the great Willie Mays. He no longer had much of an arm and he had to flip the ball to one of the other Mets OFs in order to get it into the INF. Though he had a great game hitting-wise, it was sad to see his skills deteriorate to that point.

Seeing Willie Mays' 1st Inning HR...TREMENDOUS!!!

First at bat for Lute Barnes. Rbi base hit - soft liner over shortstop's head.

The Mets tied this game in the top of the ninth, and then loaded the bases against Bob Gibson, but could not get the winning run in.

Ted Sizemore led off the bottom of the thirteenth with a drive to left, and Cleon Jones tried for a shoestring catch but missed the ball. Sizemore came all the way around for a walk-off inside-the- park home run.

Ken Boswell played the entire game at second base (12 innings plus one batter in the 13th) and did not have a single putout or assist.

Lute Barnes goes 2-3. Raises lifetime average to .750, becomes favorite player on the block. All downhill from there...

I remember Menke getting 4 hits, and of course, May's HR pulled to left. More of a line drive than a Strawberry shot.

The first major league I ever saw. The Mets were playing the Big Red Machine. Dave Marshall was playing right field and allowed a ball to go through his legs. Staub was out for the season with a broken hand, Cleon, Harrelson and Boswell were out of the lineup as well. It was Brent Strom's major league debut. The lineup was Kranepool, 1b, Lute Barnes, 2b, Teddy Martinez, ss, Garrett, 3b, Agee, lf, and Grote, C. I can't remember who was in left that day. The Mets lost 5-0. Bench hit a home run and a double. Joe Morgan made a spectacular play at second.

Mike, if you are still reading these boards, it was John Milner in LF and Dave Marshall in RF for this game. It was actually Brent Strom's second appearance, he had broken in three weeks earlier against the Expos. Johnny Bench homered leading off the second inning and later singled to help build another run.

Jack Billingham pitched a three-hitter (all singles) for the Reds.

I had been to Mets' games before this one but this is the probably the oldest Met game I went to that I actually remember some of the game.

My most lasting memory is Tommie Agee dropping a flyball (I thought he dropped two in the game, but the box score lists him with one error). As a 9-year-old who idolized Agee, I couldn't believe it. He was my sister's favorite player. He was clearly nearing the end of his Mets' tenure and I guess they put him in right field to make room for Willie (I didn't even remember that). Fans booed him! He also struck out twice in the game, according to the box.

I also remember Jim Beauchamp going deep twice, yes twice, in that game, winning it with a homer in the bottom of the ninth. Now that was unbelievable and unforgettable. I remember walking out raving about Jim Beauchamp of all people. That was probably the high point of his career.

This was a game I remember very well. It was an exciting victory on a night that clearly belonged to the late Jim Beauchamp.

In the 7th inning, the game was tied, 1-1, when Jim homered to put the Mets in front. The Astros retied it, but in the bottom of the 9th, Jim came up with a runner on base. He blasted a 2-run homer that landed in the Houston bullpen in left field. The Mets had won in dramatic fashion thanks to Jim's heroics.

These were Jim's first two home runs of the season - and they were huge. He, naturally, made an appearance on "Kiner's Korner" that night. Not a bad way for the man to celebrate his 33rd birthday!

My first game. What an experience! 9 yrs old, in the upper deck, section 1, and the untold vastness of the place! The booming sound of the PA. The greenest green, the bluest blue, and those chipped wooden seats. I think the scorecard was 75cents and the genl admission was 1.35! I got a Tug McGraw pin and wore it the rest of the summer. I figured I was good luck for the Mets, cause they won that night. I wonder if the thrill is the same for kids today?

Interesting trivia note about this game: This was the night of the real-life bank robbery in Flatbush that inspired the movie "Dog Day Afternoon." The two robbers and their hostages passed their time inside the bank listening to the Mets game on the radio. The Mets did better than the robbers did.

Was staying with my grandmother in The Bronx and she took me to this game. She really wasn't much of a baseball fan. I was 8 years old and already a big Mets fan. Living in The Bronx she would always say "I was never into baseball especially The Yankees .But after 2 brothers and a husband it took my grandson Stuart to turn me into a Mets fan." I'll never forger that night, Grandma. Let's Go Mets!!!

The first of many games I have attended with the guy who would become my lifelong best friend. He was 13 and I was 12 then, we are 59 and 58 today. For some reason, I remember Lute Barnes and Jim Beauchamp playing in this one.

Our most recent game together was the David Wright tribute on 9/29/18. In between, we've been to lots of regular season games as well as those of the Mets in the NLDS and NLCS, the Yankees in the ALDS and ALCS, and both teams in the World Series. We were at Shea on 8/24/73 for Mets 1, Giants 0 in 10 innings - a barnburner we still talk about in which Juan Marichal and Jerry Koosman both went the distance, at Yankee Stadium on 8/4/85 for Tom Seaver's 300th win (he won his 110th on this night), at Shea on 10/9/88 for the Mike Scioscia heartbreaker (30+ years on, we're still waiting for Davey to bring in Randy Myers to relieve Gooden), at Yankee Stadium on 6/16/97 for Dave Mlicki's shutout in the first subway series game, and at Shea on 10/26/00 for the Game 5 elimination loss to the Yankees.

We have mentally marked our calendars for 8/22/22 when, if the Mets have a home game, we plan to attend together to mark our 50th anniversary.

This was my very first ML baseball game. I was 11 years old and had started following the Mets the year before. Since that game, I have frequently thought about that game. What I recall was that it was a very warm, sunny , Wednesday afternoon. I went to the game with my dad and one of his friends. Living in NJ, we somehow took the subway to get to Shea. We ended up with pressbox seats down the 1B line, near right field. I was so excited to actually see the field and the players in-person! I remember Jerry Koosman pitching against Larry Dierker and the Astros. The Mets lost the game. For years I thought the final score was 7-1 Astros. But I recently went to a local library and looked for the boxscore from that very day on microfilm, and the score was 7- 4 Astros. Koosman did lose to Dierker. Other than the Mets losing, it was a great day. Life was so simple then....

Wow, 40 years ago today. I went to the game with my brother and my cousin. We always took the bus from NJ in to Shea a few times during the summer. Great pitching matchup but Mets lost. I was 15 years old. What I remember most was my family moved across town that day. We woke up and left for the game from one house and returned to another.

I was at this game. They lost, but I still had a good time.

I enjoyed this entire Sunday afternoon game on television. The Mets put together a solid 14-hit attack against a Braves team that seemed to have their number all season. John Milner got it started with a home run in the first inning and Tom Seaver contributed by slugging a two-run shot of his own in the second. Eight of the Mets' hits went for extra bases in their highest scoring game of the year. Even reliever Danny Frisella got into the act with an RBI single in the top of the ninth. It was a big display of offense that did not come from the Mets too often in those days. Just a great game to watch.

The unfortunate Atlanta starter was Denny McLain, who was in the final season of his once-productive career. McLain lasted up to the third inning in his only appearance ever against the Mets.

I remember the Astros had built an 8-0 lead in this game, going into the 7th or 8th inning before the Mets exploded and went on to win the game. I believe Ken Boswell had 4 hits, a highlight in a rather dismal season for him. I actually scored this game at home but the actual scorecard disappeared a long time ago. This might be their greatest single comeback game ever.

I remember watching this game with my Dad (he was a Yankee fan, but let me watch the Mets sometimes!) Well, I remember getting bored and sleepy as the Astros mounted an 8-0 win and decided to amble up to bed. Sure enough, the next morning my dad showed me the sports section and I read, much to my surprise and delight, New York 11, Houston 8. As manager Yogi Berra said, "It ain't 0ver 'til it's over!"

A spectacular comeback by the Mets on a Saturday night under the Astrodome.

Brent Strom started this game but gave up four runs in four innings, and relievers Ray Sadecki and Bob Rauch allowed four more, so it was 8-0 Astros and the Mets were down to their last six outs.

Houston starter Don Wilson was breezing along, having allowed just four hits through seven. But in the eighth, the Mets exploded for seven runs. The key hits were a three run homer by Ken Boswell and a two-RBI single by Wayne Garrett.

Then in the ninth, Agee led off with a walk and Boswell singled him to second (his fourth hit of the game). John Milner reached on an error by Doug Rader and that tied the game. After Ed Kranepool was intentionally walked, Cleon singled to drive in two. Wayne Garrett finished the scoring with an RBI single to drive Cleon home. Jones, Garrett, and Boswell had three RBIs each in the game.

This is the largest Mets comeback in history to date - surpassing the infamous Y2K game against the Braves when the Mets exploded for ten runs in the 8th to overcome an 8-1 deficit.

This was truly one of the Mets' greatest come-from-behind wins. After seven innings, the Astros had a lead of 8-0, the same score by which they beat the Mets in the previous game. It looked like a case of indoor lightning striking twice at the Astrodome. The Mets then put together a rally with seven runs in the eighth and four more in the ninth for an amazing victory.

The Mets had twelve hitters come up to bat in the eighth inning. They followed up with another ten batters in the ninth. I can't verify this fact, but it might be the only time ever that the Mets sent more than nine men to the plate in two consecutive innings.

My first Mets game. We originally were to go over the summer, but Hurricane Elizabeth rained it out. This was the night before the first day of school, so it was a big deal. It was pretty amazing to be 9 and see Tom Seaver pitching... I remember that Hank Webb made his big-league debut this night. Too bad they lost.

Webb's debut was not one to write home about...his first batter in the 9th was Ron Santo. He walked. His second batter was Jim Hickman. He homered. That turned a 1-0 game into a 3-0 game.

Another odd thing about this game...Seaver came out after five innings down 1-0. He wasn't pinch- hit for, but Ray Sadecki replaced him to start the 6th. Maybe Tom was not feeling well? Seaver gave up four hits, two walks, and struck out five through five innings so he certainly wasn't struggling.

NY Times Select has helped answer my question from September 2003: Seaver did pull a muscle in his hip while pitching to Don Kessinger in the top of the fifth. He finished the top of the fifth and was removed for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth.

First game of a twi-nighter at Shea, and John Milner goes 5-for-5, the only five-hit game of his career.

Milner had a two-run homer, a double, and three singles as the Mets, down 2-1 in the seventh, won the game 8-2. Jon Matlack was the winner despite giving up twelve hits in seven innings.

Milner also homered in the first inning of game two, but the Mets gave up three in the eighth as the Cards tied the game, then the Cards scored five in the thirteenth inning to gain a split of the doubleheader.

This was my first major league ball game, I was eight years old at the time. I think Bob Gibson collapsed on the mound. Does anyone know for sure? I have searched for info and have not been able to find anything.

Greg, I haven't been able to verify that, but if Gibson did collapse he must have stayed in the game because he was removed for a pinch-hitter in the top of the 8th. And he retired 7 of the final 8 batters he faced before coming out. Gibson pitched a fine game..the first two Mets runs scored mainly due to two errors by Lou Brock and the third scored on an infield out.

Gary Gentry had a no-hitter for five innings in this game until future Fenway hero Bernie Carbo led off the sixth with a homer for the Cards' only run.

And here's a bit of trivia for you: Mike Hampton was born on this day!

I just read the story from September 10, 1972 in the New York Times and Bob Gibson did not collapse on the mound in ths game.

I was a young child at this time and just learning about baseball. I remember asking my father about this game where Gibson was scheduled to pitch against Gentry. Since Gibson was one of the greatest pitchers of that era, and Gentry was considered to be a mediocre pitcher, my father said that the Cardinals should win. The Mets did win, however, so I learned that in baseball, any team can defeat any other team on any given day.

What I most remember about this game is that I was sworn into the United States Navy before the game. Our boot camp company was know as "The Chicago Cubs Company. We marched onto the playing field from the right field corner door, down the first base line and made a 90 degree turn toward Waveland Avenue and another 90 degree turn at second base and continued onward to third base. Stretched aound the baselines were approximately 80 soon to be sailiors with long, soon to be much shorter hair. An admirial stood at the pitchers mound and had us repeat after him the oath of loyalty to our goverment, country and service.

After the swearing-in ceremony we marched off the field while shaking hands with Cub players such as Banks, Santo, Williams. We were given coupons for free hotdogs and Cokes and watched as the Cubs kicked some serious butt by pounding Tom Seaver and the Mets 18 to 5. Even the Cubs pitcher hit a grand slam!

I saw many newspaper, military and freelance photographers taking pictures of this event but have never seen copies of these pictures. The game was televised on at least one station and possibly more then one station.

I was 10. My 2 brothers and I were on the field before the game and were photograghed with with our favorite Cubs. We actually chose. Fergie Jenkins, Rick Monday and Jose Cardenal. Our father made us wear suits. It was a hot sunny day. We sat front row behind the Mets dugout with the sun beating down on us. I remember Tom Seaver and Willie Mays being so close as they changed fields. Burt Hooton hit a grand slam. I could not believe that a pitcher could do that. I distinctly remember the ball being hit so deep that it hit the scoreboard in centerfield but in my research of this game I found that the scoreboard had never been hit by a home run ball. I do, however, remember how so many walks in the game made it very boring for a little kid to watch despite the high score.

This had to be one of the worst starts of Tom Seaver's career. He lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing eight runs, six hits (two homers, including a Burt Hooton grand slam), plus five walks.

In fact, Met pitchers walked fifteen batters in this game to go along with seventeen Cubs hits. Catcher Elrod Hendricks walked five times (twice intentionally), and Jim Hickman and Rick Monday walked three times each. The Cubs batting average for this game was .425, and their on base percentage was .582!

The Cubs were up 13-1 after four innings. All 18 of their runs were earned.

I'm pretty sure this is the game I brought my Super-8 movie camera to. It was a Saturday afternoon and I was sitting in my Uncle Kenny's box seats about 8 rows behind the first-base coach's box. I've got speedster Al Oliver rounding the bases on a triple and Clemente jogging out to right-field on film. Pretty cool.

Dave Shaw, if you are still reading these boards, I looked up Al Oliver's career stats against the Mets, and the only triple he hit at Shea Stadium while Roberto Clemente was still alive was on Sunday afternoon April 16, 1972, the second game of the 1972 season. The triple came with two outs and nobody on in the eighth inning off Jon Matlack.

The September 19 game was a Tuesday night at Shea.

Tom Seaver bounced back from a disasterous outing in his previous start against the Cubs (eight runs, all earned, and five walks in 2.1 innings in an 18-5 Cubs rout) to pitch a great game here. This was the first of four consecutive winning outings by Tom to close out the 1972 season.

The Pirates became East Division champions for the third straight year with their win in this game. They had scored six runs and knocked out Gary Gentry by the end of the third inning. Steve Blass struck out Jim Beauchamp in the ninth to finish it off and the celebration was on in the Bucs' clubhouse. This was the first time that a visiting team had ever clinched a title at Shea Stadium.

This was the first game I ever went to. I seem to remember that it had rained like hell the night before, but it turned out to be a clear crisp early autumn day. I wore one of those old baseball jackets that had logos of select teams on them--remember those? My mom took a picture of my older brother and I outside the old house in Yorktown Heights before we left, gloves in tow. The picture is dated on the back and it said the score of the game.

Anyway, I was only 7 years old and I went with my brother and my father, who has recently passed on. I remember a few things about the game. The Phillies had those toxic blue uniforms and I kind of thought they were cool. Another thing that stands out clearly is that the crowd was really getting on Bob Boone, the Phillies catcher. I can recall when he got up to the plate everyone in my section going BA-BOOOOOONE!! BA- BOOOOONE!!

I think it was because there were a couple of Met beanings in this game. I'm certain that Rusty Staub hit the deck (maybe twice). I don't know if there were words with he and Boone, but I think that's why everyone got on Boone.

I also remember that Dave Schneck hit a triple. Why I remember that I have no idea, but I am certain that it happened. One thing also, I think that Willie Mays pinch hit in that game. I'm not sure.

If he did, I don't know why I remember the beanings, the Schneck triple, and Ba-Boooooone! so clearly instead of that.

Further to Ralph's comments on this game from Feb. 2003:

The boxscore shows that Duffy Dyer was the only player hit by a pitch in the game. Phils starter Jim Nash hit Duffy in the fourth inning. It certainly is possible that Rusty got brushed back once or twice in the game, but he didn't get hit.

Willie Mays did not get into this game. He was not in the starting lineup and the Mets made no substitutions.

Dave Schneck's triple came in the bottom of the eighth after Cleon Jones had led off with a double. Schneck then scored on a sac fly. In fact, four of the five Mets runs in this game crossed the plate on sac flies!

Jon Matlack pitched a five-hitter to improve to 14-9, and all three Phillies' runs were unearned.

I recall seeing this game at Shea Stadium with my family, when I was eight years old. The game matched up Tom Seaver vs. Steve Carlton, the two best National League pitchers of the 1970's. This was the season where Carlton had one of the greatest seasons ever for a pitcher, when he went 27-10 pitching for a last-place team. However, Seaver bested Carlton on this day. I recall that the Phillies got their only run on a home run, but I do not remember who hit it.

Ken, thanks to the spectauclar website retrosheet.com, the answer to your question is: Future Mets coach Bill Robinson hit the homer off Seaver.

Agee led off the bottom of the first with a home run off Carlton, and the game went along 1-0 until Robinson came up with one out in the 7th and hit his 6th homer of the season. The Mets regained the lead on an unearned run in the bottom of the 8th when Lute Barnes (there's a name for those of us old enough to remember!) grounded out. Tug came in to pitch get the last two outs for the save.

Carlton allowed 1 earned run and 7 hits, no walks, and struck out 9 in 8 innings. Seaver allowed five hits and two walks, and struck out six for his 19th win of the year.

The game was played in a brisk one hour and fifty three minutes. Those were the days.

Thanks Bob, for the information. The box scores for 1972 weren't up here the last time I checked this site.

Somehow I recall the Phillies home run because my father took some home movies at the game, and I recall seeing that he recorded the Phillies player hitting the ball over the wall and rounding the bases. I don't think he recorded the Agee home run, probably because the game was starting and we had just gotten into our seats.

It was Fan Appreciation Day because it was the Mets' last home game of the season, and I recall that the Mets gave away ceramic mugs to fans. I remember seeing lots of broken mugs on the concrete floors and ramps at Shea because some people had dropped them. Didn't they have (unbreakable) plastic mugs and cups back then, which would have been better to give away to fans?

According to the box score, the Mets must have scored their second run on a sacrifice fly by Lute Barnes, not a groundout.

The Mets were the only team that beat Steve Carlton more than once in 1972.

I'd like to clarify some earlier postings on this game. As Ken described, it was Fan Appreciation Day and all who attended were handed a special item on their way into Shea Stadium. But I recall getting a winter ski cap in Mets colors on this day. The ceramic mug giveaway must have been in another season.

I remember Tommie Agee hitting a leadoff home run against Steve Carlton in the first inning. It would be Agee's last homer as a Met. Tommie was also connected with the play that produced the winning run. With the score tied in the eighth inning, Lute Barnes hit a sacrifice fly that drove home Ted Martinez. Agee tried to advance from second base as Martinez scored but was thrown out at third to end the inning. Since Martinez touched the plate before Agee was tagged, the run counted and put the Mets ahead to stay.

This was Tom Seaver's 20th win of the season, which did not come easy. For eight innings, he and the Pirates' Nelson Briles allowed a combined total of five hits (all singles) in a good old-fashioned scoreless pitching duel. The Mets finally broke through in the ninth when Tommie Agee singled to drive home Wayne Garrett. Seaver then hurled a perfect bottom half to finish it off.

Seaver's dominance of the Bucs put an historical baseball moment on hold. Roberto Clemente was only one hit away from 3,000 for his career and came up empty in four times at bat. Clemente would reach that total the next day.

In this game, Roberto Clemente of the Pirates got his 3,000th hit. Unfortunately, this was the last hit of Clemente's career, because he was killed in a plane crash while en route to bring supplies to Nicaragua earthquake victims on Dec. 31, 1972.

As a 13-year-old Mets fan I was upset when Roberto Clemente got his 3000th hit (double) vs Jon Matlack. A few months later when Clemente was killed I realized what a great player he really was and it seems I remember a really good throw against the Orioles in the 1971 WS.

As a 9-year old Montrealer, I attended this game with my father and still remember how cold and windy it was. What can I say, I was awed just to see a MLB game, let alone a no-hitter. The Mets weren't a bad team and one of the few bright lights on the Expos was Bill Stoneman. This was only the second game I ever attended in person. The Mets were probably the one team I saw most against my beloved Expos.

I am a long way from Montreal and Jarry Park as I write this. Jarry Park was small, windy and not very major league. However, the Expos made a big mistake moving to the Olympic Stadium, which contributed greatly to their demise. Just about every seat in Jarry Park was close to the field and it was a wonderful place to watch a game. It is missed.

I remember this as being the 1st game I ever watched. I was 6 years old and when the game was over I tried to find out when the next game was only to learn it was the last game of the season.

The only specific memory I have of the game is Jon Matlack striking out the side in one of the innings.

Paul, I went on retrosheet.org to try to help you figure out the details of Matlack's strikeouts, but unfortunately it told me that Jon did not strike out the side in any of the innings.

Matlack finished the game with 9 strikeouts. He did strike out two in the second, and two in the fifth, but never three in one inning.

Other facts about this game that may jar your memory:

The Expos took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when former Yankee Ron Woods grounded into a DP with first and third and none out.

The Mets scored all their runs in the 6th. Jim Fregosi was safe at second on an error by Tim Foli. Tommie Agee grounded out, moving Fregosi to third, and Fregosi scored on a wild pitch by Expos starter Balor Moore. Cleon followed with a walk, and then Jim Beauchamp hit a two run homer to give the Mets a 3-1 lead.

The Expos threatened in the bottom of the ninth. With one out Woods and Coco Laboy singled, but Tug McGraw struck out pinch hitter Ken Singleton and got John Boccabella to pop out. Wow, I mentioned two classic original Expos in one paragraph!

It's easy to see why you have no other memories of this game--not a whole lot happened!

The Mets finished the season that started with the death of Gil Hodges and a strike/lockout as a third place team with an 83-73 record, 13.5 games behind the Pirates. It was the third straight year since their 1969 championship that they finished with 83 wins.

This was Tommie Agee's last game as a Met. I did not know at the time he would be traded for a bum like Rich Chiles. The Mets won the pennant in 1973 and I always had wished Agee was on that team, maybe they would have beat the A's in the WS instead of an aging Willie Mays falling down in center field in Game 4.

Who would've thought...

No regular player amassed 100 hits for the season but the Mets still finished 10 games over .500

Karmine, one reason why no Mets player reached 100 hits is that the first week of the '72 season was cancelled by a players strike. The Mets record for the season was 83-73, which is only 156 games. Another reason is that the team had a lot of key players (Agee, Staub, Milner) injured during the season. With the solid pitching the Mets had, I like to think they would have won the pennant that year had they stayed healthy. But we'll never know that!

Interesting note from this game: Jim Beauchamp hit his fifth home run of the year, which was a career high for him. Beauchamp was forced to switch from uniform #24 to #5 when Willie Mays arrived a month into the season. His new number equaled that of the homers he would hit wearing it. It was also Jim's last home run of his career.