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Jay Hook
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 241 of 1252 players
James Wesley Hook
Born: November 18, 1936 at Waukegan, Ill.
Throws: Right Bats: Left
Height: 6.02 Weight: 185

Jay Hook was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on November 18, 2005, June 4, 2020, November 28, 2020, May 8, 2024, and October 10, 2024.

First Mets game: April 17, 1962
Last Mets game: May 3, 1964

Share your memories of Jay Hook HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: Darlene His baseball days were before my time but I just met the man today. He's a wonderful man who has had a very fulfilling life and he's still going strong. Marc Friedman In 1964, after my sophmore year in high school, I went to a Met game Jay Hook was pitching. My two friends and I made a banner. It said "By Hook Or By Cook" the Mets would win. Cliff Cook was the Met third baseman at the time, one of a very long line of third basemen over the years. Tom Bender July 10, 2001 Truly "A Man for All Seasons" -- As a graduate engineer from Northwestern University he followed his baseball with an outstanding career in industry. He retired early and taught at Northwestern where he is also Chairman of the Garrett Methodist Seminary. He is now a gentleman farmer in northwest Michigan and spends a lot of time helping high school baseball players. John Mugarian December 18, 2001 I met Jay Hook in Birmingham, MI 33 years ago at age 10. He was helping with a baseball clinic put on by the local Little League. Unbeknownst to me, he became my role model as an athlete and a person. Jay and his family have become my second family, and we are still very close today. Professional athletics needs more Jay Hooks. Unfortunately, God broke the mold. harvey k January 31, 2002 jay was a math and engineering wiz who actually wrote a paper proving that a curve ball really curves.he was also the winning pitcher in the Mets first win ever in 1962 against the pirates. Hope May 13, 2002 I met Mr. Hook and his lovely wife just this past Saturday (5/11/02). There's one perfect word to describe them both....LOVELY. They were both warm, friendly, enthusiastic people and a joy to sit through a baseball game with! Fred Castro April 1, 2005 Went down to Port St. Lucie to attend a Mets/Tigers Spring Training game this year when we met Jay. My 6 and 7 years old sons were at the 3rd base line waiting on the Mets to sign some autographs. The Mets were taking batting practice on another field and unavailable so the boys were disappointed. At that point we met this really friendly man who was observing us trying to get autographs. He shared some old Mets memories with us and signed Daniel's baseball. That was the highlight of my son's day at Tradition Field and just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to meet a class act like Jay Hook. jamey bumbalo November 23, 2005 It's great to read what a fantastic guy Jay Hook is, and I don't mean any offense, but if we're talking baseball, his career record was 29-62 with an ERA of 5.23. I'm glad for him that he prospered after his playing days. Jonathan Stern December 2, 2005 The old line about engineering grad student Hook was that he had an easier time explaining the curve ball than throwing it. After Hook lost his 19th game, Casey benched him for the rest of the season. As Roger Craig and Al Jackson had each already lost 20, Stengel did not want to be the first manager ever with three 20-game-losers on his staff. On the 25th anniversary video, Hook claims that the myth of Marvelous Marv Throneberry began when Throneberry asked Hook to create a sign saying "Marvelous Marv" for his locker. I don't know if that's true, but as Hook tells the story, the video dutifully shows Marv's locker with Hook's graphic design on it. Hook may not have been a winner on the MLB diamond, but I'm glad to hear he has done so well off it. Kurt Colon October 1, 2006 I've been a life long fan of the Mets since back when Stengel was the manager. Jay Hook was one of my favorite pitchers/players. I know he may not have been too successful on the field (who was the first 6 years of Mets history?), but I heard from someone who knows Mr. Hook well that he is a very intelligent man and he teaches math and/or engineering. Being an engineer I thought that was equally impressive. I found an autographed ball on eBay signed by Jay Hook ;it was only $25 but I cherish it as much as my Willie Mays and Tom Seaver balls. James Van Der Wall May 7, 2007 I named my first son after Jay Hook. True story. ajwal September 22, 2007 You can look it up. In the second game of a doubleheader in August or September, 1963, Pete Rose hit the first pitch Jay Hook served up and hit it into the right field stands. The game ended 1-0 Cincinnati, the only game I've ever seen where the entire offensive output of both teams was accomplished in that very first pitch. Tht first pitch, it turned out, was all you needed to see that day. Jay Hook pitched a lot of heartbreakers like that. That day he hooked up against Jim Maloney. Since it was the second game of the doubleheader, my friends and I were able to sneak down into the seats right behind home plate. The starting pitchers in those days would warm up on either side of homeplate. We had never seen what a real major league fastball looked like at such close, glove-popping range, but Maloney could really throw. We knew at that point, even if we were still deluded, that for us making the majors was just not going to be! phillip perlinski April 4, 2008 I was raised in Grayslake, Il, the hometown of Jay Hook. My memory is a 4th of July 1962 or 1963 Welcome Home Jay parade the village fathers planned. You see a Jay Hook card bought at either Hook Pharmacy in town was far too valuable to stick in your bicycle spokes...but I digress...the town had Center Street, its main drag, asphalted just for the occasion. Mayor Chard then was not unlike any small town mayor was proud of the upcoming occasion. Well as the reviewing stand held all those that were anyone in town, Jay comes around the corner riding "shotgun" with his manager Casey Stengel at the reins of the Budweiser Clydesdales beer wagon, most of his teammates hanging on the back and waving. I guess for a 13- or 14-year-old then it was pretty special but the true humor is and was seeing those horses' hooves tear up all that freshly put down asphalt. I don't go back much, don't own one Jay Hook card or glove, but sure get a nice buzz remembering this Mayberry Moment in my mind. Tom Moore April 4, 2008 I took my young son to Crosley Field, in Cincy, when Jay was with the Reds. My son set next to Joann Hook; she was so nice to my son. When the game was over, she took us down outside the Reds locker room so Jay could sign my son's scorecard, which he did, he also introduced us to Reds pitcher Jim O'Toole. The Hooks are so nice and down to earth. My son is now in his 50's, has his signed scorecard, and still thinks the world of the wonderful Hooks. Murrell Richard Morgan December 5, 2020 Jay Hook was a good hitting pitcher John T April 23, 2022 Congrats to Mr. Jay Hook, who won the first game in Mets history 60 years ago today, April 23, 1962. It was a complete game win over the Pirates, after they lost the first nine games of the season. He won 7 more that year, but lost 19. The Weaver Family July 24, 2022 We met Jay and his wife at a McDonald’s in Ithica, MI where we assisted them in ordering their meal off the kiosks. They both were so kind and welcoming. Our family was traveling to Gaylord,MI for our family vacation and him and his wife were going back to their residence near Traverse City. While waiting for both our orders a conversation sparked and that was when we found out about Jay playing baseball. It’s so cool because our family are huge mlb baseball fans. Wow what a small world we live in and you never know who you might meet. What wonderful people!! -The Weaver Family Max,Mallory,John Weaver Jack April 10, 2023 One of you mentioned the Pete Rose homer on Hook’s first pitch. The Mets and Hook lose 1 zip. I too was at that game. After the game when Hook was interviewed he bluntly says I should have taken one more warmup. It’s very pleasing to read how you fans met Jay in college or lived close to him. The praises are well felt. (Even to me and I’m just a fan). Jay has to be a wonderful human being.

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