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Chris Cannizzaro
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 146 of 1252 players
Christopher John Cannizzaro
Born: May 3, 1938 at Oakland, Cal.
Died: December 29, 2016 at San Diego, Cal. Obituary
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.00 Weight: 190

Chris Cannizzaro has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 10 times, most recently on January 31, 2024.

First Mets game: April 14, 1962
Last Mets game: October 3, 1965

Share your memories of Chris Cannizzaro HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: Bill T May 28, 2001 A really nice man. I wrote to him once asking for his autograph. He autographed one of his own personal baseball cards and returned it to me. David Mo July 11, 2001 I don't remember why, but Chris Cannizzaro was one of my favorite early Mets. First time I played on a softball team that had numbered jerseys, I took number 8 in his honor and asked to catch (but was usually the third right-fielder). When I moved to a new neighborhood in 1963, my new barber was Chris' cousin, Matty Cannizzaro, whose shop was wallpapered with baseball photos and such, including several of Chris and Matty with other baseball "stars" of the day. The haircuts weren't great, but the décor was terrific!!! Rick October 29, 2001 Chris Cannizzaro is part of an answer to an interesting trivia question. It is "amazing" to look back at the players on the 1962 Mets and realize how many of them never appeared again in a major league game after the 1962 season. But Chris is one of 3 original ( from their expansion draft) players who lasted into the 1970's. Can you name the other 2? Joe November 27, 2001 He was a great defensive catcher. Had a great arm. Unfortunately, he was too light a hitter to play every day. The Mets starting catcher in the mid 60s was Jesse Gonder, who was a good hitter but only average defensively. If they could have put Gonder's bat together with Cannizzaro's glove, they would have had a real star. Original Mets February 27, 2002 One of the worst hitters I can ever remember! Not a Home Run Hitter, When he hit a long foul ball, Bob Murphy would say,"OOOOO That was 80 per cent fair and 20 percent foul" Loren July 23, 2002 Cannizzaro was not only a very good catcher, but he hit .300 for the Mets during 1964, becoming one of three to do it that year. Know the other two? It was a shock when the Mets sold him, cause his average seemed to see-saw like Campanella (very good one year, not so good the next). He was bound to do okay during 1966. And then he comes back again after drifting out of view and makes the All-Stars, if I remember correctly, as a fair hitting catcher. And Jim Hickman comes back as a power hitting outfielder and almost helps Durochers' Cubs take the pennant during '69. One of the great things during 1962 was hearing Stengel pronounce Chris' last name. Metsmind December 23, 2002 Chris played on two of the worst teams ever: he was on the 1969 expansion Padres! Josh surgeon September 15, 2004 Chris Cannizarro was my dad's father-in-law at one time. I remember going to visit him one summer in San Diego. He was a real nice guy. He showed me around his trophy room and gave me a few tips on how to improve my game. He even let me wear one of his old Padre uniforms for Halloween. Ed K June 26, 2005 Chris and Jim Hickman were the only two original Mets to go elsewhere and become all-stars. Casey is often remembered for his quote about selecting another catcher (Hobie Landrith) first in the expansion draft ("If you don't have a catcher, you are going to have a lot of pass balls.") But he also had a memorable quote about Cannizarro, Coleman, and Gonder to the effect that one could catch, one could throw, and one could hit, and if you put them all together, you'd have a pretty good catcher! Jonathan Stern December 1, 2005 Before today, all I knew about Cannizzaro was that Casey called him "Canzoneri" and proclaimed that "Canzoneri is the only defensive catcher who can't catch." Well, as I learned today from this website, Cannizzaro lasted in the bigs way into the 1970's, well over decade as a major leaguer. Not knowing enough, I believe the Old Perfessor was wrong. Jamey Bumbalo February 1, 2006 Chris, Jim Hickman, and Ed Kranepool are the only 1962 Mets to have careers that lasted into the 1970s. Doctor Worm July 12, 2006 In addition to Cannizzaro and Hickman, the third original Met to play into the 1970's was the late Bob L. Miller. He was unique among the three in that he finished his career with the Mets in 1974. Technically, Kranepool was not an original Met in that he was not selected in the expansion draft. He signed in June 1962 and made a cameo with the big club in September. T. Herrera July 28, 2006 CC was my High School and College coach, and during my HS years he took me in and not only taught me baseball, but about being a good man for the family. His nickname was Yoda, and I loved his terms like "LTFF and Betsy Ross it." LTFF being "Let The ..... Fly!" Vicki October 1, 2006 Chris Cannizsaro was one of the first ballplayers I had a crush on. I was 9, and a Mets fan from day one. I thought Chris was so good looking, and a very good catcher. I got so annoyed when he didn't play. I was really upset when he got traded. For a long time, my favorite number was 8 because of Chris. After reading the other comments, I was happy to know he was a nice guy. In a nice bit of synchronicity, his birthday is the same day as my wedding anniversary! Mets fan in Maine November 4, 2007 Of the 1962 Mets, Chris tied Bob L. Miller for second in longevity. They both played their final game Sept. 28, 1974 (Ed Kranepool, of course, is first, playing until Sept. 30, 1979). According to baseball-reference.com, Cannizzaro was one of the slowest major leaguers; the site claims he "once failed to score from second on a clean double." Whether or not that's true, he was 3 for 17 in stolen bases during his career. Although he was the first San Diego Padre selected for the All-Star game (1969), he didn't play. He did field 1.000 in his only appearance as an outfielder (1962). And let's not forget that he hit .311 in 1964 and had a long career as a jorneyman catcher. All in all, not bad. Herb Sweet February 12, 2008 Chris had 581 at bats as a Met and no home runs. Is that the most at bats any Met has ever gone without hitting a homer? Menachem G. Jerenberg March 23, 2008 Mr. Sweet - you are very close. Researching the UMDb, I have found that only Alex Trevino had more homerless at-bats (733). Coming close were Tim Foli (719) and Bob Bailor (797), with one home run apiece. Interesting postscript: Bud Harrelson, the player with second-most Met at-bats (4,390), had only 6 home runs in 13 seasons! Truly Amazin'! Anthony Cannizzaro March 27, 2008 I am honored to have the same last name as Chris. I believe we are distant cousins, but have been unable to verify this. I was born in 1958 in the suburbs of NYC. I always would tell my friends that Chris was a great catcher for the Mets and he was related to me. I wish I had a way to get in touch with him. Anyone know how I can do that? anthony cannizzaro April 14, 2008 I think everyone that views this site should know this fact about Chris: Cannizzaro holds a share of the Major League record for most unassisted double plays by a catcher (2). Lisa Marie October 9, 2008 He's my uncle who I haven't seen for a few years. Too many memories to write. Flitgun Frankie November 17, 2020 I was looking at an old Sports Illustrated recently, the 1965 Baseball Preview issue, and they have Chris Cannizaro listed as a possible break-out star for that year. Their logic was based on the fact that he was a very good defensive catcher, but that in 1964 he had finally started to hit. It said something like, "now that they have finally convinced Cannizzaro to stop trying to hit home runs, he is producing at the plate. If he can continue his progress, he can be an important player for the Mets". This was based on his hitting over .300 in 1964. Of course, in 1965, he would hit under .200, and that was the end of him as a "break-out" star, at least for the Mets. And in 4 years and almost 250 games for the Mets, he never hit a single home run. He did get to an all-star game for the original 1969 Padres, but I guess they have to pick someone from every team. Also, I was listening to an old game, I think from 1963, where Cannizzaro had just been promoted up to the Mets from Buffalo, and it was his first game back. They put him in in the late innings as a defensive replacement and the very first pitch to him ended up being a passed ball, LOL. That was the 1963 Mets. Not making fun. He had a good career, but that's how it went for the early Mets. Ed K August 31, 2022 A correction on my post of 17 years ago: Felix Mantilla as well as Cannizzaro and Hickman became All-Stars after leaving the Mets.

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