Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Vinegar Bend Mizell

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Mets
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Vinegar Bend Mizell
vs. the Mets

Vinegar Bend Mizell
vs. Other Teams

Memories of
Vinegar Bend Mizell

Vinegar Bend Mizell
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 315 of 1252 players

Wilmer David Mizell
Born: August 13, 1930 at Leakesville, Miss.
Died: February 21, 1999 at Kerrville, Tex. Obituary
Throws: Left Bats: Right
Height: 6.04 Weight: 205

Vinegar Bend Mizell was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on August 13, 2004, February 21, 2007, January 11, 2014, April 7, 2015, and August 4, 2022.

First Mets game: May 12, 1962
Last Mets game: July 25, 1962

Share your memories of Vinegar Bend Mizell

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

a kaiser
August 30, 2001
Didnt this man go on to be a member of the House of Representatives?

Jim Snedeker
November 15, 2001
Yes, he did go on to be in the House. I met him in 1976 during a high school seminar in Washington, D.C. He gave a speech and briefly mentioned his career with the Mets. He said "I joined the Mets in 1962 because I didn't like the idea of being out of baseball. Well, back then, if you were on the Mets, you already WERE out of baseball!"
Afterward, he graciously gave me his autograph.

Larry Burns
June 19, 2002
I remember my father talking about this guy. He was a pretty decent major league career. I am completely impressed with his nickname, might be one of the greatest nicknames of ALL-TIME!

Rob Mizell
August 12, 2002
Wish I was able to meet him before he passed away. Happens to be a cousin of my grandfather. I think for me he is my 6th cousin twice removed.

Brittany Mizell
November 6, 2002
He was such an awesome man and baseball player! He happened to be my grandfather, my Dad's father!

Joe Figliola
November 8, 2002
He probably had one of the greatest nicknames in sports history. Does anyone out there know how he got it?
Being 39 years young, I recall him more for his work in government. I also believe he had a rather successful career on the Hill as well. Anyone?

Mr. Sparkle
November 12, 2002
I remember one player having a sore finger and someone else telling him to soak it in pickle brine, which worked wonders. Was that Mizell? If so, it could be how he got his name but I'm not sure. Isn't vinegar in pickle brine? I hate pickles so I'm not sure.

Bob
November 18, 2002
Mr. Sparkle, the pickle brine was actually a cure for Nolan Ryan's blisters, which he was prone to as a youngster with the Mets. I think it was trainer Gus Mauch who got credit for the idea, though someone else may have tipped Gus off!

Ed Lynch Mob
February 8, 2003
This bit of information contradicts with the birth information provided on this site, but Mizell's congressional bio lists his place of birth as none other than Vinegar Bend, Alabama, which would seem to answer all questions surrounding the origin of his fantastic nickname. Leakesville, Miss., which is listed as his birthplace on this site, is according to the same bio, the place where Vinegar Bend attended and graduated from High School.
Either way, he seems to have led a fascinating life both on and off the the baseball field.

mets
May 30, 2003
Mizell had a big league arm. Good stuff but erratic. He was acquired by Pittsburgh from St Louis and helped the Pirates win the pennant in 1960. He was washed up by the time the Mets acquired him for Jim Marshall.

VIBaseball
August 10, 2004
I remember going to a '62 Mets reunion autograph show sometime in the early '90s. A bunch of those guys have passed away since then, sad to say. Some of the players weren't chatty, others were -- and Vinegar Bend was the most talkative. Asking him about politics opened him up right away. The line was moving and I had to go on to the next spot, but he reached out and grabbed my arm, and in a Southern accent almost exactly like Foghorn Leghorn, said "Now hold on there son...I'm not through with you!"

Buzz
March 13, 2005
"Vinegar Bend's" real name is Wilmer David Mizell and on the back of his 1953 Topps baseball card it says he was born in Leaksville, Mississippi but his home is Vinegar Bend, Alabama. In any event it is a great nickname. Mizell was a pretty good pitcher for the Cardinals in the 50's and he also pitched for the 1960 Pirates Championship team going 13 - 5 and he lost a World Series game. The '62 Mets were his last team and he was only 32 when he retired.

Angela St.Germain
January 15, 2006
I was looking up the stats on Vinegar Bend Mizell because I just met his widow - Ruth Cox Mizell. She told us his nickname came as a result of him living in Vinegar Bend Alabama. Although I never met him, she had only lovely things to say about him, as well as her being a lovely person herself.

Liza Mizell
June 9, 2006
Vinegar Bend Mizell is related to my ex husband and my chiidren in some way, But all the Mizells from around here are from Vinegar Bend. The community got its name years ago when a freight train carrying vinegar derailed in a bend in that area. It has been known as Vinegar Bend ever since.

Ed K
September 5, 2009
Before becoming a Met, Mr. Mizell once set a major league record by pitching a shutout while walking nine batters in the game! I wonder if Ollie Perez will someday break that record.

Flitgun Frankie
April 14, 2024
When Mizell first came up with the Cardinals he was highly touted as the new Dizzy Dean. He was supposed to match Ol’ Diz not only with his arm but with his mouth. He had a sensational minor league career, and though he had a pretty good major league career, he didn’t match Diz. It seems he was one guy whose career was really hurt by being drafted into the army at exactly the wrong time and he lost two key development years right at the start of his career. If you see him on film, he had one of the wildest pitching wind ups ever. You wonder how he had any control over his pitches.