Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Kevin Collins

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Memories of
Kevin Collins

Kevin Collins
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 192 of 1252 players

Kevin Michael Collins
Born: August 4, 1946 at Springfield, Mass.
Died: February 20, 2016 at Naples, Fla.
Throws: Right Bats: Left
Height: 6.02 Weight: 190

Kevin Collins has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 10 times, most recently on April 26, 2023.

First Mets game: September 1, 1965
Last Mets game: May 4, 1969

Share your memories of Kevin Collins

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Danny Goldstein
August 1, 2002
Ouch! One of my earliest baseball memories was Kevin Collins getting hit in the face with a line drive while playing third base. I was 7 at the time and I thought for sure that he was dead.

Bob Anthony
November 27, 2002
I remember Kevin Collins gettng knocked out by a Doug Rader elbow while running the bases one night in the Astrodome in 1968, then got his revenge by hitting a three-run homer the next night to beat the Astros. Rader needed a bodyguard the next time the Astros played at Shea, and Met fans would boo him for 10 years afterward.

Bob R
January 9, 2003
Oh wow, Bob! I remember that homer he hit against the Astros. It was such a shock because Kevin wasn't a power hitter at all and the Astrodome was such a hard place to hit a homer. I was listening on my transistor radio in bed with the lights out. Not a great talent but hey, he played for the Miracle Mets so he'll go to heaven some day.

Kenny M
August 24, 2003
Many years ago, I remember reading something about Collins involved in some type of criminal business activity in Michigan during his post-baseball career. I dont recall if it was directly associated with Denny McLain and his racketeering, or similarly coincidental to McLain at the same general period of time and location. If this is incorrect, or if true and someone has more info on this, please let us know.

John T
May 22, 2006
I'm a long time Met fan, and I was just curious about Kevin Collins because his 1969 Topps Mets baseball card has a picture so old it has the NY World's Fair patch on his uniform!
In 2003 someone asked about this player, and via Google I found a recent article from 5/20/2006 about him in Detroit. It doesn't mention any past problems, but he seems to be doing fine, and admiring the Tigers hot start this year.

Bob M
September 22, 2007
Second game of 1967 season, (believe). My buddy and I were visiting NYC. My friend had been a boy-hood friend of Kevin. The day before, believe it was opening day we watched the Mets on TV, a guy named Tug McGraw came in relief for Mets. Anyway, My buddy called Kevin to arrange to meet him. His roommate, Tug McGraw answered the hotel phone, Kevin was out. We recognized the name. Tug had no pen, but wrote our number in soap on the bathroom mirror! Kevin called and we got his tickets. We met him and Tug down on the field and chatted a few minutes until Casey Stengel came over and broke it up, saying something to the effect "these boys gotta practice". Never did meet them after the game, but I'll always remember meeting Kevin and Tug on the field. Kevin never did make it big. By the way I'm a Yankee fan, oh well.

Brian Tasman
September 19, 2008
Around '64 or '65 the Mets were publicizing Kevin as an upcoming player in the minors. I was waiting outside the Diamond Club before a game. In those days fans could do that. George Weiss came by and handed out cards with his autograph, and a tall young man in street clothes came and quietly signed for some young fans. That was very cool. When I saw the signature, I knew just who he was. I wanted Kevin to make it in the big leagues.

Jeff Cogen
August 18, 2011
During January 2008 I was out in suburban Phoenix visiting my then ailing dad , and was spending part of the mid afternoon relaxing in the hot tub at one of the many rec centers doting the retirement community. Numerous people were in the hot tub chatting away about sports etc. This was at a time that Roger Clemens was in the news for his rampant drug use. I chimed in that Clemens was a "leg pitcher" prototypical of all the great Mets pitchers from the late 60's / early 70's.
A tall reserved gentleman soon began engaging the group in conversation and later shyly conceded that he was an ex-athlete that had played in New York. After a long time he eventually confessed his name. I was the only one that had heard of him (seeing his picture in numerous Mets Yearbooks / up and coming stars / having his baseball cards) The next 2.5 hours I felt like a kid in a candy store as Kevin engaged us in stories concerning the late 60's Mets, minor players he was teammates with, memories of Tug McGraw etc.
Kevin was kind, generous with his time and a true gentleman.

metsmind
March 1, 2016
Kevin passed away this week. Letting him go brought Donn Clendenon to the 1969 team, ultimately the top contribution he gave us. RIP Kevin Collins

Flitgun Frankie
July 5, 2023
Kevin Collins is always associated in my mind with Steve Whitaker. As far as I know they had nothing to do with each other, but I was a little kid at the time just starting to follow baseball and Collins came up with the Mets and Whitaker with the Yankees and both were touted as keys to their clubs successful futures. Neither made it big, of course, and both ended up with the new expansion teams in 1969. I think the Yankees had higher hopes for Whitaker than the Mets had for Collins. Collins was kind of a banjo hitting infielder while when Whitaker first came up with the Yankees he tore the league apart for about two weeks, which turned out to be the high point of his career.