Remembering Mets’ miracle
This year marks the 50th anniversary of perhaps one of the most tumultuous and, at the same time, fascinating years in US history.
The Vietnam War raged on at its peak. So did the protests and demonstrations for and against American involvement in it.
The US put the first man on the moon as Neil Armstrong uttered his famous words: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
The Woodstock Music Festival was held on a parcel of central New York state farmland, attracting many of the era’s top performers and their “hippie” followers.
But the most improbable event of all that took place that year? The Miracle Mets won the MLB World Series.
The former laughingstocks of the big leagues, the New York ballclub shocked the baseball world by somehow, some way winning the title.
It was hard to believe but true. The expansion ball club that had been formed only eight years earlier and had finished in the National League cellar five of the eight seasons since their inception managed to win it all.
This season the Mets organisation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that accomplishment.
They’re bringing back the still-living members of that club
to honour their remarkable achievement.
One of the key members of that ballclub who returned to mingle with the media and fans is Ron Swoboda, who platooned as the Mets starting rightfielder. “Swugger”, a righty hitter, would get the call against foe’s left-handed pitchers.
He was a key contributor versus the Baltimore Orioles in that 1969 World Series, won in five games by the Mets.
Swoboda batted .400 in the Series, drove in the winning run in the clincher and made a diving, game-saving catch in New York’s game four win.
Swoboda appeared several times at Mets games this season. Wiggins’ World corralled him on one of those visits.
“It was a fractious time in America,” Swoboda recalled. “We helped make things a little better. You wish you could do that every day of your life.
“We got to do that one year. So, that was our contribution.”
The Mets manager that season was Gil Hodges. He astounded everyone by predicting success when it was least expected from his young developing ballclub.
“He said we were gonna win 85 games that season,” recalled Swoboda. “And I’m like ‘Huh? Is he talking about us?’
“I had been around for the 100-loss seasons we had suffered through,” Ron chuckled.
The Mets started off slow that season, then took off.
“We’re just flopping around .500,” Swoboda recalled. “And then in June we reeled off 11 straight wins, five of them were comeback, one-run wins.”
“After that, we got Donn Clendenon in a trade to provide power at first base and our pitching got healthier,” continued Swoboda. “We just got on a wonderful roll that led us to a World Series win.”
There’s no doubt starting pitching was the key to the Mets surprising success.
Tom Seaver led the way with a 25-7 win loss record and a 2.21 Earned Run Average. Lefty Jerry Koosman added 17 wins and Gary Gentry, 13. Filling in where needed was a hard-throwing 22-year older righthander named Nolan Ryan who won six games.
The Mets pitchers finished the year with an amazing 51 complete games — 15 were shut-outs.
“You don’t see that today,” 1969 Mets catcher Jerry Grote proudly told Wiggins’ World.
The Mets didn’t have a lot of hitting. But they got the big hit when they needed it.
Example: In a tight victory, Swoboda hit two homers off Hall of Fame hurler Steve Carlton on the night the Philadelphia lefty set an MLB record by striking out 19 Mets.
“We’re getting older now,” Swoboda said of the Miracle Mets. “Some of us have passed, some of us have health concerns [Seaver is suffering from dementia].
“But what we did that season was really special and can never be taken away. Even now, people come up to me and thank me for bringing joy into their life that year.”
Swoboda said a message from hockey coach Fred Shero, written on a chalkboard exhorting his Philadelphia Flyers team to notch a Stanley Cup-clinching win (the club’s first) over the heavily favoured Boston Bruins, best described his feelings regarding the Miracle Mets.
It read: Win this one tonight and we’ll walk together forever.