1964 New York Mets season
Encyclopedia
The New York Mets
season was the third regular season for the Mets. They went 53-109 and finished 10th in the NL, 40 games behind the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals
. They were managed by Casey Stengel
. They played home games at Shea Stadium
, which opened on April 17 of that year.
, when Philadelphia Phillies
pitcher Jim Bunning
threw a perfect game
against the Mets, the first in the National League since . For perhaps the only time in the stadium's history, the Shea faithful found themselves rooting for the visitors, caught up in the rare achievement, and roaring for Bunning on every pitch in the ninth inning. His strikeout of John Stephenson
capped the performance.
Another high point was Shea Stadium's hosting of the All-Star Game
. Unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in the final hectic weekend of the 1964 season, the Mets relished the role of spoiler, beating the Cardinals in St. Louis on Friday and Saturday (keeping alive the hopes of the Phillies, Giants, and Reds) before succumbing to the eventual National League champions on Sunday.
baseball back to New York. After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, with the Mets losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates
, led by Roberto Clemente
and Bill Mazeroski
, 4-3 before a crowd of 50,312. Shea was a circular stadium, with the grandstand forming a perfect circle around the field and ending a short distance beyond the foul lines. The remainder of the perimeter was mostly empty space beyond the outfield fences. This space was occupied by the bullpen
s, scoreboard
s, and a section of bleachers beyond the left field fence. The stadium boasted 54 restrooms, 21 escalators and seats for 57,343. It was big, airy, sparkling, with a massive 86' x 175' scoreboard. Also, rather than the standard light towers, Shea had lamps along its upper reaches, like a convoy of semis with their brights on, which gave the field that unique high-wattage glow. Praised for its convenience, even its "elegance," Shea was actually deemed a showplace.
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
season was the third regular season for the Mets. They went 53-109 and finished 10th in the NL, 40 games behind the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals
1964 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 83rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 73rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 93-69 during the season and finished first in the National League, edging the co-runner-ups Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies by one game each on...
. They were managed by Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
. They played home games at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, which opened on April 17 of that year.
Offseason
- October 10, 1963: Jack FisherJack FisherJohn Howard Fisher was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The right-hander was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent on June 24, 1957. He played for the Orioles , San Francisco Giants , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , and Cincinnati Reds...
was drafted by the Mets from the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in a 1963 special draft.
Regular season
One high point of Shea Stadium's first season came on Father's DayFather's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
, when Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
pitcher Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
threw a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
against the Mets, the first in the National League since . For perhaps the only time in the stadium's history, the Shea faithful found themselves rooting for the visitors, caught up in the rare achievement, and roaring for Bunning on every pitch in the ninth inning. His strikeout of John Stephenson
John Stephenson (baseball)
John Herman Stephenson is a retired American professional baseball player who was a catcher in the Major Leagues from 1964-1973. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and California Angels. In 1964, he was the last out of Jim Bunning's perfect game...
capped the performance.
Another high point was Shea Stadium's hosting of the All-Star Game
1964 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1964 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 35th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 7, 1964 at Shea Stadium in New York City, New York, home of the New...
. Unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in the final hectic weekend of the 1964 season, the Mets relished the role of spoiler, beating the Cardinals in St. Louis on Friday and Saturday (keeping alive the hopes of the Phillies, Giants, and Reds) before succumbing to the eventual National League champions on Sunday.
Notable transactions
- April 6, 1964: Darrell SutherlandDarrell SutherlandDarrell Wayne Sutherland is a former right-handed major league baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets and Cleveland Indians from 1964 to 1966 and in 1968....
was selected off waivers by the Mets from the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
as a first-year waiver pick. - April 23, 1964: Chico FernándezChico FernandezHumberto "Chico" Fernández Pérez is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played eight seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers , Philadelphia Phillies , Detroit Tigers , and New York Mets . Fernández played in 856 Major League games, 810 at shortstop...
, Bobby Catton (minors), and cash were traded by the Mets to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Charley SmithCharley SmithCharles William Smith was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for a number of teams in his career which lasted from 1960-1969. His most notable fact is that on December 8, 1966 the St. Louis Cardinals traded him to the New York Yankees straight up for Roger Maris.-External links:...
. - August 7, 1964: Frank Thomas was traded by the Mets to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Wayne GrahamWayne GrahamWayne Leon Graham is a former major-league baseball player and the college baseball coach of the Rice Owls baseball team in Houston, Texas.-Playing career:...
, Gary KrollGary KrollGary Melvin Kroll is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for four seasons. The , righthander played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964, the New York Mets from 1964 to 1965, the Houston Astros in 1966, and the Cleveland Indians in 1969...
, and cash. - August 8, 1964: Frank LaryFrank LaryFrank Strong Lary is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers , New York Mets , Milwaukee Braves , and Chicago White Sox . He led the American League with 21 wins in 1956 and ranked second in the same category with 23 wins in 1961...
was traded by the Mets to the Milwaukee BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Dennis RibantDennis RibantDennis Joseph Ribant is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.-References:...
and cash. - August 27, 1964: Jerry KoosmanJerry KoosmanJerome Martin Koosman is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Mets.
Shea Stadium
The Mets' new home park was originally to be called "Flushing Meadows Stadium" – the name of the public park on which it was built – but a movement was launched to name it in honor of William A. Shea, the man who brought National LeagueNational League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
baseball back to New York. After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, with the Mets losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, led by Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...
and Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, 4-3 before a crowd of 50,312. Shea was a circular stadium, with the grandstand forming a perfect circle around the field and ending a short distance beyond the foul lines. The remainder of the perimeter was mostly empty space beyond the outfield fences. This space was occupied by the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
s, scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
s, and a section of bleachers beyond the left field fence. The stadium boasted 54 restrooms, 21 escalators and seats for 57,343. It was big, airy, sparkling, with a massive 86' x 175' scoreboard. Also, rather than the standard light towers, Shea had lamps along its upper reaches, like a convoy of semis with their brights on, which gave the field that unique high-wattage glow. Praised for its convenience, even its "elegance," Shea was actually deemed a showplace.
Roster
| 1964 New York Mets | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | R | H | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 131 | 341 | 28 | 92 | .270 | 7 | 35 | 0 | |
| 1B | 119 | 420 | 47 | 108 | .257 | 10 | 45 | 0 | |
| 2B | 127 | 475 | 59 | 144 | .303 | 6 | 42 | 6 | |
| 3B | 127 | 443 | 44 | 106 | .239 | 20 | 58 | 2 | |
| SS | 113 | 379 | 30 | 80 | .211 | 1 | 25 | 3 | |
| LF | 124 | 422 | 48 | 97 | .230 | 9 | 47 | 4 | |
| CF | 139 | 409 | 48 | 105 | .257 | 11 | 57 | 0 | |
| RF | 154 | 543 | 78 | 163 | .300 | 16 | 76 | 6 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | R | H | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 | 254 | 25 | 59 | .232 | 1 | 11 | 3 | |
| 60 | 197 | 19 | 50 | .254 | 3 | 19 | 1 | |
| 37 | 57 | 2 | 9 | .158 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 20 | 33 | 1 | 3 | .091 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 227.2 | 10 | 17 | 4.23 | 115 | |
| 36 | 225.2 | 10 | 20 | 3.79 | 118 | |
| 40 | 213.1 | 11 | 16 | 4.26 | 112 | |
| 36 | 191.2 | 6 | 19 | 3.62 | 78 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 57.1 | 2 | 3 | 4.55 | 27 | |
| 10 | 26.2 | 0 | 3 | 7.76 | 9 | |
| 8 | 21.2 | 0 | 1 | 4.15 | 24 | |
| 4 | 19.1 | 1 | 2 | 4.19 | 10 | |
| 9 | 15.1 | 0 | 2 | 8.22 | 11 | |
| 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 5.54 | 5 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3.61 | 61 | |
| 44 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4.15 | 31 | |
| 41 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4.41 | 22 | |
| 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5.40 | 3 | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |