1969 World Series
Encyclopedia
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets
and the Baltimore Orioles
, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever (and still is by some baseball pundits). The World Series win earned the team the sobriquet "Miracle Mets," as they had risen from the depths of mediocrity (the 1969 team had the first winning record in Mets history).
The Mets became the first expansion team to win a division title, a pennant, and the World Series, winning in their eighth year of existence. Two teams would later surpass that, as the Florida Marlins
won the 1997 World Series
in their fifth year (also becoming the first wild card team to win a World Series) and the Arizona Diamondbacks
won the 2001 World Series
in their fourth year of play.
, who had never finished higher than ninth place (next-to-last) nor won more than 73 games in a season since joining the National League
in , were not highly regarded before the 1969 season started. In fact, the best that could be said for them was that because the National League
was being split into two divisions that year, the Mets were guaranteed to finish no lower than sixth place. The fact the Mets began the season by losing 11–10 to the then-expansion Montreal Expos
seemed to confirm this. With three weeks to go in the season, the underdog Mets stormed past the Chicago Cubs
, who had led the Eastern Division for most of the season, winning 38 of their final 49 games for a total of 100 wins and capturing the first National League Eastern Division crown. Third-year pitcher Tom Seaver
won a major-league-leading 25 games en route to his first Cy Young Award
; the other two top Mets starting pitchers, Jerry Koosman
and rookie Gary Gentry
, combined to win 30 more games. Outfielder Cleon Jones
hit a (then) club-record .340 and finished third in the National League batting race, while his lifelong friend and outfield mate Tommie Agee
hit 26 home runs and drove in 76 runs to lead the club; they were the only players on the team who garnered more than 400 at bats. Manager Gil Hodges
employed a skillful platoon system not unlike the Yankees
of the Casey Stengel
era, in which Ron Swoboda
and Art Shamsky
became a switch-hitting right fielder who hit 23 home runs and drove in 100 runs, and Ed Kranepool
and Donn Clendenon
added up to a switch-hitting first baseman who hit 23 more homers and knocked in another 95 runs. Everyone on the bench knew what their role was in the platoon—nobody felt that they'd ever lost their jobs. Almost to a man, the 1969 Mets were united in their praise of their manager's skill. In the first League Championship Series, the light-hitting Mets, once again considered underdogs (even though the Mets actually had a better record than the Braves), put on an uncharacteristic power display by scoring 27 runs in sweeping the favored Atlanta Braves
in three games.
, by contrast, were practically flawless and featured stars at almost every position. They breezed through the 1969 season, winning 109 games (until the most games won since the advent of divisional play) and brushing aside the Minnesota Twins
in three games in the ALCS to win their second pennant in four years. The Orioles were led by star sluggers Frank Robinson
and Boog Powell
, who each hit over 30 home runs and drove in over 100 runs; third baseman Brooks Robinson
, perhaps the best-fielding hot-corner player in baseball history; and pitchers Mike Cuellar
, Dave McNally
and Jim Palmer
, who combined for 63 victories. It was felt that in the face of such statistical comparisons, only the most reckless gambler would put any money on the Mets.
in Baltimore, Maryland
With this win, the Orioles looked to be proving all the prognosticators right, as it was a dominant performance. Don Buford
led off the game for the Orioles by homering off Tom Seaver
. The O's then added three more runs in the fourth when, with two outs, Elrod Hendricks
singled and Davey Johnson
walked. Mark Belanger
then singled in a run, followed by an RBI single by pitcher Mike Cuellar
. Buford would cap the inning off by doubling in Belanger.
The Mets got their run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by light-hitting Al Weis
.
Despite the opening-game loss, nobody on the Mets seemed discouraged. Tom Seaver - the game's losing pitcher - said years later "I swear, we came into the clubhouse more confident than when we had left it. Somebody - I think it was Clendenon - yelled out, 'Dammit, we can beat these guys!' And we believed it. A team knows if they've been badly beaten or outplayed. And we felt we hadn't been. The feeling wasn't that we had lost, but Hey, we nearly won that game! We hadn't been more than a hit or two from turning it around. It hit us like a ton of bricks."
in Baltimore, Maryland
Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman
pitched six innings of no-hit ball, trying to match Don Larsen
's World Series no-hit feat. Donn Clendenon
provided him a slim lead with a home run in the fourth.
However, Koosman would lose both the no-hitter and the lead in the seventh as Paul Blair
singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Brooks Robinson
. But, that would be it for the Orioles' offense. The Mets pushed across a run in the top of the ninth on back-to-back-to-back singles by Ed Charles
, Jerry Grote
, and Al Weis
, scoring Charles.
Koosman had trouble finishing the game, as he issued two-out walks in the bottom of the ninth to Frank Robinson
and Boog Powell
. Ron Taylor
came on to retire Brooks Robinson for the final out and earn the save.
in Flushing
, Queens, New York
Agee led off the game for the Mets with a home run off of Jim Palmer
, then saved at least five runs with his defense. With two out in the fourth and Oriole runners on first and third, Agee raced to the 396-foot sign in left-center and made a backhanded running catch of a drive hit by Elrod Hendricks
. In the seventh, the Orioles had loaded the bases with two out, but Agee made a headfirst diving grab of a line drive
hit by Paul Blair
in right-center.
Ed Kranepool
added a home run and Jerry Grote
an RBI double for the Mets, while Gary Gentry
pitched six shutout innings and helped his own cause with a second-inning two-run double. Nolan Ryan
, making what would be his only World Series appearance in his 27-year career, pitched the final innings (benefitting from Agee's second catch) and earned a save.
in Flushing
, Queens, New York
Game 4 was mired in controversy. Tom Seaver
's photograph was used on some anti-war Moratorium Day literature being distributed outside Shea Stadium before the game, although the pitcher claimed that his picture was used without his knowledge or approval. A further controversy that day involved the flying of the American flag at Shea Stadium
. New York City Mayor John Lindsay
had ordered flags flown at half staff to observe the Moratorium Day and honor those that had died in Vietnam. Many were concerned, included 225 wounded servicemen who were attending the game and Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn
announced that the American flag would be flown at full staff at Shea for Game 4.
Tom Seaver atoned for his Game 1 ineffectiveness by shutting the Orioles out through eight innings. Once again, Donn Clendenon
provided the lead with a solo homer in the second. In the third inning, after arguing ball-strike calls too strenuously with plate umpire Shag Crawford, Earl Weaver
of the Orioles became the first manager since 1935 to be ejected from a World Series game.
In the top of the ninth, Seaver ran into trouble. Frank Robinson
and Boog Powell
hit back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and third. Brooks Robinson
then hit a sinking line drive towards right that Mets right fielder Ron Swoboda
dove for and caught just inches off the ground. Frank Robinson tagged and scored, but Swoboda's heroics kept the Orioles from possibly taking the lead. Elrod Hendricks
then flew out to Swoboda to end the inning, but not before coming within inches of a home run that would have given the Orioles a two-run lead.
In the bottom of the tenth, Jerry Grote
led off by blooping a double to left. Al Weis
was intentionally walked, and Mets manager Gil Hodges
sent J. C. Martin
up to hit for Seaver. Martin laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Orioles reliever Pete Richert
hit Martin in the wrist with his attempted throw to first. Rod Gaspar
, running for Grote, came around to score the winning run.
Replays showed Martin was inside the first-base line, which hindered Richert from making a good throw. It was suggested that had the Orioles protested the call, claiming interference (which they never did), that the protest would have been disallowed since Martin did not intentionally interfere with the throw (as per Major League Baseball Official Rule 7.08[b]).
in Flushing
, Queens, New York
Dave McNally
shut out the Mets through five innings and helped himself with a two-run homer in the third inning. Frank Robinson
homered in the inning as well, and the Orioles looked to be cruising with a 3–0 lead.
The Mets, however, would benefit from two questionable umpire's calls. In the fifth inning, Mets' starter Jerry Koosman
appeared to have hit Frank Robinson
with a pitch, but plate umpire Lou DiMuro ruled that the pitch hit his bat before hitting him and denied him first base. Replays showed, however, that Robinson was indeed hit first—the ball struck him on the hip, then bounced up and hit his bat.
In the sixth, McNally bounced a pitch that appeared to have hit Mets left fielder Cleon Jones
on the foot, then bounced into the Mets' dugout. McNally and the Orioles claimed the ball hit the dirt and not Jones, but Mets manager Gil Hodges
showed the ball to DiMuro, who found a spot of shoe polish on the ball and awarded Jones first base. McNally then gave up Series MVP Donn Clendenon
's third homer of the series (a record for a five-game World Series that was tied by the Phillies'
Ryan Howard
in the 2008 Classic
) to cut the lead to 3–2.
However, the renowned "shoe polish" incident may not be such a simple, straightforward matter. On August 22, 2009, at the 40th Anniversary celebration of the Mets' 1969 Championship, held at their new stadium, Citi Field, Jerry Koosman stated in several media interviews that, in actuality, Hodges had instructed him to rub the ball on his shoe, which he did, and it was only after this that Hodges showed the ball to the umpire. Koosman's claim doesn't necessarily mean that the ball didn't strike Jones on the foot, nor does it even mean that the polish on the ball seen by the umpire was put there by Koosman—it's certainly conceivable that there was already a genuine spot of polish on the ball, which easily could have escaped Koosman's notice as he hastily created the fraudulent one. In any case, Koosman's allegation at the very least adds an intriguing layer of uncertainty and possible chicanery to an already legendary event.
However, it should be noted that Koosman was known for his sense of humor, and his love of practical jokes when he was an active player. Therefore, his claim of having scuffed the ball against his own shoe could be a rouse.
Because, there are other stories which have been told about that incident, by other players who were in the Mets dugout that day. One of those stories comes from Ron Swoboda, who said during an interview on the Mets 1986 25th Anniversary video, that when the ball came bounding into the Mets dugout, it hit an open ball bag under the bench, and several batting / infield practice balls came spilling out on the dugout floor. According to Swoboda, you couldn't distinguish the actual game ball from any of the ones that spilled out of the bag. Hodges quickly looked down, grabbed a ball that had a black streak on it, and walked it out to the homeplate umpire, who then awarded first base to Jones.
In any case, this incident provided baseball with yet another entertaining legend, about which the absolute truth will probably never be known.
The Mets then tied the score in the seventh on a solo home run hit by the unheralded and light-hitting Al Weis
. Weis only hit seven home runs in his big league career; this was the only home run he ever hit at Shea Stadium. Weis would lead all batters in this series with a .455 average.
The Mets' winning runs scored in the eighth as Game 4 defensive hero Ron Swoboda
doubled in Jones with the go-ahead run. Swoboda then scored when Jerry Grote
's grounder was mishandled by first baseman Boog Powell
, whose throw to first was then dropped by pitcher Eddie Watt
in an unusual double error. Jerry Koosman would get the win, his second of the series.
Karl Ehrhardt
, a Mets fan known as "the sign man" at Shea Stadium, held up a sign that read There Are No Words soon after the final out was made. The sign would make an appearance in the Series highlight film.
In all four Mets victories, their starting first baseman hit a home run: Donn Clendenon
in Games 2, 4 and 5, and Ed Kranepool
in Game 3. The expression, "Good pitching defeats good hitting," was never more evident than in this World Series: Baltimore collected only 23 hits for a .146 batting average. Boog Powell led the Orioles with five hits—but all were non-scoring singles. Don Buford
collected two hits in the opening game, including a leadoff home run against Tom Seaver
, but went 0-for-16 over the next four games. Paul Blair
went 2-for-20, Davey Johnson
1-for-15 and Brooks Robinson
1-for-19. The vaunted Orioles offense, best in the majors in 1969, only managed four extra-base hits off Mets pitching in the five-game series, all in the first and last games.
This was the second major upset by a New York team over a Baltimore team in a sport's championship event in 1969. Earlier in January, the Jets
, led by Joe Namath
, upset the heavily favored Baltimore Colts
in the Super Bowl
, which also aired on NBC. Significantly, both the Jets and Mets called Shea Stadium home at the time.
There are several direct connections between the two Mets World Championship teams. Orioles second baseman Davey Johnson flied out to Cleon Jones for the last out of the 1969 World Series; Johnson would later manage the 1986 Mets to their World Series title. The pitcher on the mound for the last out of the 1986 Series, Jesse Orosco
, had been traded to the Mets for Jerry Koosman (the pitcher on the mound for the last out of the 1969 Series) after the 1978 season. 1969 Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson
earned a second World Series ring as the club's third-base coach in 1986. However, Mets pitcher Tom Seaver
was on the losing end in 1986, as a member of the Boston Red Sox
.
(N.L.) over Baltimore Orioles
(A.L.)
, a 2000 film starring Jim Caviezel and Dennis Quaid
. When Caviezel's character discovers in 1999 that he can speak to his dead father (Quaid) thirty years in the past using a ham radio set, he proves that he is further ahead in time by correctly predicting the outcomes of each 1969 World Series game.
It was referenced in the 1977 movie Oh God! starring George Burns
and John Denver
, in which Burns, playing God, quips, "The last miracle I did was the 1969 Mets. Before that, I think you have to go back to the Red Sea." The 1969 series was also referenced in the television show The Wonder Years
where lead character Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage
) recalled his days of youth during that summer.
broadcasts of World Series games (even though World Series telecasts have aired in color since ). However, they were "truck feeds" in that they do not contain original commercials, but show a static image of the Shea Stadium
field between innings. Also, the surviving copy of Game 5 as aired on MLB Network in late 2009 had noticeable drop-outs and tape-tracking errors for the first few innings. It is unknown if this was on the original master-tape, or the copy used by MLB network.
Games 1 and 2 were only saved as black and white
kinescopes provided by NBC.
1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
and the Baltimore Orioles
1969 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1969 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. In the first season after the American League was split into two divisions, the Orioles won the first-ever American League East title, finishing first with a record of 109 wins and 53 losses, 19 games ahead of the runner-up...
, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever (and still is by some baseball pundits). The World Series win earned the team the sobriquet "Miracle Mets," as they had risen from the depths of mediocrity (the 1969 team had the first winning record in Mets history).
The Mets became the first expansion team to win a division title, a pennant, and the World Series, winning in their eighth year of existence. Two teams would later surpass that, as the Florida Marlins
1997 Florida Marlins season
The 1997 Florida Marlins season started off with the team trying to improve on their record from 1996. Their manager was Jim Leyland. They played home games at Pro Player Stadium...
won the 1997 World Series
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
in their fifth year (also becoming the first wild card team to win a World Series) and the Arizona Diamondbacks
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, in their fourth year of existence, looked to improve on their 2000 season. They had to contend in what was a strong National League West Division....
won the 2001 World Series
2001 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 27, 2001 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, ArizonaArizona showed no fear and chased Yankees starter Mike Mussina after just three innings. The Yankees gave up five unearned runs and the Diamondbacks rode Curt Schilling's seven strong innings to a 9–1 rout...
in their fourth year of play.
New York Mets
The New York MetsNew 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...
, who had never finished higher than ninth place (next-to-last) nor won more than 73 games in a season since joining the National League
National 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...
in , were not highly regarded before the 1969 season started. In fact, the best that could be said for them was that because the National League
National 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...
was being split into two divisions that year, the Mets were guaranteed to finish no lower than sixth place. The fact the Mets began the season by losing 11–10 to the then-expansion Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
seemed to confirm this. With three weeks to go in the season, the underdog Mets stormed past the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, who had led the Eastern Division for most of the season, winning 38 of their final 49 games for a total of 100 wins and capturing the first National League Eastern Division crown. Third-year pitcher Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
won a major-league-leading 25 games en route to his first Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
; the other two top Mets starting pitchers, Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman
Jerome 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...
and rookie Gary Gentry
Gary Gentry
Gary Edward Gentry , is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, who played seven seasons for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves between 1969 and 1975....
, combined to win 30 more games. Outfielder Cleon Jones
Cleon Jones
Cleon Joseph Jones is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered as the man who caught the final out of the "Miracle Mets" improbable World Series Championship over the Baltimore Orioles....
hit a (then) club-record .340 and finished third in the National League batting race, while his lifelong friend and outfield mate Tommie Agee
Tommie Agee
Tommie Lee Agee was a Major League Baseball center fielder most noted for making two of the greatest catches in World Series history, both of which occurred in game three of the 1969 World Series.-Cleveland Indians:...
hit 26 home runs and drove in 76 runs to lead the club; they were the only players on the team who garnered more than 400 at bats. Manager Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
employed a skillful platoon system not unlike the Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
of the 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 ....
era, in which Ron Swoboda
Ron Swoboda
Ronald Alan Swoboda is a former Major League Baseball outfielder best remembered as a member of the Amazin' Mets.-MLB debut:...
and Art Shamsky
Art Shamsky
Arthur Louis Shamsky is a former Major League Baseball player. He played right field, left field, and first base from to for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Oakland Athletics. In he was the manager of the Modi'in Miracle of the Israel Baseball League.-Early life:Shamsky...
became a switch-hitting right fielder who hit 23 home runs and drove in 100 runs, and Ed Kranepool
Ed Kranepool
Edward Emil Kranepool is a former first baseman who spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets....
and Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
added up to a switch-hitting first baseman who hit 23 more homers and knocked in another 95 runs. Everyone on the bench knew what their role was in the platoon—nobody felt that they'd ever lost their jobs. Almost to a man, the 1969 Mets were united in their praise of their manager's skill. In the first League Championship Series, the light-hitting Mets, once again considered underdogs (even though the Mets actually had a better record than the Braves), put on an uncharacteristic power display by scoring 27 runs in sweeping the favored Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The 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....
in three games.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, by contrast, were practically flawless and featured stars at almost every position. They breezed through the 1969 season, winning 109 games (until the most games won since the advent of divisional play) and brushing aside the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in three games in the ALCS to win their second pennant in four years. The Orioles were led by star sluggers Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
and Boog Powell
Boog Powell
John Wesley Powell is a former major league first baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, who each hit over 30 home runs and drove in over 100 runs; third baseman Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
, perhaps the best-fielding hot-corner player in baseball history; and pitchers Mike Cuellar
Mike Cuellar
Miguel Ángel Cuellar Santana [KWAY-ar] was a Cuban left-handed starting pitcher who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and California Angels...
, Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
and Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
, who combined for 63 victories. It was felt that in the face of such statistical comparisons, only the most reckless gambler would put any money on the Mets.
Summary
Game 1
Saturday, October 11, 1969 at Memorial StadiumMemorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
in Baltimore, Maryland
With this win, the Orioles looked to be proving all the prognosticators right, as it was a dominant performance. Don Buford
Don Buford
Donald Alvin Buford is a former Major League Baseball player. An infielder/outfielder, the switch-hitting Buford played for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles ....
led off the game for the Orioles by homering off Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
. The O's then added three more runs in the fourth when, with two outs, Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...
singled and Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
walked. Mark Belanger
Mark Belanger
Mark Henry Belanger was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles...
then singled in a run, followed by an RBI single by pitcher Mike Cuellar
Mike Cuellar
Miguel Ángel Cuellar Santana [KWAY-ar] was a Cuban left-handed starting pitcher who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and California Angels...
. Buford would cap the inning off by doubling in Belanger.
The Mets got their run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by light-hitting Al Weis
Al Weis
Albert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
.
Despite the opening-game loss, nobody on the Mets seemed discouraged. Tom Seaver - the game's losing pitcher - said years later "I swear, we came into the clubhouse more confident than when we had left it. Somebody - I think it was Clendenon - yelled out, 'Dammit, we can beat these guys!' And we believed it. A team knows if they've been badly beaten or outplayed. And we felt we hadn't been. The feeling wasn't that we had lost, but Hey, we nearly won that game! We hadn't been more than a hit or two from turning it around. It hit us like a ton of bricks."
Game 2
Sunday, October 12, 1969 at Memorial StadiumMemorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
in Baltimore, Maryland
Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman
Jerome 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...
pitched six innings of no-hit ball, trying to match Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
's World Series no-hit feat. Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
provided him a slim lead with a home run in the fourth.
However, Koosman would lose both the no-hitter and the lead in the seventh as Paul Blair
Paul Blair (baseball)
Paul L. D. Blair is a former outfielder who spent seventeen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds...
singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
. But, that would be it for the Orioles' offense. The Mets pushed across a run in the top of the ninth on back-to-back-to-back singles by Ed Charles
Ed Charles
Edwin Douglas Charles is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. A right-handed hitter, Charles played for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Mets .-Minor league career:...
, Jerry Grote
Jerry Grote
Gerald Wayne Grote is a former professional baseball player. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Mets and was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.-Early life:...
, and Al Weis
Al Weis
Albert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
, scoring Charles.
Koosman had trouble finishing the game, as he issued two-out walks in the bottom of the ninth to Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
and Boog Powell
Boog Powell
John Wesley Powell is a former major league first baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers...
. Ron Taylor
Ron Taylor (baseball)
Ronald Wesley Taylor is a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 11 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, New York Mets and San Diego Padres. Taylor was a member of two World Series-winning teams: the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals and the...
came on to retire Brooks Robinson for the final out and earn the save.
Game 3
Tuesday, October 14, 1969 at Shea StadiumShea 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...
in Flushing
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, Queens, New York
Agee led off the game for the Mets with a home run off of Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
, then saved at least five runs with his defense. With two out in the fourth and Oriole runners on first and third, Agee raced to the 396-foot sign in left-center and made a backhanded running catch of a drive hit by Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...
. In the seventh, the Orioles had loaded the bases with two out, but Agee made a headfirst diving grab of a line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
hit by Paul Blair
Paul Blair (baseball)
Paul L. D. Blair is a former outfielder who spent seventeen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds...
in right-center.
Ed Kranepool
Ed Kranepool
Edward Emil Kranepool is a former first baseman who spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets....
added a home run and Jerry Grote
Jerry Grote
Gerald Wayne Grote is a former professional baseball player. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Mets and was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.-Early life:...
an RBI double for the Mets, while Gary Gentry
Gary Gentry
Gary Edward Gentry , is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, who played seven seasons for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves between 1969 and 1975....
pitched six shutout innings and helped his own cause with a second-inning two-run double. Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
, making what would be his only World Series appearance in his 27-year career, pitched the final innings (benefitting from Agee's second catch) and earned a save.
Game 4
Wednesday, October 15, 1969 at Shea StadiumShea 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...
in Flushing
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, Queens, New York
Game 4 was mired in controversy. Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
's photograph was used on some anti-war Moratorium Day literature being distributed outside Shea Stadium before the game, although the pitcher claimed that his picture was used without his knowledge or approval. A further controversy that day involved the flying of the American flag 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...
. New York City Mayor John Lindsay
John Lindsay
John Vliet Lindsay was an American politician, lawyer and broadcaster who was a U.S. Congressman, Mayor of New York City, candidate for U.S...
had ordered flags flown at half staff to observe the Moratorium Day and honor those that had died in Vietnam. Many were concerned, included 225 wounded servicemen who were attending the game and Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kent Kuhn was an American lawyer and sports administrator who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from February 4, , to September 30,...
announced that the American flag would be flown at full staff at Shea for Game 4.
Tom Seaver atoned for his Game 1 ineffectiveness by shutting the Orioles out through eight innings. Once again, Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
provided the lead with a solo homer in the second. In the third inning, after arguing ball-strike calls too strenuously with plate umpire Shag Crawford, Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
of the Orioles became the first manager since 1935 to be ejected from a World Series game.
In the top of the ninth, Seaver ran into trouble. Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
and Boog Powell
Boog Powell
John Wesley Powell is a former major league first baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers...
hit back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and third. Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
then hit a sinking line drive towards right that Mets right fielder Ron Swoboda
Ron Swoboda
Ronald Alan Swoboda is a former Major League Baseball outfielder best remembered as a member of the Amazin' Mets.-MLB debut:...
dove for and caught just inches off the ground. Frank Robinson tagged and scored, but Swoboda's heroics kept the Orioles from possibly taking the lead. Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...
then flew out to Swoboda to end the inning, but not before coming within inches of a home run that would have given the Orioles a two-run lead.
In the bottom of the tenth, Jerry Grote
Jerry Grote
Gerald Wayne Grote is a former professional baseball player. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Mets and was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.-Early life:...
led off by blooping a double to left. Al Weis
Al Weis
Albert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
was intentionally walked, and Mets manager Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
sent J. C. Martin
J. C. Martin
Joseph Clifton Martin is a former Major League Baseball player. The left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing Martin played for the Chicago White Sox from 1959-1967, New York Mets in 1968 and 1969 and Chicago Cubs from 1970-1972.Martin was scouted by the White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1956...
up to hit for Seaver. Martin laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Orioles reliever Pete Richert
Pete Richert
Peter Gerard Richert is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Washington Senators , Baltimore Orioles , St...
hit Martin in the wrist with his attempted throw to first. Rod Gaspar
Rod Gaspar
Rodney Earl Gaspar is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.A switch hitter, Gaspar played for the New York Mets and San Diego Padres ....
, running for Grote, came around to score the winning run.
Replays showed Martin was inside the first-base line, which hindered Richert from making a good throw. It was suggested that had the Orioles protested the call, claiming interference (which they never did), that the protest would have been disallowed since Martin did not intentionally interfere with the throw (as per Major League Baseball Official Rule 7.08[b]).
Game 5
Thursday, October 16, 1969 at Shea StadiumShea 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...
in Flushing
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, Queens, New York
Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
shut out the Mets through five innings and helped himself with a two-run homer in the third inning. Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
homered in the inning as well, and the Orioles looked to be cruising with a 3–0 lead.
The Mets, however, would benefit from two questionable umpire's calls. In the fifth inning, Mets' starter Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman
Jerome 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...
appeared to have hit Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
with a pitch, but plate umpire Lou DiMuro ruled that the pitch hit his bat before hitting him and denied him first base. Replays showed, however, that Robinson was indeed hit first—the ball struck him on the hip, then bounced up and hit his bat.
In the sixth, McNally bounced a pitch that appeared to have hit Mets left fielder Cleon Jones
Cleon Jones
Cleon Joseph Jones is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered as the man who caught the final out of the "Miracle Mets" improbable World Series Championship over the Baltimore Orioles....
on the foot, then bounced into the Mets' dugout. McNally and the Orioles claimed the ball hit the dirt and not Jones, but Mets manager Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
showed the ball to DiMuro, who found a spot of shoe polish on the ball and awarded Jones first base. McNally then gave up Series MVP Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
's third homer of the series (a record for a five-game World Series that was tied by the Phillies'
2008 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2008 season was the 126th in the history of the franchise. The team finished with a regular season record of 92–70, first in the National League East. In the post-season, the Phillies won the World Series; this was the first major sports championship for...
Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
in the 2008 Classic
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
) to cut the lead to 3–2.
However, the renowned "shoe polish" incident may not be such a simple, straightforward matter. On August 22, 2009, at the 40th Anniversary celebration of the Mets' 1969 Championship, held at their new stadium, Citi Field, Jerry Koosman stated in several media interviews that, in actuality, Hodges had instructed him to rub the ball on his shoe, which he did, and it was only after this that Hodges showed the ball to the umpire. Koosman's claim doesn't necessarily mean that the ball didn't strike Jones on the foot, nor does it even mean that the polish on the ball seen by the umpire was put there by Koosman—it's certainly conceivable that there was already a genuine spot of polish on the ball, which easily could have escaped Koosman's notice as he hastily created the fraudulent one. In any case, Koosman's allegation at the very least adds an intriguing layer of uncertainty and possible chicanery to an already legendary event.
However, it should be noted that Koosman was known for his sense of humor, and his love of practical jokes when he was an active player. Therefore, his claim of having scuffed the ball against his own shoe could be a rouse.
Because, there are other stories which have been told about that incident, by other players who were in the Mets dugout that day. One of those stories comes from Ron Swoboda, who said during an interview on the Mets 1986 25th Anniversary video, that when the ball came bounding into the Mets dugout, it hit an open ball bag under the bench, and several batting / infield practice balls came spilling out on the dugout floor. According to Swoboda, you couldn't distinguish the actual game ball from any of the ones that spilled out of the bag. Hodges quickly looked down, grabbed a ball that had a black streak on it, and walked it out to the homeplate umpire, who then awarded first base to Jones.
In any case, this incident provided baseball with yet another entertaining legend, about which the absolute truth will probably never be known.
The Mets then tied the score in the seventh on a solo home run hit by the unheralded and light-hitting Al Weis
Al Weis
Albert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
. Weis only hit seven home runs in his big league career; this was the only home run he ever hit at Shea Stadium. Weis would lead all batters in this series with a .455 average.
The Mets' winning runs scored in the eighth as Game 4 defensive hero Ron Swoboda
Ron Swoboda
Ronald Alan Swoboda is a former Major League Baseball outfielder best remembered as a member of the Amazin' Mets.-MLB debut:...
doubled in Jones with the go-ahead run. Swoboda then scored when Jerry Grote
Jerry Grote
Gerald Wayne Grote is a former professional baseball player. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Mets and was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.-Early life:...
's grounder was mishandled by first baseman Boog Powell
Boog Powell
John Wesley Powell is a former major league first baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, whose throw to first was then dropped by pitcher Eddie Watt
Eddie Watt
Eddie Dean Watt is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. The 5'10", 197 lb. right-hander was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent on September 5, 1961...
in an unusual double error. Jerry Koosman would get the win, his second of the series.
Karl Ehrhardt
Karl Ehrhardt
Karl Ehrhardt was one of the New York Mets' most visible fans and an icon at Shea Stadium from its opening in 1964 through 1981...
, a Mets fan known as "the sign man" at Shea Stadium, held up a sign that read There Are No Words soon after the final out was made. The sign would make an appearance in the Series highlight film.
In all four Mets victories, their starting first baseman hit a home run: Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
in Games 2, 4 and 5, and Ed Kranepool
Ed Kranepool
Edward Emil Kranepool is a former first baseman who spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets....
in Game 3. The expression, "Good pitching defeats good hitting," was never more evident than in this World Series: Baltimore collected only 23 hits for a .146 batting average. Boog Powell led the Orioles with five hits—but all were non-scoring singles. Don Buford
Don Buford
Donald Alvin Buford is a former Major League Baseball player. An infielder/outfielder, the switch-hitting Buford played for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles ....
collected two hits in the opening game, including a leadoff home run against Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
, but went 0-for-16 over the next four games. Paul Blair
Paul Blair (baseball)
Paul L. D. Blair is a former outfielder who spent seventeen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds...
went 2-for-20, Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
1-for-15 and Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
1-for-19. The vaunted Orioles offense, best in the majors in 1969, only managed four extra-base hits off Mets pitching in the five-game series, all in the first and last games.
This was the second major upset by a New York team over a Baltimore team in a sport's championship event in 1969. Earlier in January, the Jets
1968 New York Jets season
The 1968 New York Jets season was the ninth season for the team in the American Football League . The team had the most successful season in franchise history. Trying to improve upon their 8–5–1 record in 1967, they won the AFL Eastern Division with an 11–3 record...
, led by Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
, upset the heavily favored Baltimore Colts
1968 Baltimore Colts season
The 1968 Baltimore Colts season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1968 season with a record of 13 wins and 1 loss...
in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
, which also aired on NBC. Significantly, both the Jets and Mets called Shea Stadium home at the time.
There are several direct connections between the two Mets World Championship teams. Orioles second baseman Davey Johnson flied out to Cleon Jones for the last out of the 1969 World Series; Johnson would later manage the 1986 Mets to their World Series title. The pitcher on the mound for the last out of the 1986 Series, Jesse Orosco
Jesse Orosco
Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,...
, had been traded to the Mets for Jerry Koosman (the pitcher on the mound for the last out of the 1969 Series) after the 1978 season. 1969 Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson
Bud Harrelson
Derrel McKinley "Bud" Harrelson is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers from to . After retiring, he served as a coach for the World Champion Mets, and as manager of the Mets in 1990 and 1991...
earned a second World Series ring as the club's third-base coach in 1986. However, Mets pitcher Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
was on the losing end in 1986, as a member of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
Composite box
1969 World Series (4–1): New York MetsNew 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...
(N.L.) over Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(A.L.)
In popular culture
The 1969 series is featured in the movie FrequencyFrequency (film)
Frequency is a 2000 science-fiction film that contains elements of the time travel, thriller and alternate history film genres. It was directed by Gregory Hoblit and written by Toby Emmerich. The film stars Dennis Quaid and James Caviezel as father and son, Frank and John Sullivan respectively. It...
, a 2000 film starring Jim Caviezel and Dennis Quaid
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
. When Caviezel's character discovers in 1999 that he can speak to his dead father (Quaid) thirty years in the past using a ham radio set, he proves that he is further ahead in time by correctly predicting the outcomes of each 1969 World Series game.
It was referenced in the 1977 movie Oh God! starring George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
and John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, in which Burns, playing God, quips, "The last miracle I did was the 1969 Mets. Before that, I think you have to go back to the Red Sea." The 1969 series was also referenced in the television show The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years is an American television comedy-drama created by Carol Black and Neal Marlens. It ran for six seasons on ABC from 1988 through 1993. The pilot aired on January 31, 1988 after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII....
where lead character Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage
Fred Savage
Fredrick Aaron "Fred" Savage is an American actor, director and producer of television and film.He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series The Wonder Years and as the grandson in The Princess Bride...
) recalled his days of youth during that summer.
Television coverage
Games 3, 4 and 5 of the 1969 World Series are believed to be the oldest surviving color televisionColor television
Color television is part of the history of television, the technology of television and practices associated with television's transmission of moving images in color video....
broadcasts of World Series games (even though World Series telecasts have aired in color since ). However, they were "truck feeds" in that they do not contain original commercials, but show a static image of the 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...
field between innings. Also, the surviving copy of Game 5 as aired on MLB Network in late 2009 had noticeable drop-outs and tape-tracking errors for the first few innings. It is unknown if this was on the original master-tape, or the copy used by MLB network.
Games 1 and 2 were only saved as black and white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
kinescopes provided by NBC.