The Jackson Mets were a professional baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 team based in Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...

, from 1975 through 1990. As of 2010, they are the longest-tenured club to be based in the Jackson metropolitan area

Metropolitan area

The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...

. For their entire sixteen seasons of existence, they competed in the Texas League

Texas League

The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...

 as the Class AA affiliate of the New York Mets

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...

, until the club moved to Binghamton, New York

Binghamton, New York

Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...

, for the 1991 season.

Early Years in Jackson

The Jackson Mets came into existence in 1974 when the New York Mets moved their AA club, the Victoria Toros, after only one year in Victoria, Texas

Victoria, Texas

Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,...

. Civic leaders in Jackson had mounted a campaign to build a new stadium for a minor-league club. At the time, Jackson had not fielded a club since the Jackson Senators

Jackson Senators

The Jackson Senators was the name of at least two minor league baseball teams that played in Jackson, Mississippi.-First team:The first known Jackson Senators club competed in the Cotton States League before 1953...

 last played in the Class C Cotton States League

Cotton States League

The Cotton States League name was used five different times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new...

 in 1953. Previous minor-league teams based in Jackson had played downtown at a field on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds, but the new park, which would be named Smith-Wills Stadium

Smith Wills Stadium

Smith–Wills Stadium is a 5,200 seat baseball stadium in Jackson, Mississippi. It is located on Lakeland Drive, less than half a mile east of Interstate 55, in the northeastern part of the city.-History:...

, was constructed on Lakeland Drive just east of Interstate 55

Interstate 55

Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...

 in the more suburban area of northeast Jackson. When the team opened play in 1975, the park still had no lights, an unpaved parking lot, no roof on its press box, and was temporarily locating its club offices in a trailer. In their first few years in Jackson, the Mets drew an average of 1,600 fans a game.

In one of the more interesting moments in franchise history, on the evening of 22 June 1978, Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson

Mookie Wilson

William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...

 married Rosa Gilbert at home plate

Home Plate

Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...

 in Smith-Wills Stadium. The ceremony concluded with the couple walking back to the dugout beneath an archway of bats held aloft by Mets teammates. Wilson would become one of at least a dozen Jackson Mets players to wed girls they met during their tenure in Jackson.

1976 and 1977 were the only two years the Jackson Mets recorded losing records for the entire season until 1988.

The 1980s

During the 1980s, the Jackson Mets emerged as one of the preeminent clubs in the Texas League. The team made the playoffs nine times between 1978 and 1987, including eight consecutive trips, and appeared in seven Texas League Championship Series, including five in row from 1983-87. They won three Texas League titles, in 1980, 1984, and 1985. Fans in Jackson responded to the team's success: more than 112,000 people flocked to Smith-Wills Stadium in 1981, the year that future big-league manager 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...

 piloted the Jackson Mets to their first Eastern Division title. Continued winning seasons by the Mets kept attendance above the 100,000 mark for the next six years.

Several future Major-League

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 players spent part of their minor-league careers as Jackson Mets. The 1984 championship squad included Billy Beane

Billy Beane

William Lamar "Billy" Beane III is a former Major League Baseball player and the current general manager and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics...

, who hit 20 home runs, and Lenny Dykstra

Lenny Dykstra

Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....

, who stole 53 bases. The Mets pitching staff was anchored by Calvin Schiraldi

Calvin Schiraldi

Calvin Drew Schiraldi is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the losing pitcher of Game 6 and Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.-Amateur career:...

, who went 14-3, and also featured Rick Aguilera

Rick Aguilera

Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs....

, Roger McDowell

Roger McDowell

Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves and was a right-handed relief pitcher for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the Texas Rangers and...

, Jay Tibbs

Jay Tibbs

Jay Lindsey Tibbs was a Major League Baseball pitcher with a seven-year career from 1984 to 1990. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He had two winning seasons and a career ERA of 4.20. He currently lives in Oneonta, Alabama.-External...

, and Floyd Youmans

Floyd Youmans

Floyd Everett Youmans is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is likely best remembered as one of the players dealt by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos for Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.-New York Mets:...

. The 1985 team that repeated as champs was led by Dave Magadan

Dave Magadan

David Joseph Magadan is a former Major League Baseball first and third baseman and current Red Sox Hitting Coach. He is the cousin and godson of former manager, Lou Piniella.-Amateur playing career:...

, Randy Milligan

Randy Milligan

Randall Andre Milligan is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1987-1994. He is currently a scout with the Baltimore Orioles. Milligan is nicknamed "Moose".-External links:...

, Mark Carreon

Mark Carreon

Mark Carreon is a former first baseman / outfielder in Major League Baseball.-Career:From through , Carreon played for the New York Mets , Detroit Tigers , San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Indians . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in and...

, and Barry Lyons, all of whom hit over .300. In addition, at various points the Mets fielded future major-leaguers Lee Mazzilli

Lee Mazzilli

Lee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network...

, Mike Scott

Mike Scott (baseball)

Michael Warren "Mike" Scott is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets and the Houston Astros. He won the National League Cy Young Award in...

, Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...

, Hubie Brooks

Hubie Brooks

Hubert Brooks, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. During his career, he played as a third baseman, shortstop and right fielder for the New York Mets , Montreal Expos , Los Angeles Dodgers , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .Brooks played varsity baseball...

, Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...

, Kevin Mitchell

Kevin Mitchell (baseball player)

Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...

, Terry Blocker

Terry Blocker

Terry Fennell Blocker is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves from 1985 to 1989....

, John Gibbons

John Gibbons

John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...

 and Kevin Elster

Kevin Elster

Kevin Daniel Elster is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop.Elster played for six different ballclubs during his career: the New York Mets , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Los Angeles Dodgers...

.

Move

At the close of the 1990 season, the Mets organization announced their desire to move the Jackson Mets closer to the parent club. And so, the team's affiliation was moved to Binghamton, New York, where it became the Binghamton Mets

Binghamton Mets

The Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club...

 in the Eastern League. For the 1991 season, the Houston Astros

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 relocated their AA affiliate to Jackson. This team would be named the Jackson Generals in a contest, the winning moniker representing General Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...

, the military army officer who later became President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 and for whom the city of Jackson is named.

Year-by-year record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1975	65-65	4th	John Antonelli John Antonelli (baseball infielder) John Lawrence Antonelli was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball in 1944-45 and a longtime coach and manager at the minor league level...
1976	69-66	4th	John Antonelli John Antonelli (baseball infielder) John Lawrence Antonelli was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball in 1944-45 and a longtime coach and manager at the minor league level...
1977	62-68	5th (t)	Bob Wellman Bob Wellman Robert Joseph Wellman was an American professional baseball player, manager and scout. He managed for a quarter-century in minor league baseball, winning more than 1,600 games — with his 1966 Spartanburg Phillies setting a Western Carolinas League record by ripping off a 29-game winning streak...
1978	76-58	4th	Bob Wellman Bob Wellman Robert Joseph Wellman was an American professional baseball player, manager and scout. He managed for a quarter-century in minor league baseball, winning more than 1,600 games — with his 1966 Spartanburg Phillies setting a Western Carolinas League record by ripping off a 29-game winning streak...	Lost League Finals
1979	70-65	5th	Bob Wellman Bob Wellman Robert Joseph Wellman was an American professional baseball player, manager and scout. He managed for a quarter-century in minor league baseball, winning more than 1,600 games — with his 1966 Spartanburg Phillies setting a Western Carolinas League record by ripping off a 29-game winning streak...
1980	74-62	4th (t)	Bob Wellman Bob Wellman Robert Joseph Wellman was an American professional baseball player, manager and scout. He managed for a quarter-century in minor league baseball, winning more than 1,600 games — with his 1966 Spartanburg Phillies setting a Western Carolinas League record by ripping off a 29-game winning streak...	Lost in 1st round
1981	68-66	4th	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...	League Champs
1982	68-65	3rd	Gene Dusan Gene Dusan Eugene Paul Dusan is a former Major League Baseball coach and minor league baseball player and manager. Dusan was a coach for the New York Mets in 1983. Dusan played in the minor leagues for nine seasons, from 1968 through 1976 including six in AAA leagues, mostly as a catcher...	Lost in 1st round
1983	69-67	3rd (t)	Bob Schaefer Bob Schaefer Robert Walden Schaefer is a former interim manager, bench coach and farm system official in American Major League Baseball. He is currently the special assistant to the general manager with the Washington Nationals....	Lost League Finals
1984	83-53	2nd	Sam Perlozzo Sam Perlozzo Samuel Benedict Perlozzo is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, most recently with the Baltimore Orioles...	League Champs
1985	73-63	2nd	Sam Perlozzo Sam Perlozzo Samuel Benedict Perlozzo is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, most recently with the Baltimore Orioles...	League Champs
1986	72-63	3rd	Mike Cubbage Mike Cubbage Michael Lee Cubbage in Charlottesville, VA was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball from 1974 until the close of the 1981 season...	Lost League Finals
1987	70-66	5th (t)	Tucker Ashford Tucker Ashford Thomas Steven Ashford was a third baseman for the San Diego Padres , Texas Rangers , New York Yankees , New York Mets and Kansas City Royals ....	Lost League Finals
1988	61-75	7th	Tucker Ashford Tucker Ashford Thomas Steven Ashford was a third baseman for the San Diego Padres , Texas Rangers , New York Yankees , New York Mets and Kansas City Royals ....
1989	61-74	7th	Steve Swisher Steve Swisher Steven Eugene Swisher is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres from 1974 to 1982. Swisher was elected to the 1976 National League All-Star team with the Cubs but did not play in the game...
1990	73-62	3rd	Clint Hurdle Clint Hurdle Clinton Merrick Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball outfielder whose 10-year career was spent with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring from playing baseball, Hurdle became a manager...	Lost in 1st round