Answer: Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan debuted with the New York Mets on September 11, 1966 and won the World Series with the Mets in 1969. He was traded to the California Angels after the 1971 season. Nolan Ryan would move on to play for the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. He collected 5,714 strikeouts in his career and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.
From Quiz: I Was Once a Met
Answer: 37
Casey Stengel actually had his number 37 retired by both the Yankees and the Mets. The Yankees did this based on his leading them to ten American League pennants and seven World Series titles in twelve years. Although he had less success with the Mets, he gave them a personality and made them competitive in their early years.
From Quiz: New York Mets by the Numbers
Answer: Montreal Expos
Gary Carter was actually drafted by the Expos as a shortstop in 1972. He was converted to a catcher in the minors and, ironically, made his Major League debut against the Mets in the 1974 season. The Mets signed their taisman #8 in the 1984-85 offseason and he began his Mets career with a game-winning 10th-inning homer on the Opening Day of the 1985 season. He stayed with the Mets until the end of the 1989 season. He hit 89 of his 324 career HRs for New York, including 24 in the 1986 season.
Carter played for both the Giants and Dodgers before returning to Montreal for a final MLB season in 1992. Gary Carter is the only member of the 1986 Mets who has been inducted into Cooperstown -- he received 78.02% of the votes in the 2003 Hall of Fame ballot and the Expos retired his number that same year.
Carter was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2011 and died nine months later in February 2012 aged 57.
From Quiz: Those Amazing Mets
Answer: Harry Chiti
Only the Mets could have pulled this off when in 1962, they acquired Harry Chiti from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later. That player ended up being Harry Chiti who was sent back to Cleveland.
From Quiz: Those Amazin' Mets: The 1960s
Answer: Shortstop, Centerfield and Left field
Platooning is having players who play the same position but bat from different sides of the plate. This allows the manager to match a left handed batter against a right-handed pitcher or vice-versa. In 1969, the only 3 Mets who played almost every day were Bud Harrelson (shortstop), Cleon Jones (left field), and Tommie Agee (centerfield).
From Quiz: Your 1969 New York Mets
Answer: Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra was the manager who led the New York Mets to the 1973 National League title. The Mets only had a record of 82-79 during the regular season, but this result was good enough to win a title in the very mediocre National League East division. The Mets then upset the Cincinnati Reds, 3 games to 2, to capture the National League Championship Series. Berra managed the Mets from 1972 to 1975, compiling a regular season record of 292-296. Gil Hodges managed the 1969 Mets. Joe Pignatano and Eddie Yost were coaches on Berra's staff for the 1973 Mets.
From Quiz: The 1973 New York Mets
Answer: Atlanta Braves
The New York Mets won the first-ever National League East title, outlasting the Chicago Cubs in the regular season. The Mets then went on to play the Atlanta Braves, inaugural champions of the National League West. The Braves had a powerful lineup featuring such hitting stars as Hank Aaron, Rico Carty, and Orlando Cepeda. However, the Miracle Mets were able to sweep Atlanta in three straight games by the scores of 9-5, 11-6, and 7-4. The Mets thus won the first National League Championship Series. Tommie Agee, Cleon Jones, and Wayne Garrett were the main hitting stars for the "Amazings" in this series.
From Quiz: The 1969 New York Mets
Answer: Charlie Neal
Neal was acquired by the Mets in December 1961 from the L.A. Dodgers for Lee Walls, Willard Hunter, and cash. In eight seasons with the Brooklyn and L.A. Dodgers, Mets and Reds, he hit .259 with 87 home runs and 48 stolen bases.
From Quiz: Mets Second Basemen
Answer: They would not only win that year, they would dominate
Davey made the bold statement to the press, which caught everyone by surprise. He said that the Mets would dominate, and win the division by double-digits (ten games or more). Johnson took over the managerial job of the Mets in 1983, and improved them every year, eventually becoming the first manager in the history of the National League to guide a team to 90+ wins in each of the first five years or managing a team.
From Quiz: New York Mets: 1986 Champions
Answer: The Polo Grounds
They played their first two seasons at the Polo Grounds, then moved into Shea Stadium in 1964. They would still lose over 100 games in each of those three seasons.
From Quiz: Mets Mania
Answer: Hobie Landrith
They selected the immortal Hobie Landrith off the roster of the San Francisco Giants. He was a journeyman catcher who played with a number of teams since he began his career in 1950. He had played for the Cinncinati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants before the Mets selected him. In a portent of things to come, he was gone by mid season, traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
From Quiz: The Amazin' 1962 New York Mets
Answer: 4 games to 1; Yankees win
The Yankees win in 5 games, with Derek Jeter winning MVP with a .409 avg in the series.
From Quiz: The NY Mets
Answer: Roger Craig
Craig was the starting pitcher for the Mets against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 11, 1962. They lost, 11-4.
From Quiz: The 1962 Mets
Answer: Carlos Gomez
Along with Gomez, the Mets traded 3 pitchers to the Minnesota Twins for Johan Santana. The 3 pitchers were Phillip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra.
From Quiz: Mets Trades
Answer: Jose Reyes
Jose led the league with over 60 steals and nearly 20 triples in 2006.
From Quiz: Presenting Your New York Mets
Answer: Ron Swoboda hit two two-run home runs and the Mets won 4-3
Ron Swoboda was known more for his strikeouts than his home runs. At the time, Carlton's 19 strikeouts was the Major League record and Swoboda was an unlikely hero.
From Quiz: Those 1969 Amazing Mets!
Answer: Braves
The Braves sent Thomas and eventually Rick Herrscher to the Mets for Gus Bell and cash.
From Quiz: Big Apple Deals
Answer: 1964
They played at the Polo Grounds during their first 2 years under manager Casey Stengel.
From Quiz: Shea Stadium
Answer: 40-120
The Mets went 40-120 in 1962, bad enough that they still set a record for one of the worst baseball teams in history.
From Quiz: New York Mets
Answer: Nolan Ryan
This was the first of many no-hitters for Ryan, and the begining of the New York Met curse.
From Quiz: NY Mets / No-Hitter Curse
Answer: Wille Mays
Willie Mays hit 646 of his 660 career homers for the New York/San Francisco Giants, before being acquired by the Mets on May 11, 1972.
From Quiz: Before & After They Were Mets
Answer: Get 100 base hits as a batter
Thanks to a rash of injuries and a six games lost to an owners' lockout, Tommie Agee led the team with 96 base hits. Never before (since 1900) did a team not have any players with at least 100 hits.
From Quiz: Tough New York Mets
Answer: Casey Stengel
Casey helmed the club for it's first 4 seasons. In 1962, the Mets finished an awful 40-120. Pitcher Roger Craig won the most games for the Mets with 10, but lost 24 also.
From Quiz: Your New York Mets!
Answer: 1962
Under the management of Casey Stengel, the Mets finished a dismal last place with a record of 40-120.
From Quiz: Tough NY Mets
Answer: Philadelphia Phillies
Cone struck out 19 Phillies only a few short hours after being accused of rape. He was eventually acquitted of the charge. The Mets won this game, the final game of the 1991 season, 7-0.
From Quiz: Mets Brainteasers
Answer: Jay Hook
Jay Hook threw a complete game, allowing 1 run and 5 hits. He also went 1-4 with 2 RBI at the plate.
From Quiz: For Mets Diehards
Answer: Catcher
Hobie Landrith. 'You have to have a catcher - or everything the pitcher throws will roll to the back.' Good old Casey Stengel.
From Quiz: The Mets of the Sixties
Answer: Gary Carter
Gary Carter was the biggest Met killer when he played for the Expos. The Mets made the most logical choice, and picked him up. He ended up playing for the Dodgers and Giants as well.
From Quiz: New York Mets 1980s and 90s
Answer: Ralph Garr
Atlanta Speedster Ralph Garr ran for an inside-the-park home run as Hahn and Theodore stayed down after running into each other at top speed in pursuit of the line drive.
From Quiz: NY Mets History
Answer: Mark
Robin was the College Player of the Decade in the 1980s!
From Quiz: New York Mets
Answer: Jesse Orosco
The Mets beat the Red Sox 4 games to 3. This was Orosco's 2nd save in the Series, in his game 7 save to end the game.
From Quiz: New York Mets
Answer: 108
In 1986 the Mets set a club record for wins in a season.
From Quiz: 1986 NY Mets
Answer: Houston Astros
The Mets won the series 4 games to 2.
From Quiz: 1986 Mets: Champions!
Answer: Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra was a Hall of Fame catcher with the New York Yankees from 1946-1963. Wanting to break into coaching, Berra signed with the New York Mets in 1965. He retired from active play only two months into the 1965 season and would transition into a coach helping to lead them to their 1969 World Series title. He eventually managed the Mets from 1972-1975.
From Quiz: I Was Once a Met
Answer: Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez led the 1986 Mets in games played (149), at bats (551) and hits (171). He was also third in RBIs with 83, behind Gary Carter's 105 and Darryl Strawberry's 93.
Hernandez, who joined the Mets in 1983 after a decade with the Cardinals, batted over .300 seven times and won 11 gold gloves, a MLB record for a first baseman that still stood 20 years after his retirement. He was inducted into the Mets' Hall of Fame in 1997 and was voted the Mets' All-Time first baseman by fans in 2002.
From Quiz: Those Amazing Mets
Answer: He was told not to bother because Throneberry missed first base as well
Casey Stengel was told not to bother arguing because Throneberry had missed first base as well. Stengel actually did fall breaking his hip which forced him to retire, but in 1965.
From Quiz: Those Amazin' Mets: The 1960s
Answer: 25-7
Although he went by Tom his whole life, his real name is George Thomas Seaver. He also was the MVP runner-up to the great Willie McCovey in 1969.
From Quiz: Your 1969 New York Mets
Answer: 14
Gil Hodges wore number 14 for the 1969 New York Mets. He was a soft-spoken but stern manager for the Mets, a skipper who demanded hustle and top effort from his players. Yogi Berra was the first base coach for the 1969 Mets and wore number 8; Rube Walker, number 54, was the pitching coach; and Eddie Yost, number 53, was the third base coach.
From Quiz: The 1969 New York Mets
Answer: Ron Hunt
In 1962, Hunt was purchased from the Milwaukee Braves for an undisclosed amount. In 12 seasons with the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Expos and Cardinals, he hit .273 with 39 home runs, 65 stolen bases, and was hit by a pitch (a then record) 243 times.
From Quiz: Mets Second Basemen
