Total Insanity At Shea! : Tuesday, June 24th, 1969

Scores!

CHI 4, PIT 3  W-Aguirre 2-2 L-Dal Canton 3-4  Beckert 2-out walk-off single.

MON 3, STL 2  W-Robertson 6-6 L-Carlton 10-4  S-McGinn(2)  HR-Bailey(4) Jones(8)

NY 12, PHI 11 (11inns)  W-McGraw 3-5 L-Palmer 0-1  HR-D.Johnson 2(8) Money(3) Swoboda(3)phGW  Money 4 rbi, Swoboda 1-out solo pinch hit walk-off HR.

NY 4, PHI 3 (12inns)  W-Ryan 1-0 L-Wilson 1-7  HR-Joseph(3) Agee(11) Dyer(1)ph  Money 5 hits, Garrett 0-out walk-off single.

LA 7, ATL 3  W-Osteen 7-3 L-Reed 6-5  HR-Haller(7) H.Aaron(22)

CIN 6, SD 3  W-Culver 6-1 L-Santorini 3-13 HR-Bench(9)  Tolan 4 rbi.

HOU 2, SF 0  W-Dierker 6-7 L-Marichal 6-7 HR-Wynn(11)  Dierker 1-hitter


In a season replay like this one, when it's all over, only a very few games stand out enough to be remembered when it's all said and done. In my 1967 AL, I remember Boston staying alive with a nail-biter win against the Tigers, and Don Mincher's total destruction of his former Twins teammates. In my '65 replay I recall Ron Perranoski going down in flames as the eventual champion Reds beat back the Dodgers in a September series. In '61 I remember Orlando Cepeda's quest for 60 HR going down to the last day, when he had to settle for 59. And when '69 NL is done, I think I'll remember the Mets sweeping the Phillies in a crazy doubleheader at Shea Stadium that may have finally set the Mets on the winning track. Fasten your seat belts. Here we go!

Sleepers Awake!

Game 1. Don Money pretty much sleep-walked through the season until I finally benched him recently in favor of lantern-jawed Terry Harmon. However, doubleheaders got Money back in there and he has done nothing but rake ever since. In the top of the first, he launched a 2-out 3-run bomb off of Gary Gentry to stake the Phils to a 3-0 lead.  The Mets came back in the bottom of the 1st with 2 off of Billy "Spark Plug" Champion. Top of the third, Phils take a 5-2 lead, only to see the Mets cut it to 5-4 in the bottom of the 3rd. By the end of the 4th, the game was tied 6-6 and both starters had hit the shower. The last two Mets runs were courtesy of not one, but two errors by Ric Joseph, doing an impression of a first baseman.

Even his mother doesn't remember him.

Enter Cal Koonce, whose first official act was to give up a single to Larry Hisle and a two-run shot to Deron Johnson for an 8-6 Phillies lead. The forgettable Al Raffo held the Mets in check for three innings. Then in the bottom of the 7th, a barrage of singles off of Turk Farrell resulted in 4 runs and a 10-8 Mets lead. Enter relief ace Tug McGraw to pitch the 8th. The Mets were feeling good.

He's happy.

Rich Barry had the audacity to collect a two-out single, followed by an rbi double off the bat of error-prone Ric "Chief" Joseph, making the Nez Perce tribe happy, and making the score 10-9. Up stepped Terry Harmon, who insulted Mr. McGraw by lining a single that scored Joseph with the tying run. 10-10! The Mets came right back against hapless Quaker reliever Billy Wilson. Tommie Agree rattled a double off the wall leading off the last of the 8th, and was immediately driven in on an Ed Kranepool single. 11-10 Mets and another chance for McGraw to nail it down. But no! Deron Johnson led off the top of the 9th with his second homer of the game, knotting it up again at 11. Good grief! 

He'll end this.

Somehow Mister McGraw kept the Phils off the board in the 10th and 11th, working 4 innings in all. As a converted starter, he could handle it. Lowell Palmer blanked the Mets in the 10th, and got Wayne Garrett leading off the last of the 11th. Manager Gil "Gill Man" Hodges bobbed up out of his tank and sent Ron Swoboda up the dish to hit. Palmer delivered his pitch and Swoboda killed it, sending it far over the wall for a crazy 12-11 win. How about THAT?!

Doctor No.

Game 2. After the two teams combined for 23 runs on 34 hits in the opener, they took the field in the nightcap for a very different kind of game. Through 8 innings, Grant Jackson and hard-luck Mets starter Jim McAndrew matched zeroes on the board, with just this one difference: Jackson had a no-hitter going through 8! In the top of the 9th, Don Money--who would end up going 7-for-11 for the two games--led off with a double down the line and was bunted along to third by Harmon. With the absurd Vic Roznovsky due up, Mike Ryan was sent to hit for him, and "Irish" lofted a sac fly to give the Quakers a slim 1-0 advantage. Nobody was happier about it than Grant Jackson.

It's gone!

With the pitcher's spot up first in the bottom of the ninth, Gill Man pulled third string backstop Duffy Dyer out of the seaweed and sent him to face Mr. Jackson. Nothing like sitting around on the bench for six hours or so and then being asked to break up a no-hitter in the 9th! But that's exactly what he did. Dyer drove a Jackson pitch out of the park for his first homer all season, good for a 1-1 tie. The crowd at Shea--and your Impartial Goddess--went completely insane. Ya gotta believe! 

Raw suckage.

With Tug McGraw totally used up, reliever Ron Taylor toed the slab for the Metropolitans in the top of the tenth. Joseph:HR. Briggs: double. Hisle: double. Johnson: single. Money: single. Luckily for New York, Briggs had brilliantly gotten himself picked off second, but the Phillies plated 2 on 5 hits before Taylor finally got them out. 3-1 Phils into the last of the tenth. Dyer's heroic home run was looking like it wouldn't be enough, and after all this, the Mets were staring down a split with the last place Philadelphians. 

He's got the moves!

Grant Jackson had lost his no-no, but still carried a 1-hitter and a two-run lead into the bottom of the tenth. "I scoff at namby pamby 2016 hurlers!" said Jackson as he took his warm-ups. One pitch--BOOM!--one run, on a mammoth shot by Tommie Agee, cutting it to 3-2. Jackson then fanned Jerry Grote and retired Ed Kranepool before surrendering a double to that man, Ron Swoboda. Out trudged whoever the f--- the Phillies manager was, making the signal to the bullpen for John Boozer, who had to be dragged off his bar stool and handed a glove and cap. Ed Charles, due up next, was called back to the Black Lagoon by Gill Man, and lefty-swinging Wayne Garrett hit for him. Two out, one run down. Boozer dealt, and Garrett hit a seeing-eye single, scoring Swoboda with the tying run! Holy heck! J.C Martin hit for the pitcher and also singled, but Boozer managed to retire Ken Boswell to end the frame. 3-3 after 10!

"Usher Man is strong"

Kid fireballer Nolan Ryan found himself summoned from the pen, and he disposed of the Phillies in the 11th, fanning two. Billy Wilson came on to stop the Mets in the bottom of the 11th, also fanning a pair. In the top of the 12th, Ryan fanned larry Hisle, but then gave up back to back singles by Johnson and Money. Fans were nervous, but Noley disposed of Cookie Rojas and Mike Ryan to end the threat! Bottom of the 12th: Billy Wilson walked Ed Kranepool to start things off. Ron Swoboda hit a worm-burner to Don Money at short, and it looked bad for a second for the Mets, but Money reminded his skipper--whoever he is--about why he had gotten benched, by booting the ball, leaving runners on the corners with nobody out. Gil Hodges scanned up and down his bench for a pinch runner for Kranepool, but found he had run through his roster and had to take his chances with Ed The Beer Truck. So be it. Up stepped Wayne Garrett, the hero of the 10th inning. He flailed at a Wilson delivery and sent the ball wobbling on an arc towards Mr. Money, who leapt, reached, and watched helplessly as the ball fell behind him on the grass for a walk-off hit. Mets sweep, Phillies weep. What a pair of games!

The Orsino Board allowed him his whimper of protest.

There was other action: The Cubs beat the Pirates again at Wrigley to move back ahead of them into second; Larry Dierker outdueled Juan Marichal at the Dome, 2-0, allowing only a single to lead off the second by Bob Burda; and the Expos rode a pair of solo homers to top Steve "Carlton your door man" Carlton and the Cardinals, but none of it could compare to the insanity at Shea.

From Dumpster To Dynamo, The Dave Watkins Story! : Saturday, June 21st, 1969

Scores!

MON 7, CHI 4  W-McGinn 4-1 L-Regan 4-3  S-Face(6)

STL 1, NY 0  W-Gibson 9-1 L-Koosman 7-4  Koosman 2-hitter.

PHI 15, PIT 1  W-Wise 4-5 L-Ellis 4-8  HR-Joseph(2) Allen 2(9) Watkins 3(3)  Allen 4 runs scored, Watkins 6 rbi.

ATL 8, SF 5  W-Doyle 4-1 L-Herbel 1-1  S-Upshaw(13)  HR-Boyer(4)

CIN 3, LA 2 (12inns)  W-Granger 6-2 L-Foster 3-1  May 1-out walk-off double.

SD 7, HOU 6  W-Baldschun 3-1 L-Gladding 1-3  S-Reberger(8)  HR-Brown(7) Spiezio(4) Miller(4)  Brown 5 rbi.

The last shall be first.

Some players have long productive careers. Some aren't so productive, yet have some skill that keeps them in the game for several years. Then there are players like the Phillies' Dave Watkins, who get just one season in the bigs, never to reappear again. With the Quakers mired in last place and regular right fielder Johnny Callison sidelined,  I decided to throw Mr. Watkins out there against the visiting Pirates. Why not? Dave plays catcher, first base and the outfield with equal ineptitude; what could it hurt? Well, early on he made an error and then a little bit later let a fly ball fall in for a single. No matter! After executing a perfect sacrifice bunt his first trip, and making an out his second, Dave blasted homers in each of his next three at bats! (The second day in a row that the league has seen a 3 HR performance, with Henry Aaron accomplishing the feat yesterday.)  He finished up with 6 ribbies, and, aided by two blasts off the bat of Rich Allen, the Phils romped 15-1. They hit six dingers overall. 

The always-jolly Mr. Gibson. Ken Burns wants to marry him.

In New York, as your Impartial Goddess sat morosely in the stands, Bob Gibson out-dueled Jerry Koosman 1-0, as the Redbirds blanked the Metropolitans for the second day in a row. The Mets actually out-hit the Cards 4-2, and had a couple of chances to score, but couldn't come through. At one point they had runners on second and third with nobody out, but Wayne Garrett grounded out to Maxvill with the infield in, and then J.C. Martin popped out in foul territory with Julian Javier making the grab, then gunning down the runner at home as he attempted to score. Fly double play, inning over. It was Gibson's second straight shutout.  The Cards have stretched their lead to 7 games in the east, as they are "pursued" by the snail Cubs and the tortoise Pirates.  

Don't judge yourself too harshly, Wes.

The Dodgers came in to Crosley Field and seemed to be about to accomplish that rarest of feats, a blanking of the mighty Reds offense. There were two outs in the bottom of the ninth, nobody on, and the Dodgers leading 2-0 when Ted Savage kept it alive with a walk. Pete Rose sent a grounder to shortstop which was scooped up and sent to first base by Maury Wills, but somehow sure-handed Wes "Judge" Parker let it clank off his glove. By the time the sphere had been retrieved, Savage stood at third base and Rose at second. Up stepped popular and affable flyhawk Alex Johnson, who crushed a double to tie the game. Bobby Tolan was then retired to send the contest into extra frames. Eventually, Lee May swatted an rbi double that scored pinch hitter Chico Ruiz, who had singled, with the winning tally. Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat! It was, however, a bitter pill for the SoCal nine. 

Eat hearty, Fred.

At the Astrodome, Ollie Brown decided he doesn't like spacemen. He drove in one run with a ground out, another with a sac fly, and three in the top of the ninth with a 3-run tater, for a total of 5 rbi and a 7-6 win over the Astros, whose fans seem to be mispronouncing the team nickname these days. There's no "L" in "Astros." The "L" was reserved for crap closer Fred Gladding, who served up the round-tripper. What kind of a pitch was it, Fred? "It was a f--ing hit-me fastball with nothing on it. What do you THINK the f---ing pitch was?!?" remarked "The Bear." Now now, Fred. Have some porridge. 

Hey Willie, think fast!

Finally, the Braves once again dispatched the visiting Giants. With the San Franciscans having rallied to knot it up at 5, Clete Boyer smacked a two-run shot to put the Braves up for good. They're hot, and have put a sliver of daylight between themselves and the three teams behind them, at least for now.  Meanwhile, the newly healed Willie Mays, having been back for just two games, once again broke every bone in his body smashing into the wall to make a catch. Ever the lady, your Impartial Goddess can't tell you what the "Say Hey" kid said, but it wasn't "hey" or "my goodness, another compound fracture, gosh!" What I can tell you is that Willie will sit out 6 more games. "Tough break, Mays!" crowed back-up outfielder Ken Henderson, grabbing his glove. It's a tough league.

Larry Stahl's Season of Glory Continues: Saturday, June 14th, 1969

Scores!

ATL 5, PIT 2  W-Pappas 6-3 L-Walker 2-2  S-Upshaw(11) HR-H.Aaron(13)

HOU 7, STL 4  W-Ray 5-1 L-Washburn 3-8  HR-Miller(3)

CHI 6, CIN 3  W-Hands 9-2 L-Nolan 2-2  S-Regan(9)

NY 4, LA 2  W-Gentry 6-4 L-Drysdale 0-5  S-McGraw(8)

SD 4, PHI 3 (10inns)  W-Reberger 3-6 L-Wilson 1-5  HR-Hisle(4) Stahl 2-out GW single.

MON 8, SF 1  W-Reed 2-2 L-Bolin 4-7  HR-Clendenon(16) Reed(1)

He leads the Friars with 8 rbi in June!

Larry Stahl strikes again! He stroked a 2-out walk-off single to defeat the visiting Phillies, who had been perfect guests by making 4 errors and allowing 3 unearned runs to even send the game into extras in the first place. It was a smorgasbord of sloppiness with four different Quakers kicking the ball. In came Billy "Old Kerosene" Wilson to cough up yet another walk-off for the opposition. There was a bright spot for the Phils, though, with kid flyhawk Larry Hisle jumping out of his hospital bed to fall a double short of the cycle for the visitors, and driving in all 3 runs. Frank "Double" Reberger feasted on the win for the Pods.

"Watch me baffle 'em with bullshit!"

Grizzled vet Howie Reed got the spot start for the Expos and wowed 'em with a complete game win. Not only that, but he crushed a double and a home run as well! The convincing win over the Giants was the Expo swan song for slugger Donn Clendenon, dealt early the next morning to the Mets for busher Steve Renko and spare part infielder Kevin "Call Me Joan" Collins. Donn hit a round tripper in his final game for Montreal, once again putting him atop the league alone, with 16. He takes his 40 rbi and .290 average to New York, who can really use the offense. With earlier acquisition Ron Fairly still sidelined with whooping cough, Bob Bailey takes over at first base for the time being. Fans in Canada burned the Expo GM in effigy after he dealt away their starting 1,2, and 4 hitters over the past few days.

A new career may be in order for Big "D".

Mister Drysdale left the bank long enough to lose yet again, this time bowing to the Mets at Dodger Stadium, 4-2. Don's pride is taking a beating after he was passed over in favor of Moeller for yesterday's start, and despite the encouragement of all the Clampetts, he just can't buy a win. How the mighty have fallen. Too bad, Don was one of my favorite players. Newly acquired Manny Mota, hitting a cool .400 since donning Dodger flannels, stepped in a gopher hole while chasing down a fly ball, and will miss 5 games. This momentarily resolves the log jam in the L.A. pasture, with Kosco,  Crawford, and Willie Davis taking over without interference. Geezer skipper Walt Alston heaved a sigh of relief and trimmed his eyebrows with a hedge clipper so he could see the three in action.

The Astros punished skidding Cardinal hurler Ray Washburn by handing him his 7th consecutive loss. The Cubs are creeping up on the Red Birds, and are now just two and a half back. Normal Norm Miller went deep, and then Mrs. Miller took the field and serenaded fans with all her best-loved hits! I heard 'er/ play once or twice./ Oh, murder!/ Still it was nice!

 

Saturday, May 31st 1969 and End of Month Leader Board

Scores!

CHI 3, ATL 2  W-Holtzman 5-3 L-Jarvis 6-4 S-Regan(8)  HR-Carty(11) Tillman(2) Williams(5) Smith(4)

MON 11, SD 9  W-Stoneman 2-4 L-Sisk 2-4  HR-Clendenon(15)GS Jones(6) Bailey(2)ph 

NY 4, SF 1  W-McAndrew 3-6 L-McCormick 5-3 S-McGraw(6)  HR-Mays(3) Agee(8)

LA 8, PHI 4  W-Mikkelsen 3-2 L-Farrell 1-4 S-Brewer(4)  HR-Popovich(1) Callison(8)

PIT 11, HOU 3  W-Walker 1-1 L-Billingham 1-5 S-Marone(1)  HR-Rader(1) 

STL 6, CIN 2  W-Briles 5-2 L-Carroll 2-2  HR-May(10)


In the battle of the Macs, Jim McAndrew outpitched Mike "Spicy" McCormick and the save went to Tug McGraw. 

Donn Clendenon smacked his league leading 15th homer, a grand slam, as Montreal built a 10-2 lead over the Pods for the second straight day. But the Expo pitchers almost coughed it up! With the score 11-9 in the ninth, the Holy Men had runners on second and third with two out, but failed to come all the way back. 

Nervous Norvus?

Rico "Beeg Mon" Carty homered in a losing cause at Wrigley Field, giving him 11 homers but just 19 rbi! "Base runners make me nervous," he opined. 

Finally, the Reds tried to make Lee May's 2-run shot stand up against the Cardinals, but the Redbirds tied it off of George Culver, and then bombarded dazed reliever Clay Carroll for a four spot in the eighth. The Reds managed just 3 hits, while the Cards put together 13, all singles. "We'll peck you to death!" quoth the ferocious fowls. Personable flyhawk Alex Johnson died a horrible death during this game, and will miss 6 games. With Bobby Tolan and Woody Woodward already out, the Reds must send out the likes of Jimmy Stewart, Darrell Chaney and savage Ted Savage for a few games.

Leaders!

Wins: Perry-sf 8-2, Hands-chi 7-1, Carlton-stl 7-3 

ERA: Hands-chi 1.18, Briles-stl 1.47, P.Niekro-atl 1.51, Taylor-stl 1.53, Koosman-ny 1.61

IP: Hands-chi 99, Jackson-phi 94.2, Perry-sf 94.2, Sutton-la 91.2, Carlton-stl 91, Maloney-cin 91

CG: Marichal-sf 9, Perry-sf 9, Carlton-stl 8, Hands-chi 7, P.Niekro-atl 7

K's: Veale-pit 79, Jenkins-chi 75, Singer-la 74, Perry-sf 73, Carlton-stl 72

Shutouts: Briles-stl 3, Hands-chi 3, LeMaster-hou 3

Saves: Regan-chi 8, Reberger-sd 7, Upshaw-atl 7, McGraw-ny 6, Linzy-sf 5, Wilson-phi 5

Steals: Morgan-hou 17, Brock-stl 16, Wills-mon 12

AVG (124 abs): Mota-mon .396, Rose-cin .394, McCovey-sf .392, Hebner-pit .352, Jones-ny .351

HR: Clendenon-mon 15, Rose-cin 13, Carty-atl 11, McCovey-sf 11, H.Aaron-atl 10, May-cin 10, Perez-cin 10

RBI: McCovey-sf 47, May-cin 40, Rose-cin 40, Staub-mon 36, Menke-hou 35, Santo-chi 35

Runs: Rose-cin 56, Wynn-hou 41, Clendenon-mon 34, Davis-la 34, Bonds-sf 33

Doubles: Kessinger-chi 16, Rader-hou 16, Javier-stl 14, May-cin 14

Triples: Rose-cin 6, Arcia-sd 4, Colbert-sd 4, Wills-mon 4

Errors: Arcia-sd 17, Boswell-ny 15, Money-phi 13, Kessinger-chi 12

Pitching (team ERA)
CHI 2.46
ATL 2.55
NY 2.62
STL 2.98
SF 3.04
LA 3.61
CIN 3.63
PIT 3.89
HOU 4.25
MON 4.65
PHI 4.87
SD 4.87

Hitting (team BA)
CIN .287
PIT .282
STL .268
SF .266
ATL .258
LA .255
MON .249
CHI .246
HOU .244
NY .227
PHI .215
SD .202

 

 

5 O'clock Lightning! Two Great Games: Thursday, May 15th, 1969

Scores!

NY 3, ATL 1  W-Taylor 2-2 L-Stone 1-2 S-McGraw(5)  HR-Boyer(2) Agee(6)

PHI 9, CIN 8  W-Farrell 1-2 L-Granger 4-2  HR-May(8) Callison(5) Rojas(1)GW

She thinks Al Weis is hawt.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Braves and Mets traded 2-1 extra inning decisions. On Thursday, the Mets jumped out in the bottom of the first, when Cleon Jones led off with a single and scored on a double to the wall by Al Weis. The ball might have been fielded sooner except for Julie Andrews wandering around the outfield singing "Hey there, Weis; hey there, Weis" as the shrimpy second sacker pulled in with a double and an rbi for a 1-0 New York lead. It stayed that way all the way until the top of the seventh, when, with one out, Cletis Boyer sent one wobbling down the line. Mets left fielder Ron Swoboda raced over to the corner but could only look on in dismay as the ball fluttered into the first row just inside the foul pole to tie the game at one. Metropolitans starter Gary Gentry was heard to mutter "oh my!" or similar. 

Hit Julie Andrews and win a free suit!

Well, it looked like another squeaker headed for extra innings, but wait! After being allowed to bat leading off the top of the eighth (and making an out), Braves starter George Stone faced the dreaded Mister Weis leading off the bottom of the frame, and gave up a single. Once again, Julie Andrews strolled center field, crooning, "The rally is aliiiiive....". So anyway, up stepped Tommie Agee, who was so cold in April that his locker was moved to the penguin house at the zoo. However, he has heated up in May and he sent the first pitch far into the stands for a 3-1 Mets lead! Julie Andrews fainted dead away, and your impartial Goddess waved her Mets pennant like a nut case. Tug McGraw garnered the save despite a 2-out walk to Bob Tillman. Tugger got a win, a loss and a save in the three game set. 

Baseball, baseball, who's got the baseball? Oops.

In Philadelphia, the art of pitching went the way of the dinosaurs as the Rhinelanders and Quakers hit everything in sight. This was the rubber game (*snicker*) and the Phils jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first by ringing a single, double and triple off of bewildered Reds starter Fat Jack Fisher. The Cincinnatians scored two in the 3rd and two more in the fifth, answered by a pair of Phillies tallies in the bottom of the frame. With the score 6-4 Phils, Woody Fryman stepped to the mound in the top of the seventh and, after retiring slump-encrusted Alex Johnson, induced a bouncer back to the mound by Lee May. Fryman grabbed at it, dropped it, kicked it, lost sight of it, all as May lumbered endlessly toward first base. Finally, Mister Fryman picked up the ball and threw it in the dirt to the wrong base. E-1. This opened the floodgates as the Reds rallied for four unearned runs to take an 8-6 lead.

"YOU lost the game?" quoth Cookie to a distraught Dave Bristol, who had sent Granger to the bank with the deposit.

The lead held as Reds "ace" reliever Wayne Granger, proud owner of exactly one save all season, faced the Phils in the last of the ninth. He retired hometown favorite Johnny Callison, but then gave up a bloop and a seeing-eye single to Deron Johnson and Don Money, respectively. Mike Ryan made the second out, and with Cookie Rojas due up and only third string catcher Watkins available on the bench, it looked over. You may recall that Rojas finished April hitting a lusty .037 on 1-for-27. May had seen him rise to the giddy heights of the .170s, but still. Granger delivered and Cookie swung, lifting a high fly ball into the night. Left fielder Jimmy Stewart (really, that's his name!) drifted back, muttering that Cookie Rojas is "nothing but a warped, frustrated old man!" Imagine his chagrin when the ball sailed over the fence for a two-out, three-run walk off homerun! "Look sharp, you fool!" shouted Cookie to the lackey pushing his wheelchair, and they both circled the bases to a roar of cheers that filled old Shibe Park. Pretty cool! Who'da thunk it?

Call me. Don't be afraid you can't call me. Maybe it's late but just call me. Call me cos I touched 'em all!