Sponsored by Shea Stadium Remembered
The day after Yogi Berra is fired, the Mets begin the Roy McMillan era. Berra had led the Mets to one of the most unlikely pennants in National League history in 1973, taking a team that had been last at the end of August to the World Series six weeks later, and losing in seven games to the Oakland A’s dynasty. But 1974 was flat—with no miraculous September. And the 1975 Mets had not been within five games of first place since June. Mix in the players’ continued grumbling about his decisions and the feud with Cleon Jones, who’d been humiliated by the team after being caught by police with someone not his wife. Berra won his battle with the released Cleon but Yogi lost the war. His Waterloo was a doubleheader 7-0 sweep by identical 7-0 scores at Shea by a lousy Montreal team on August 5. Yogi would land on his feet, staying at his New Jersey home and rejoining the Yankees as a coach.
The first game under new management saw the Mets quickly fall behind, 4-0, with Montreal knocking out George Stone—a hero of the 1973 Mets and the pitcher whose non-start by Berra in the 1973 World Series remains one of the great “what ifs” in Mets history. Wayne Garrett’s two-run home run produced the first runs of the McMillan regime. Still trailing by two runs with two outs in the sixth, the Mets exploded for seven runs—all unearned. Consecutive run-scoring doubles by Del Unser, Felix Millan, and Ed Kranepool put the Mets in front. Montreal walked in two runs, which came in handy when Bob Apodaca suddenly could not find the plate in the ninth. With the bases loaded, nobody out, and two runs in, God smiled down on the Mets and the rain poured down. The game wound up called and the Mets were credited with a 9-6 win. A rain-shortened victory saving an imploding pen was about as inspired as things would get for the 26-27 interim regime of the mild-manner McMillan.
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Forty-four years to the day after the doubleheader that was Yogi Berra’s last day as Mets manager, the 2019 Mets made the team and the current manager look relevant with a rousing sweep of the Marlins. In preparation for that twinbill, I went back, way back, to write a history of Mets doubleheaders for Rising Apple.
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And here’s to Bob D’Angelo’s Sports Bookie site (no money was wagered on the writing or reading of this book). Thanks for taking the time to review Shea Stadium Remembered, and the kind words. A part of me is always sitting in the mezzanine at Shea, watching a game or reading the yearbook—back when it was worth reading. It always pleases me when I can strike similar chord in someone else. Anyone who feels so moved is welcome to write your memories or thoughts on the book’s page on Amazon.