I've fallen a bit behind, something not uncommon for both the Mets and Rangers of late. I missed the chance to commemorate the Mets 7,500th game but I won't miss the opportunity to pay tribute to Omir "President" Santos, whom you may have heard Monday became the third Met whose first career home run was a grand slam (Jack Hamilton and Jose Reyes the others).
We'll do that by reminiscing about the first grand slam hit at Shea Stadium.
The honor went to Jim Hickman, and it accounted for all the Mets scoring in a 4-2 triumph over the Pirates, providing the home team with a rare 4-game win streak. Like Santos, Hickman went to left field, though this was described in the papers as a towering blast, one that cleared the distance marker that stood 371 feet from home plate (those used to exist to measure home runs).
The New York Times game story and a little research fills in a few other blanks in a rather nifty manner:
* The slam came against Vern Law, who had beaten the Mets four times without a loss previously, than would beat them six more times before losing again.
* It was all the support that Tracy Stallard (the man who gave up Roger Maris' 61st HR in 1961) would need in registering the win. It marked the fourth straight complete game for Mets pitcher, part of a streak that stretched to five in their next contest. Forty five years later, that still stands as a club record, matched by a streak overlapping 1974 and 1975, and another such streak in 1975.
* That streak came immediately after the Mets 82nd loss of the season, which mathematically made their hopes of winning the NL pennant impossible (in a single-division format, at least one team must have a .500 record or better). Good to see that they performed so well with the pressure off. Hopefully that isn't what it takes for the current squad.
Truly Law-abiding Mets fans know...That Daniel Murphy is a pretty good pinch-hitter. Dating back to last season, he's reached base in 7 of his last 9 pinch-hitting appearances (Matt Franco anyone?).
And kudos to John Maine, who allowed one hit in 6 innings. This is the sixth time in Maine's Mets career that he's allowed one hit or fewer, pitching 5+ innings.
Most Starts Allowing 1 Hit or Fewer
Minimum 5 IP, Mets History
9- Sid Fernandez
6- Tom Seaver<<
6- John Maine
3- Tom Glavine
3- David Cone
>> 5 were CG
We'll do that by reminiscing about the first grand slam hit at Shea Stadium.
The honor went to Jim Hickman, and it accounted for all the Mets scoring in a 4-2 triumph over the Pirates, providing the home team with a rare 4-game win streak. Like Santos, Hickman went to left field, though this was described in the papers as a towering blast, one that cleared the distance marker that stood 371 feet from home plate (those used to exist to measure home runs).
The New York Times game story and a little research fills in a few other blanks in a rather nifty manner:
* The slam came against Vern Law, who had beaten the Mets four times without a loss previously, than would beat them six more times before losing again.
* It was all the support that Tracy Stallard (the man who gave up Roger Maris' 61st HR in 1961) would need in registering the win. It marked the fourth straight complete game for Mets pitcher, part of a streak that stretched to five in their next contest. Forty five years later, that still stands as a club record, matched by a streak overlapping 1974 and 1975, and another such streak in 1975.
* That streak came immediately after the Mets 82nd loss of the season, which mathematically made their hopes of winning the NL pennant impossible (in a single-division format, at least one team must have a .500 record or better). Good to see that they performed so well with the pressure off. Hopefully that isn't what it takes for the current squad.
Truly Law-abiding Mets fans know...That Daniel Murphy is a pretty good pinch-hitter. Dating back to last season, he's reached base in 7 of his last 9 pinch-hitting appearances (Matt Franco anyone?).
And kudos to John Maine, who allowed one hit in 6 innings. This is the sixth time in Maine's Mets career that he's allowed one hit or fewer, pitching 5+ innings.
Most Starts Allowing 1 Hit or Fewer
Minimum 5 IP, Mets History
9- Sid Fernandez
6- Tom Seaver<<
6- John Maine
3- Tom Glavine
3- David Cone
>> 5 were CG
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