National League Standings, September 20, 1969
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE SEPTEMBER 20, 1969 GAME:
Mike Selk
July 20, 2002
The very first major league game I ever attended - and the source of a running joke in my family (to wit: I went to my first Met game in 1969, but I didn't see them get their first hit until 1970).
Being the baseball neophyte that I was, I didn't realize that a no-hitter wasn't all that common. Now, of course, I know better.
Ken Akerman
April 2, 2003
Bob Moose of the Pirates pitched a no-hitter against the Mets in this game.
Don L
September 24, 2004
I remember flipping over to NBC's Saturday Game of The Week after this no-hit loss. The Pirates were on their way to beating the Cubs 13-4, so the Mets didn't lose any ground in the standings.
James
December 27, 2004
I was there. It took a special talent to see a game the Mets lost in September 1969. I remember the Mets botching a rundown early on in the game allowing a runner to score. The Mets best chance for a hit was a Wayne Garrett hit that Roberto Clemente caught against the wall, relatively late in the game. My first and only no hitter. Needless to say, 35 years later, us Mets fans are still waiting to see our first Mets no hitter!
Paul Zavaglia
March 21, 2005
I was a young 11 year old die-hard Mets fan living in Bayonne NJ at the time. I went to this game with my Cub Scout pack as part of a field trip. We had great seats and we had a great time. I could NOT believe that Bob Moose pitched a no-hitter! I'll never forget the Pitates jumping all over Bob Moose after the final out was made. I was so shocked, but the memory of this game is forever embedded in my mind. I tell my 3 boys that about this game all the time. I collect sports memoribila today and my one regret is that I did't keep my ticket stub from this game... Oh well! I was sad to hear that Bob Moose died on his birthday in 1976 in a car crash.
Phuzzy
July 12, 2006
For the record, I believe Art Shamsky made the last out of this game with a ground out to 2nd.
Tom Quinn
September 22, 2007
I was at this game and had attended the twi- night double header the night before. If the Mets had won all 3 games this game would have clinched the division. This game convinced me that I was a jinx as I managed to attend five games at Shea that year and they lost 4 of them (My parents insisted we go home after 12 innings before they won the 5th game I went to that went 16 innings back in June). I was so mad that they got no-hit and, at 10 years old, did not appreciate the historical significance of this game until years later.
Al
March 5, 2008
My girlfriend and I were sitting behind the auxiliary scoreboard in right field and we couldn't see the big scoreboard, the only place where hits were tallied. We weren't keeping score; we were just there to see the Mets win and to be part of the excitement. No hitter? Yup. The only no-hitter I've seen live in fifty years of watching baseball. The trouble is we didn't realize that we had seen it till it was over and saw the Pirates jumping all over Bob Moose.
Lucille
August 14, 2009
I attended this game at Shea. When the game was over, most of the fans remained standing at their seats for about 20 minutes, intently watching the scoreboard to see the outcome of the Cubs game that was still in progress. Even at that late date in the season, I believe the standings were pretty close.
steve corn
February 10, 2011
I was at this game. I was 8 years old, with my dad and grandfather and I remember the wild pitches that scored the Pirates runs, more than the no-hitter. Funny.
Jeffrey
December 9, 2011
My older sister took me and my twin sister to this game, the day before our birthday. We all sat high up in the upper deck. I remember it being rather cold and windy - especially up there. Attendance was one of Shea's biggest, over 50,000. No-hitters might be a little historic, but (especially if you are a fan of the opposing team) this one, on an uncomfortable day, high up, was not fun. I attended a handful of games in 1969, also the years before and after. It was wonderful to be a Mets fan.
Steve Tilders
April 19, 2012
I was at this game too. My problem is that I recall the place being jam packed. I remember having to sit on the concrete steps in the grandstands (upper deck). The attendance is reported in the record books at around 38,000. I thought it was at least 56,000+ to capacity. Does anyone here recall that?
John Weber
March 28, 2013
I was at this game, too. I was 15 years old and went in with a friend. We bought general admission tickets and then bribed an usher (my friend's dad taught us how to do this) for about $5 if I remember correctly and he seated us behind home plate under the screen about 15 rows back. We were, of course, diehard Mets fans and they were in the hunt for their 1st pennant. After about the 5th inning once we realized that Bob had a no hitter going we started rooting for him. Bob's wife was sitting about 4 rows in front of us and I can remember her crying and everyone hugging her when the game was over. I was also at game 6 of the 86 world Series sitting at the front of the 2nd deck right on the 1st base line. I don't know which experience was better, it was all good!
Jon
May 9, 2013
This was my first MLB game as well. We went with either the Cub Scouts or Levittown Little League, not sure which. I seem to remember the stands being very full--it had to have been 50,000. Sure gave me a great story to tell for the next 40+ years. Man, I'm old.
anthony
September 27, 2013
Roberto Clemente made a great catch in right field. Mets fans were rooting for the no-hitter at the end.
Andy
November 28, 2014
I was at the game too--my first game. I was 6 and 1/2 years old. I also remember the wild pitches that scored the Pirates runs. We lived in NJ, and my mother (obviously not a baseball fan) made my dad take us home early. We left in the 8th inning. I remember getting in the back of our VW in the parking lot at Shea, and we were the only ones in the lot. Dad tuned the game on the radio and that is how we found out that the no-no was completed.
Gerry Bagdziunas
November 28, 2014
I was at this game with my high school friend who had saved Bordon Milk coupons giving us free admission to the game. The Mets, not having any premonition of a miraculous season, had designated certain games as Coupon Games during the 1969 Season. Because of this promotion and the fact that the Amazing Mets were in first place, Shea Stadium was packed to the rafters. I truly believe this was the largest crowd ever. There was not a seat to be found anywhere within the stadium. We stood at the left field foul pole above the visiting team Bullpen. The official announced attendance was in the 30,000 range. This would include only PAID Attendance. That is why the other memories of a full stadium are valid. I remember Clemente's catch preserving the no-hitter. Again, I had never seen the stadium as full even during World Series games.
Tom Klein
October 21, 2015
I was at that game. I was 11 years old at the time. My father and I were sitting in the upper deck between home plate and third base. If I remember correctly, the stadium was packed that day. Like Lucille, I also remember staying after the game ended to watch the progress of the Cubs game on the scoreboard. Growing up in Richmond Hill, Queens, I have many great memories of Shea.
Paul Malchodi
October 30, 2015
My Father brought us to this game with Borden Milk coupons as well. The coupons got us to our first game in several years since money was tight and with 5 kids we drank a lot of milk, so the coupons were a perfect promotion for us. It was my first trip to Shea. We sat way up in the upper deck and I remember it being packed and cold and feeling like I could reach up and touch the planes flying overhead. I was sure we were closer to the planes than to the field. I remember thinking it was pretty special to attend a no-hit game, and after the World Series thinking that it was even more special to see the eventual WS champions no-hit at home in the stretch run. The great Roberto Clemente saved the game for Bob Moose, though I don't remember that play. Sad that they both died young and in accidents.
Dave Schwartz
October 30, 2015
Basically, remember it being very cold. Drank hot chocolate there. What I really need to know is what Game No. is on the ticket for this game? Does anyone have an image of a Grandstand Ticket they could send me? Thanks
Robert Ballot
January 7, 2020
I don't know whether this is discouraged, but I found something on YouTube that is not state of the art, but gives us something. Really only valuable for the celebration. I was at the game too and I think it was the milk cartons I have to thank for that.
8mm footage from Bob Moose's no-no
Tom Quinn
May 16, 2022
Although I was at this game, I only recently learned, more than a half century later, that this was, in fact, the last game the Mets lost at Shea in 1969.
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