National League Standings, August 17, 1973
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE AUGUST 17, 1973 GAME:
Bob P
August 26, 2003
The only run the Mets scored in this game came on a fourth inning home run by Willie Mays off LHP Don Gullett. The homer turned out to be the last one of Willie's career...number 660.
John K
April 20, 2004
I was seven. My dad and I sat in the Mezzaine in right. Johnny Bench was playing right that night and I felt honored to get to see him up close. Also got a great view of Willie Mays' last home run in the Majors -- a liner to right center. George Stone pitched great for the Mets. Remember Johnny Bench running over Mays who was playing first that night. It was a close play and Mays had leaned into the basepath and Bench rolled him over. Mays was down for a couple of minutes. The Mets never got back up. Reds tied it, and won it on an extra-inning Hal King homer.
Vic Nogalo
April 12, 2004
I am from Cleveland. My Godfather who lives in New York took me to Shea that night. It was the first time I have been to another ballpark other than Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. I was 12 years old and remember seeing Mays' home run to right center field early in the game. I also remember Bobby Tolan's great catch in center field that night in the ninth inning that pushed the game into extra innings. We left after the ninth inning. Little did I know that this was Mays' last home run of his career. It is this game and Len Barker's perfect game in 1981 that I can say "I was there".
Tim M
August 11, 2015
I was 11 years old, It was my birthday and my Dad took me to the game. We lived in Ronkonkoma so it was always a bit of a journey to get to Shea but my grandparents lived in Richmond Hill so we would go every so often. I kept telling my dad that Milner was going yard but much to my father's delight it was Mays. I remember thinking how strong he was. He just kinda flicked the bat at it and drove it out the other way. I didn't realize until just now that was his last dinger. Somehow it seems fitting; he was my Dad's favorite player and we were both there to see it. Pretty cool.
NYB Buff
June 22, 2024
A tough loss for the Mets. George Stone was only one out away from a two-hit shutout when the Reds got three straight singles to tie the game. Hal King then homered in the top of the tenth inning to win it for Cincinnati.
The Mets' lone run came on Willie Mays' 660th and final homer of his career. The pitcher off whom it came was Don Gullett, who was born the same year (1951) that Willie played his rookie season with the Giants.
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