Ultimate Mets Database: Game of September 3, 1973

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Previous Game:
September 3, 1973
Mets 5, Phillies 0 1973 Regular Season Game 137
September 3, 1973
Phillies 6, Mets 3 Next Game:
September 4, 1973
Mets 7, Phillies 1

Click to view scorecard

National League Standings, September 3, 1973

Box Score Game Memories Scorecard Mets Stats
Thru This Game

METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE SEPTEMBER 3, 1973 GAME:

greg
April 28, 2004
This was the second game of a doubleheader and, if I'm not mistaken, it was Craig Swan's major league debut. I was 10 at the time and I remember Swan looking very nervous. I was unhappy because the Mets were starting to play well and were within striking distance of Pittsburgh -- so why were they starting a rookie with stage fright? Yogi would do the same thing with Bob Apodaca in relief against the Pirates later in September -- and that almost backfired too.

Funny how two guys who got their ML debuts for the Mets in the heat of the '73 pennant race ended up becoming quality ML pitchers for them -- even though they started out terribly.

Bob P
April 30, 2004
Yes, it was Swan's major league debut, and unfortunately for Craig, he started it off by loading the bases with nobody out on a single and two walks. Luckily the Phillies got just one run in the top of the first, and in fact, the Mets came back with three in the bottom of the first and hoped that would help Craig settle down.

He didn't. He wound up pitching to 22 batters and 11 of them reached base safely. It could have been a lot worse for Swan if Greg Luzinski hadn't been thrown out stealing (what?!?!?) in the first inning and if LF John Milner hadn't thrown Mike Schmidt out at the plate to end the fourth inning.

One oddity in this game: in the bottom of the third with two outs and runners at first and second, Don Hahn hit a ground ball to the right side and Ron Hodges, the runner at first, was hit by the batted ball for the third out of the inning.

Now it's your turn! Tell us what you remember of this game:

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The Mets suck! They need to trade Smith and get somebody like Jones.
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The Mets suck! Smith made three errors in this game, and hit into a double play, and the Mets blew a 5-0 lead. They need to get rid of Smith and get somebody like Jones.
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