METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE OCTOBER 18, 1973 GAME:
Buzz
October 7, 2008
I think Cleon Jones played this game with 102 fever and the flu. I was only 7 at the time but I remember the announcers saying this. And Jones had a good game going 2 - 4 with a run scored! Another great post-season start by Kooz with McGraw finishing it up. It looked like the Mets were on their way to winning it all.
After this game I remember my father saying "well no matter how it turns out at least they (the Mets) won 2 out of 3 for the home crowd." This was of little consolation to me after the A's won the series in 7.
Rich
December 19, 2008
I was at this game. I remember Tug McGraw coming in to relieve all psyched up, tossing his mitt to the batboy and jumping off the golf cart before it even came to a stop. The crowd going wild with that Irish Jig music that accompanied his entrance. If memory serves, he struck out the side in the 9th on nine pitches. But, if it didn't happen that way, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
This was also the game Mike Andrews got the standing ovation from Mets fans when Charlie Finley was forced to restore him to the roster after Finley tried to replace him following a game in which Andrews made two errors.
Mets_Forever
February 15, 2013
How about the Scoreboard flashing......
Miricle number 2...Just 3 Thousand miles away
Dave VW
March 16, 2025
Sorry, Rich, but your memory is unfortunately failing you. It took Tug 15 pitches to get through the 9th, and he only struck out 2. Also, it was Game 4 in which the crowd gave the standing ovation to Andrews. He did not appear in Game 5.
Buzz recollects correctly, however, as Cleon Jones was fighting the flu and was doubtful to play in Game 5. The cameras actually caught him throwing up in the outfield during a pitching change in Game 3, so he had been battling symptoms for a few days at this point. But it would have been hard to tell by his play, as he doubled in his first at-bat, flew one out to the wall in the 6th that left fielder Joe Rudi made a spectacular catch on, and also made some nice plays in the outfield himself.
John Milner had the game's first RBI with a single in the 2nd, and Don Hahn had the second with a triple in the 6th. It was his first triple since the 1971 season.
During the game, the NBC telecast made a point to show a banner in the crowd that read "LSD: Let Staub Destroy." Interesting thing to give air time to.
Tug McGraw played the hero once again, getting out of a 1-out, bases loaded jam in the 7th, and ultimately tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to get the save. If the Mets were to win the series, I would imagine he was the heavy favorite to win MVP honors.
Now headed back to Oakland with a 3-2 series lead, I wondered if the Mets should instead use George Stone to start Game 6 instead of Tom Seaver on short rest. The rationale being the Mets would then have a fully rested Seaver in Game 7, if it were necessary, with Jon Matlack available out of the bullpen. Wouldn't you want to save your best pitchers for when it mattered most? Sure, you can go for the kill in Game 6 with Seaver, but he proved throughout 1973 he did not pitch well on short rest, and I loved the idea of having him start with Matlack in reserve. Kinda like Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling for Arizona in 2001.
Now it's your turn! Tell us what you remember of this game:
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The Mets suck! Smith made three errors in this game, and hit into a
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