National League Standings, September 2, 1963
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE SEPTEMBER 2, 1963 GAME:
Joe
November 26, 2001
My parents took me to this game, part of a Labor Day doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. We were seated in the right-field stands which were only 257 feet away from home plate. Pete Rose hit a home run into the second deck right over our heads for the only run of the game. Jay Hook pitched a great game but fell 1 run short.
Joe R
April 9, 2003
As usual I went to the game with my Dad and I believe we sat in the bleachers. It was a great pitchers battle: Jim Maloney vs Hook. Maloney gave up only 2 hits both to Tim Harkness - a 1st inning single and a 6th inning double while Hook gave up only 4 but alas one was the Rose leadoff homer which if I remember correctly was hit on Hook's 1st pitch of the game. As usual for the suffering Mets fans no one knew it would be the game winner for another 2 hrs.
Bob P
February 2, 2004
To confirm Joe R.'s memory from April 2003, Pete Rose hit Jay Hook's first pitch of the game for a home run as the Reds won, 1-0. Jim Maloney struck out 13 and pitched the shutout.
Al
October 5, 2006
I'm so glad that others remember this game. I've been watching baseball for a long time, but I never remember another game that was settled with the first pitch and then ended 1-0. Pete Rose hit that first pitch for a home run and that was it. This was the second game of a doubleheader and my friends and I snuck down to seats right behind homeplate. We saw Jim Maloney warm up-- these were the days when pitchers warmed up right behind home plate. We had never seen anyone throw the ball harder than Jim Maloney. I can still remember the sound of the catcher's glove popping. With the September twilight and that fastball of his, it's no wonder that he only needed one run. It's too bad because Jay Hook, obviously, pitched great too. This game is another reason for Mets fans to hate Pete Rose!
Steve M
February 12, 2008
I just discovered this website! Better late than never. It was the end of summer and I was about to start high school. The Pete Rose HR that won, 1-0, came right at me in the upper RF deck, where the stands first curved out, but I had just stood up to buy a coke--the first pitch of the game---and the ball struck the metal backing and caromed back onto the field. Pete's 4th career HR! What a souvenir! What I could have done with it on e-Bay. I kept all my ticket stubs and scorecards.
Now it's your turn! Tell us what you remember of this game:
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