National League Standings, June 5, 1966
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE JUNE 5, 1966 GAME:
Lawrence A. Goldberg
July 2, 2002
This was the one and only time I saw Sandy Koufax pitch in person. Arrigo was knocked out of the box early by the Dodgers. Wes Parker hit two home runs. The crowd was huge because of Koufax's appearance. The only surprise was that the Mets scored as many as 3 runs against him.
Greg Pattenaude
September 10, 2002
This was my 1st game. I was 8 and my parents and I sat in Upper Reserved, directly over home plate. Traffic was backed up on the Whitestone Expressway so we got to the game a little late. I seem to remember Gerry Arrigo hitting a double but getting removed (I asked my parents why he was being taken out.) On the way to the game, my mother told me about the 7th inning stretch and the flags above the stadium that show the standings.
The game details are fuzzy but I can say I saw Koufax!
JVL
April 19, 2005
This was also the one and only time I saw Koufax in person. I was eight. It was standing room only, and my brother, his fiancee and me were among the standing. Just before the game started, Koufax, finished with his warmups, walked from the bullpen to the dugout and the crowd applauded politely, respectfully, as if (and I am not the first to note this) applauding a maestro about to conduct an orchestra. The Dodgers scored seven runs in the seventh inning -- and Koufax was on base twice in that innning.
ernie baum
May 18, 2005
I seem to remember that it was 90 degrees and my dad and I were sitting together in one section and my cousin and his dad (my father's cousin) in another section. The great Koufax, who never ever got on base because he was such a lousy hitter, hit a double, clearing the bases which were loaded (I think.) I may be wrong, but in the second game of that doubleheader Tug McGraw started for the Mets, but I may be wrong about that. I was 17 then. Long time ago.
rmt
January 15, 2006
Also remember it being very hot. And how bizarre it seemed to see Koufax wearing his warm-up jacket when he was on base.
If I remember correctly, Mets won 2nd game when Perranoski (sp?) threw a wild pitch w/bases loaded & 2 outs in the 9th.
Nice web site! Brings back many good memories!
Rick W
January 30, 2008
I got hooked on the Mets back in 62 and saw them at the Polo Grounds on my birthday on 9/15/62. Marv went deep! Once Shea opened my Dad would always take my brother and I down from Hartford for Dodger doubleheaders. My brother was a Dodger fan.
I remember this game quite well. I thought Arrigo looked like the best lefty the Mets had since Al Jackson. Therefore, I thought this was going to be quite a matchup. Well Arrigo fooled the Dodgers for awhile, but when they timed his heat it was pretty ugly. Got out of hand fast. To add insult to injury, Koufax, a notoriously bad hitter drilled a double late in the game against one of the many stiffs that came out of the Met Bullpen. I think he would up on 3rd after the Mets kicked the ball around.
We were in the upper deck behind the plate so we had a very good vantage point. Koufax was simply amazing. Everyone talks about his blazing fastball, but I was most impressed with that slow curve he threw. No chance.
Things improved in the 2nd game as the Mets squeezed out a win, which made for a happy ride home. I still have the program from this game.
original mets
June 12, 2009
Yes this was a very warm day; besides Sandy thwarting the Metropolitans, Ron Hunt hit a inside-the-park home run.
casey
March 21, 2010
I was so excited to see the games that I didn't sleep much the night before. I went with a friend and his dad. We sat behind third base in the lower boxes. I was really excited to see Koufax pitch and see my fav Met, Roy McMillan. He got the entire Met team to autograph a baseball for me that my aunt, who lived in the same apartment building asked him to autograph just for me. It was a really hot day and I just really enjoyed being with my best friend and watching major league baseball.
Maurice H Bank
March 19, 2016
I was 15 when I and a few friends with their dads went to Shea that Sunday. We didn't know Koufax was to pitch till a few days before- not knowing the rotation. We were lucky, as we had Right Field Box Seats. It is still the largest crowd ever at Shea. I think it was over 58,000 with SRO in Right Field. Koufax came out to warm up on the sidelines and got a nice round of applause. He then dominated the Mets. One inning he struck out the side, and during one warm up between innings I remember him breaking off the best curve anyone will ever see. The whole place yelled in unison. Only one run was earned, and that came when Ron hunt hit a sharp single to center and Wes Parker charged it only to have it bounce over his head all the way to the wall. Wes the great first-sacker should have been at first and not in center. I am 65 now, but this memory will last a lifetime. The man was so fast that day with an incredible curve, but he only k'd nine. An off day for the best pitcher in the last 60 years!
Fabio Orozco
August 12, 2024
I was a Yankee fan but when I found out that Koufax was pitching, and I lived relatively close to Shea Stadium, I had to go.
He did not disappoint.
What was surprising was that Koufax, a notoriously bad hitter, had two hits that day.
It was in the 90's and he asked for a warmup jacket after hitting a double.
An unforgettable day.
David W. Singer
September 25, 2024
I was there and all the memories above are correct – the size of the crowd, the heat, Koufax, getting couple of hits to help win the game and the Mets winning the second game (started by Don Drysdale) of the doubleheader on a wild pitch by an extraordinary great reliever Ron Peranowski.
What no one has mentioned was the fact that it was “Helmet Day, and that may have contributed as much to the crowd – at the time – largest in Shea Stadium history then the fact that the two Hall of Fame were pitching.
What made the games extra thrilling for me as a 12-year-old was the fact that my father, sitting next to me, caught a foul tip off the bat of Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro
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