My first Met game. A twi-night doubleheader. Little Alvin Jackson from Waco, Texas, pitches a 1 hitter. Richie Ashburn hits a homer and Mets win 2-0. I think the hit was by Joe Amalfitano. Then the Mets got clobbered in the second game. My most vivid memory was what a dump the Polo Grounds was at that time, falling apart at the seams. That stadium was really made for football.

Al Jackson pitches the Mets to a stunning one- hitter to beat the Colt .45s 2-0 in the first game of a doubleheader and the Colts come back to take the nightcap 16-3. In the opener with one out in the first inning, the native of Waco now making his home in Houston, gives up his only hit of the game to Joey Amalfitano - a single. After striking out Roman Mejias, Jackson (4-8) walks Norm Larker before Carl Warwick strikes out to end the inning. The next 22 batters to face Jackson are retired in order - no Colt .45 would reach base until Pidge Browne draws a lead off walk as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Ironically, Dick Farrell’s (5-7) loss is his second to Jackson (3-1 June 11) in that game both pitchers also went the distance. This game had we known at the time was over after Mets lead off hitter Ritchie Ashburn homered in the first inning. Farrell allowed only two hits after Ashburn’s home run and the second run off Farrell was scored in the seventh on a walk to Ashburn and a base hit by Felix Mantilla.

Al Jackson pitches the Mets to a stunning one- hitter to beat the Colt .45s 2-0 in the first game of a doubleheader and the Colts come back to take the nightcap 16-3.

In the opener with one out in the first inning, the native of Waco now making his home in Houston, gives up his only hit of the game to Joey Amalfitano - a single. After striking out Roman Mejias, Jackson (4-8) walks Norm Larker before Carl Warwick strikes out to end the inning. The next 22 batters to face Jackson are retired in order - no Colt .45 would reach base until Pidge Browne draws a lead off walk as a pinch hitter in the ninth.

Ironically, Dick Farrell’s (5-7) loss is his second to Jackson. (3-1 June 11) In that game both pitchers also went the distance. This game, although we didn't know it at the time, was over after Mets lead off hitter Richie Ashburn homered in the first inning. Farrell allowed only two hits after Ashburn’s home run and the second run off Farrell was scored in the seventh on a walk to Ashburn and a base hit by Felix Mantilla.

First one-hitter by a Met pitcher ever.

Jack Hamilton pitches a one-hit shutout in this game at St. Louis. The only hit was a two-strike bunt single by Cardinals pitcher (and future Met) Ray Sadecki in the third inning.

Sadecki was the losing pitcher and lone Cardinal to get a hit, if you call that bunt a hit!

Was traded for Orlando Cepeda a few days later. This was the last Met game at Sportsman Park and Sadecki's last game as a Cardinal.

I have great memories of this game. This was a very early season night game on a chilly evening in St. Louis. I remember Bob Murphy commenting that whereas most of the players had a sweatshirt under the uniform, Jack Hamilton wore just the uniform shirt. This was in the days before the obnoxious center field TV camera, and Hamilton's stuff looked fabulous from behind the plate. The fact that it was the Mets' last game in Sportsman Park added to the historic significance.

Jack Hamilton's one-hitter in this game was a gem. He faced 29 batters, retiring the side in order eight times with two Cardinals on base in the third inning. Ray Sadecki's single and Lou Brock's walk were the only things that stood between Hamilton and perfection. For the Mets, the win was the 200th in team history.

This turned out to be Sadecki's last game in a St. Louis uniform before being traded to the San Francisco Giants. His first game as a Giants pitcher would be nine days later against none other than the Mets with Hamilton on the mound.

It's tough to pitch a one-hit game and the only hit is by the opposing pitcher. Had to look up Sadecki's batting record. He wasn't a bad hitter, for a pitcher. He had a .191 lifetime average with 5 HR's and 56 RBIS, and the year he got this hit he batted .341 with 14 hits in 41 at bats and 3 HRs! So at least there's some comfort in that. It would be really tough if the only one who got a hit off you was someone like Dean Chance.

What else can you say about this game? Following the great comeback of the day before Tom Seaver was as dominating as he ever was or ever would be.

It sent a message to the Cubs that the Mets weren't going away. Ever though they slipped in August before making their Pantheon run in September, they still had to establish to the Cubs, the world and to themselves that they had the mettle to make a run for the division, pennant and World Series.

Shea was packed and the Mets scored early. After that it was all Tom Seaver. He mowed down Cub after Cub.

Randy Hundley unsuccessful bunt, followed by Jimmy Qualls clean single to left center are burned into my memory.

With all their great pitching the Mets have never had a no-hitter thrown on their behalf, this is still their best-pitched game. This performance was as good or better than most no-hitters. (see Joe Cowley's 8-walk no-hitter in 1986).

In the days before cable we were lucky this day when a local Albany station picked up the WOR feed. Little did my friends and I know that we would see the best pitched game of our lives. We were just thrilled to be able to watch a Mets game on TV. We were heartbroken when Qualls got that one out hit in the 9th. So close but still an amazing game.

I was 9 years old and watching this game from the guest house at my grandmother's summer place. It was the first season when baseball really mattered to me and I was a rabid Mets fan. I remember that every pitch Seaver threw after the sixth inning sent the crowd into a frenzy. For me, it was the best baseball game I had ever seen and I think it still is. Seaver deserved a perfect game but it shows that life isn't fair.

My oldest friend David and I were doing our usual roaming the streets of Brooklyn on a hot muggy night. His parents rented the basement apartment to a newly wed couple, we snuck into the backyard to listen to their joyous sounds of sex, lots of it, and I guess we stumbled or giggled but at any rate, we were about to get caught so we took off and landed at my house. We turn on the game as it goes into the ninth and immediately feel the tension without hearing any commentary. Qualls steps in as we are really getting pumped and the little bastard bloops his seeing eye single and we head back out across the street to check in on newlywed Bob!

I didn't see it cos I was only a baby. But 25 years to the day, I married my wife. I told her I would never forget our anniversary because of this game, one of the most incredible clutch pitching performances in the history of baseball. I never have.

I was at this game with my dad. I was 11. We were going to get in using the Dairy-Lea coupons from the milk cartons. When we got there, the game was sold out. But, my dad had tickets to the Mayor's Trophy game that was rained out on Monday July 7. He was able to exchange them for like the last 2 seats to be found. I remember Cleon Jones HR in the 7th caused the stadium to literally shake and was the loudest sound I had ever heard. The place was rocking.

My family was at a beach rental in Long Beach Island, NJ during this week.

I was 8 years old and my bedtime coincided with approx. the 7th inning, so I was in bed but listening to the sounds of the game on the TV in the next room.

I can still remember the groan my Dad let out when Qualls got the basehit.

Here we are, 35 years later, still waiting for the 1st Mets no-hitter. I was at the Dwight Gooden 1-hitter on 9/8/84 and was in attendance when former NY Met Nolan Ryan threw his 7th.

Gooden got no-no and Cone a perfecto with the Yankees. Arrrgggh. As if being a Met fan wasn't challenging enough.

Despite the fact that Jimmy Qualls ruined what would have been the Mets only no-hitter in history, this was still the best pitched game in Mets history. Long live Tom Seaver.

I was 13 at the time and had been a Mets fan since the days of Choo-Choo Coleman. The tension was unbearable as my whole family watched the game. When Qualls got the hit, it was like air out of a balloon. It was unquestionably the greatest pitching performance I have ever seen and that's saying a lot. Seaver really deserved the no-hitter but it was not to be. I am still a Mets fan.

Jimmy Qualls. Jimmy Qualls. He hit a dying quail to short left center. I will never forget that name, I will never forget that sight. I was 19 years old, the summer after my freshman year, working a summer job in downtown NY. We were all excited, with the Mets on a streak, maybe, just maybe, catching the Cubs and getting into the Series. We were hot with emotion.

I told my mother I was going to the game that night, a sultry summer night, and I'd be home after midnight. I got a general admission ticket behind home plate, the best seats in what was always a terrible place to watch a game (the Polo Grounds; now that was a place!). But I loved it upstairs in Shea.

Ninth inning, Qualls hits this little ball, half pop up, half line drive. I still remember the look of disgust on Seaver's face.

"My imperfect game." That's what Seaver always called it. The imperfect game.

I was at the game with Dad and others. We had gotten in free after collecting the appropriate number of Bordens milk coupons. We were sitting high up in the right field grandstands. It was a great game due to the race with the Cubs and the great game that Seaver pitched. We'll never forget the name Jimmy Qualls though.

We also made it to an earlier game in that Cub series where the Mets came back in the 9th to beat Ferguson Jenkins.

Of course the story of this game was the near perfecto that Tom pitched, but I was amazed that submariner Ted Abernathy pitched more than six innings in relief. Leo was so desperate for a win he went with Abernathy in a long relief role the likes of which he hadn't done since he was with Washington in the 1950's. Cleon Jones homered off of Abernathy and I remember him on Kiner's Korner after the game saying "I think he's lost a little something off that sinker." I loved that comment for Abernathy had seemed invincible over the last two or three seasons.

Shea was electric!!! Even though I was nine years old, I can still remember the small black and white television on WOR Channel 9. Seaver was so so sharp. My heart sank when Qualls lined that clean single to left-center. After the comeback in yesterday's game, the Cubs looked as they were in last, not first. What made it even sweeter was my neighbor next door was MR YANKEE and he had to eat this!

I remember this game so well, and the awful feeling when the ball dropped in. Seaver was - still in, in my mind - the greatest.

Announcer Lindsey Nelson: "...and look at Tom Seaver. He's happy, and yet he's sad..."

Watched it at home in NJ with my parents. Probably the best game of my Mets memory. I remember the crowd when Qualls broke it up. From huge noise to sudden silence... followed by the most amazing ovation ever.

Almost a Tom Terrific perfecto. Leslie, Rudi, Leslie's dad and I made the trip to Shea from Huntington Station and saw almost history. I remember Tommie Agee and Cleon Jones running all out to snare the drive off the bat of Jimmy Qualls, but alas to no avail. A long standing ovation for Seaver after the hit.

I recall attending that game as a 15-year-old and having a standing room ticket as Shea was packed to the rafters. My dad was also there attending (me with him) and alongside the 3-homer game by Reggie in the 77 World Series which I attended, this was a great happening to have witnessed in person.

I was there with my grandfather, my father and my kid brother, three generations. It was my first live game ever and we were sitting on the rail in the Mezzanine next to two Cubs fans. I was ten years old at the time and was keeping score. I didn't even notice that Seaver was pitching a perfect game until late in the game when the Cubs fan leaned over to me and mentioned it. I am not sure I even knew what a perfect game was. I bragged on this event for many years after. It is kind of a badge of courage for Mets fans to say they were at this one.

As a 15 year old, I remember getting into the game in the bleachers by cutting out 15 coupons from Borden milk cartons. My next-door neighbor's father, who was a Cub fan drove us there.、The crowd noise was unbelievable. I remember Randy Hundley laying down a bunt about 20 feet right in front of home plate, and how exhausted Tom Seaver was after he chased the ball and threw to first base to get the out. Truly an incredible game.

I listened to this game recently, and before the game even starts, Ralph Kiner gives us an early Kinerism when he calls the Cubs center fielder Jim QUAILS, instead of the correct pronunciation. This was Ralph foreshadowing here, not only future Kinerisms, but also the "dying Quail single" (a Bob Murphy quote) in the top of the ninth to break up the perfect game.

I was surprised to hear the game being halted in the second inning because apparently some young fans had climbed on top of the batting eye in deep center, and the PA announcer had to tell them to move. Can you imagine being one of those kids and doing that at THIS GAME? Where are those kids' memories on this site?

Also, a fan came to this game with a trumpet or a trombone and was playing discordant notes at odd times that the radio microphone picked up. It reminded me of the Dodgers 'Sym-phony' at Ebbets Field, but it was only one man.

Seaver's Line for the 'Imperfect Game': 9 IP, 0 BB, 0 ER, 1 H, 11 K, 100 pitches, 72 for strikes, Game Score 96, bringing his record to 14-3 with a 2.46 ERA and the Mets to a 47-34 record, and 3.5 games out of first.

I first saw the highlight of the Qualls hit in the Mets documentary An Amazin' Era in 1986 when I was eight, and I remember being devastated, but the Mets winning the World Series a few minutes later made up for it.

Hot Foot, I heard the radio broadcast of this game just like you did. My first impression of Ralph Kiner saying "Quails" was that it was a simple misreading of Jimmy Qualls' name. Kiner wasn't known for his strange quotations just yet, so I saw this as nothing more than an innocent mistake.

However, Ralph did give a more distinctive example of his future "Kinerisms" when Tommie Agee came up to bat in the fourth inning. In referring to Agee's run-scoring double in the bottom of the second, Kiner stated that the hit had knocked Cubs' starting pitcher Ken Holtzman "out of the batter's box." Ralph's oddball quotes didn't become apparent until he was worn down at an advanced age and ready for retirement many years later. But hearing this comment at a time when he wasn't quite so old had me thinking that he could've said a few things like this before then. I don't ever remember Kiner making such twisted statements until at least the mid-1980s.

One interesting note about this almost-perfect game by Tom Seaver is that Bud Harrelson did not make an appearance in it. Bud was serving military duty at the time and wasn't at Shea Stadium that night. He returned to the Mets the following weekend.

I was 19, waiting tables that summer out on Long Island. I came into town for the weekend and decided at the last minute to go to the game. I sat down the left field line way up in the upper deck, and still have visuals of this game in my head. After taking the 7 back into Manhattan--I was staying at my dad's place-- I still remember the mixed feelings of ALMOST seeing a perfect game, the excitement of beating the Cubs and maybe getting close enough to them to contend. What an exciting night that was!

First MLB game I ever attended. Sat in nosebleeds behind the plate and could still hear Nolan Ryan warming up in the bullpen before the game. BANG! Struck out 17. Only hit by Johnny Briggs, a flare in the fourth. No one else even got good wood on a foul ball. After game stopped with wife and signed about 200 autographs including my glove. Duffy Dyer,who caught game also autographed glove. To this day he was the nicest pro athlete I have ever met. His wife who stood and waited smiling patiently was just as nice (and a major hottie!)

This was also my first game. I remember walking into the stadium even before the game began, with the whole croud cheering "Lets go Mets." I rember being upset because my father made us leave early to beat the traffic and the Mets scored another run!

Hey anyone else remember this? After about 1,500 AB's, Derrell McKinley Harrelson hits his first HR over the fence. He had one in '67, but it was an inside the parker as Al Luplow (just sold by the Mets to the Pirates) argued that the ball was foul. Buddy would use this as springboard to go on and blast 4 more as a Met. His total of 6 lifetime Mets HR's matched Seaver's 6, except Seaver hit 6 more with the Reds and Harrelson hit only one more (forgot with who). Can someone confirm this event?

Fan, you're off by one day. The home run Buddy hit was the previous day. It was the only one he ever hit at Shea Stadium. His lone non-Mets homer came as a Texas Ranger in 1980.

This day belonged to Nolan Ryan. He struck out 15 batters and pitched a one-hitter for his first major league shutout. It was as a sign of things to come. It's too bad those things didn't come with Nolan in a Mets' uniform.

This was Nolan Ryan's "No-Hitter That Wasn't a No-Hitter". The very first batter of the game (Denny Doyle) hit a little dribbler down toward third base. Joy Foy, playing third, charged it like a bunt, barehanded it, but decided not to make the off balance throw. A good throw would have likely gotten the runner out, but Foy decided that since it was only the start of the game he didn't want to risk throwing the ball away and creating trouble. (He said so himself.) Starting from the next batter, Ryan recorded 27 outs without allowing a hit, for a complete game "No-Hitter That Wasn't a No-Hitter". There were baserunners, because he walked six batters. But he also struck out 15!

I have this game on audio disk I attended. Sat way upstairs behind home with my godfather and cousin who was a big McCarver fan mostly from his Cards days. Didn't appreciate Ryan's performance since I was only eight until I heard it. I wore a little league outfit with a windbreaker, and it must've been 50 degrees up there. Ah parenting in the 70's lol!

I listened to the radio broadcast of this game. This was Ryan's first appearance of the 1970 season, and was pitching for the first time since spring training in late March. By my count, he eclipsed 100 pitches by the 5th inning, and for the latter half of the game the Mets constantly had someone warming in the bullpen in case he tired out and got into trouble. But Ryan had no issues with this weak-hitting Phillies team, earning his first of 61 career shutouts. His 1-hitter was the 4th to this point in Mets history, following Al Jackson, Jack Hamilton and Tom Seaver. His 15 strikeouts also established a new team record for a 9-inning game (Jerry Koosman also struck out 15 in a 10-inning game the previous year). However, Ryan wouldn't hold the record for long, as only 4 days later Seaver would fan 19 against the Padres.

Ryan struck out the side 3 times, including in the first when he stranded the bases loaded. He recorded his 15th K as the 2nd out in the 8th, and had a chance to tie the Major League record of 19 if he fanned the remaining 4 batters. But Tim McCarver grounded out to end the 8th to put the record out of reach. If my count was correct, Ryan finished the 8th at 143 pitches, and it seemed academic his day was done. But he was allowed to bat in the bottom of the inning and hit a single, then scored on Tommy Agee's first homer of the season. He then pitched a clean 9th inning, ending at approximately 154 pitches. You would never ever see a pitcher handled like that in today's age.

This marked the 5th straight game in which the Mets shut out the Phillies. The two teams were on such polar opposite ends of the talent spectrum during this era.

Also, April 18, 1970 marked the birthday of Rico Brogna. Quite appropriate, considering Rico spent the bulk of his career playing for the Mets and Phillies.

I remember Gary Gentry had a no-hitter for about seven innings. Ernie Banks broke up the no-hitter in the eighth inning and Gentry finished with a one-hitter.

Gary Gentry had what just might have been the best game of his career. On a 46-degree day in Chicago, he pitched a one-hit shutout over the division-leading Cubs. Gary surrendered only a walk to Ron Santo and faced the minimum 21 batters over the first seven innings. A two-out single by Ernie Banks in the eighth ended Gentry's bid for a no-hitter.

Gentry got all the run support he would need on Art Shamsky's home run in the top of the fourth. One inning later, Gary's own single drove home Wayne Garrett. The Mets added two more runs in the seventh when Garrett tripled to score Mike Jorgensen and came home on a single by Jerry Grote.

Two days later in Philadelphia, Tom Seaver threw a one-hitter against the Phillies. This gave the Mets one-hit victories in two consecutive games.

It makes you wonder how the Mets didn't win more during the 1970s when they had this kind of pitching staff. Seaver, Koosman, Ryan, and then someone like Gentry who could lock down a talented team like the Cubs (although they did choose to sit Jim Hickman on this day).

Gentry retired the first 12 to face him, including 6 via strikeout. He walked Ron Santo to lead off the 4th, but quickly got Johnny Callison to ground into a double play. He continued to face the minimum until there were 2 outs in the 8th when Banks hit a sinking liner to left. Dave Marshall dove for the ball but had it hit off his glove. Bob Murphy, calling the game on the radio, was on the fence whether it would be ruled a hit or an error, but there was no way the hometown scorer wasn't going to rule it a hit. I haven't seen a replay myself, if one even exists, so I have no idea if the right call was made. But the Mets booth said they thought that Marshall would make that catch 9 out of 10 tries.

The Cubs hit some deep flyballs in the 8th and 9th, but all settled into Mets gloves, and Glenn Beckert popped out to RF on a nice running catch going into foul territory by Ron Swoboda, securing Gentry's first of two career one-hitters.

Not to be completely outdone, Chicago starter Bill Hands struck out 12 in a losing effort. That tied his career high, with both accounts coincidentally coming against the Mets. In other Cubs news, catcher Jack Hiatt made his first start for the team, having just been acquired from Montreal to help fill the void left by the injured Randy Hundley.

Tom Seaver pitched another near-masterpiece this night at Connie Mack Stadium as he allowed just one hit, a third inning single to right by Phils' catcher Mike Compton, and struck out 15 batters.

An oddity in the game: in the top of the second, with one out and Ron Swoboda on first, Joe Foy hit a fly ball to center field, but Oscar Gamble dropped the ball. However, Swoboda went back to first thinking the ball was caught, and Foy passed him between first and second. Foy was called out and Swoboda returned to first.

One footnote on Compton: he was the Jimmy Qualls of 1970. Qualls, who broke up Seaver's perfecto on July 9, 1969, finished his major league career with 31 base hits. Compton finished his career with 18.

Tom Seaver struck out fifteen batters and pitched a one-hit shutout on this night in Philadelphia. Mike Compton's single in the third inning was the Phillies' only hit. It was the second straight one-hit game by a Mets' pitcher after the one thrown by Gary Gentry in Chicago two days earlier. Along with Nolan Ryan's win over the Phils at Shea Stadium on April 18th, it was the team's third one-hitter of the season already.

The Mets got all the scoring they needed in the top of the fourth. With Ron Swoboda on second base and Donn Clendenon on third, Joe Foy was at bat. Woodie Fryman threw a wild pitch that enabled Clendenon to score. On the play, catcher Compton made a throwing error that allowed Swoboda to come home. Consecutive singles by Foy and Jerry Grote in the fifth drove home the third and fourth New York runs.

Gary Gentry won the first game of a doubleheader (before the Mets lost the nightcap) in the only complete game one-hitter ever in which a Met pitcher gave up more than one run. In the fifth, Hebner walked, Clemente tripled, and Stargell hit a sac fly. But homers by Agee and Jones led the Mets to a 5-2 victory.

My 8th birthday, a Seaver 1-hitter!!!

I was twelve and recorded most of this game with my tape recorder. I was really angry that Davallio broke up the no-hitter because I thought that if I had recorded a no-hitter, my tape would be worth a lot of money!

One thing I can still hear in my mind is Lindsey Nelson announcing pinch hitter Rimp Lanier's name. What a cool name. Turns out he's referred to on the Pirates website as "the most obscure player" form the 1971 Pirates' roster.

This was the first game of a doubleheader and my first ever Mets game at Shea. I was 5 years old and I believe it was also batting helmet day. I remember that Willie Mays hit a foul ball which the man in front of me caught barehanded. Best of all was that Tom Terrific carried a no-hitter into the 9th inning. He was masterful. I also remember those awful mustard yellow Padres jerseys. The Mets won 2-0. Since this game, I have always wanted to be at the first no- hitter in Mets history. I've never been this close to a no-hitter or a foul ball since!!!!

I was at this game with my family - my last trip to Shea before starting at the Naval Academy on 7/6/72. It was Leron Lee who spoiled the no-hitter.

What is interesting about this game is that Tom Seaver retired all 27 batters yet didn't get a no-no. After Leron Lee got a base hit, Nate Colbert hit into a double play.

Metman, your comment is a little misleading. You make it sound as if Seaver had a perfect game going, but he didn't. He had four walks and faced a total of 31 Padre hitters. The walks were all left on base.

Tom had 11 strikeouts in the game and the Mets' two runs came on consecutive bases-loaded walks to Jim Fregosi and Ed Kranepool.

It was a double header and Navy day at Shea and Miss Navy was carried around the field in a battleship replica (on a truck bed) between games. I was 11 and accompanied my uncle (a Navy officer) in that battleship replica to the game but unfortunately was not allowed anywhere near Miss Navy and could not ride around the field in the replica. However, I got to watch both games from the bullpen and I met and got autographs on my baseball from Jon Matlack and Buzz Capra from the Mets and Johnny Jeter and Al Severinsen from the Padres. I still have the baseball. It was hands down the most awesome baseball experience of my life.

Another lefty dunker breaks up a Tom Terrific bid, also 1out-top of the 9th, for a special event in front of a Big Shea crowd: first it was July, 1969, now July 4, three years later. It’s to Tom’s credit that he makes these guys famous! This one however, Leron Lee was a respectable hitter. Like against Qualls (Who?) Tom pitched up in the zone (the image in my mind from a backstop camera angle which gives the hitter’s perspective, out of use today unfortunately) but that was his forte. Once again, a prolonged standing ovation, the Shea fans ensuring that this will nonetheless be an unforgettable performance. Despite another meaningless single, Tom authors 1 of his 61 shutouts -7th all-time, tied with protégé Nolan Ryan. Despite the best efforts of a bevy of pesky lefties looking to make a name for themselves -the premier RH power/control pitcher in MLB history! So, Happy 4th to the ex-Marine and virtuoso performer, G. Thomas Seaver!

The thing I remember most about this game is that my childhood friend Patrick was there. It was the first game Patrick ever attended and he saw Jon Matlack pitch a one-hit shutout, facing only 28 batters to do it. Matlack began the night with five perfect innings, during which Wayne Garrett caught a solid line drive and Rusty Staub made a great play at the wall to take away an extra-base hit. Tommy Helms then led off the top of the sixth with a double that got past Garrett and went down the left field line. Jon shut down the Astros after that and ended the game the way he started it, with a strikeout of Tommie Agee. One of the best pitched games in Mets history.

I met Duffy Dyer at a bank grand opening that day. Bill Lauber did bank promotions in NJ. He got me to the front of the line that day to meet Duffy.

The bank opening was in the morning. That night we watched this game, my Dad and Mom and I. Duffer drove in the game winning run. He went on Kiner's Korner and said, "Wow it’s been so long since I have been here, Ralph." I thought, wow, I met him today and there he is tonight winning the game on tv!

I just saw Duffy at Mets fantasy camp and told him the story but Duffy is not that emotional about that stuff!

Great memories great site here !

Last night was the 50th anniversary of this game! I was there (age 13) with my aunt, uncle and 2 cousins from Brooklyn, and I still have the program and yearbook. I had never been to a Mets game because I was a Baltimore resident at the time visiting my relatives. I was thrilled to see Willie Mays play in person, hoping to see him hit a home run. The closest he got was to hit a pop fly to shallow center, but nonetheless it was still great to see Willie. A great player, and a really nice guy, from what I've read.

My first-ever game, I was 7 years old. Old-Timers Day, and I got to watch my father weep when they opened the gates in center field and Willie, Mickey, Duke and Joe D all walked in.

Better, Jon Matlack threw a 1-hitter, and the only Cardinals hit was by ... John Curtis, the opposing pitcher. I remember my dad telling me I almost watched history and I remember telling him, what's the big deal, we'll see a no-hitter sooner or later. And we're all still waiting ...

My first game too, also 7 years old. Wow, how weird is that. I was there with my Dad, my sister (who lived in Manhattan), and her roommate. I remember one of the old-timers coming out in a horse-drawn carriage (Joe D?) The Curtis single was a clean shot into right field, a no-doubter.

I remember watching this game on TV at my grandparents' house on E 13 St in Brooklyn. I was 8 years old and although Matlack pitched a gem I remember feeling bad because he just missed a no-hitter and to make matters worse it was the opposing pitcher who got the only hit. I thought Curtis' hit was a clean one-hop single to center (not right) but I could be wrong. Little did I know that I'd be seeing one-hitters like this from Mets' pitchers for years to come with no one ever getting that elusive no-no.

Tim and Buzz,

It's funny; if you look the game up on retrosheet.org, it lists the hit by Curtis as "Curtis singled to left."!!!

I was at this game as well, Mezzanine section 22. I kept score, and show Curtis's hit as L7, a line drive to left. One of the most overpowering Met pitching performances I've ever seen.

My first METS game and I was also 7 years old! I am starting to see a trend here! I remember it was Willie Mays's first "game" after retiring. He got caught in a run down between second and third and I remember a fan near me yelling out "Don't you dare tag him!"

I also remember my dad always commenting about how the pitcher, of all people, had gotten the only hit! He kept score, I still have the scorecard!

I have since seen Seaver-1977-versus Cubs (Ontiveros) and Cone-1988-versus the Padres (Gwynn) come close to making Met history.

Finally, I read Mr. Vaccarro's column about Shea in the Post back in '03. It still hangs in my office because of the similar memories it shares with my own past.

Coincidence, coincidence. Like the previous Mets one-hitter where the pitcher got the only hit, this one was broke up by a Cardinals pitcher in the 3rd inning. Funny about Curtis. I remember him on the Red Sox and remembered him as a big, tall pitcher who was something like 6 foot 6, but looking him up he was only 6 foot 1. I guess he looked big on his baseball cards.

I was ten-years old and it was my first game. My mother passed away the Christmas before. I supposed my father thought it was about time for me to be a serious fan. Or maybe losing his best friend, he needed to start a new one. My father and I really don't communicate much, we never really recovered from my mother's death. But, when one of us blinks and decides its been too long since we last spoke, in good or bad times, "How bout those METS!" is as good as it gets...

Of all the games I went to as a kid on our family's Sunday ticket plan, this one sticks out. And the one play that sticks out is not Seaver's mastery over the hapless Jose Cardenal-era Cubs, but the single hit: a soft liner by Steve Ontiveros that Ed Kranepool tried to make a shoestring catch of, but ended up one-hopping. I'd never seen a no-hitter at the time (this would later be rectified thanks to Jim Abbott and Doc Gooden), and it burned me that Tom and I both missed our one chance because of our rightfielder's aged knees.

Flash forward six years. I am in high school, when a classmate comes running up to me with the news: "Guess who's here? Ed Kranepool!" He had dropped by to give an anti-drug talk or somesuch, and was now hanging out in the physics lab, just chatting with students.

I rushed up to him, this hero of my youth who'd been a Met since before I was born, and immediately blurted out: "Hi! I would've seen Tom Seaver pitch a no-hitter if not for you!" And related the tale of Ontiveros' lone single, and his failure to dive for the ball.

Without missing a beat, he replied: "Oh, yeah. I remember that play. Even Swoboda couldn't have made that play."

You gotta love Ed Kranepool.

Neil, at least you didn't have to bite your nails through the whole game! The single by Ontiveros came with one out in the in the fifth inning.

With the Mets up 3-0 after six and a half innings, here's how the bottom of the seventh started:

Roy Staiger reached on an error by Ontiveros. Bud Harrelson reached on an error by Larry Biittner. Tom Seaver struck out. Lee Mazzilli reached on another error by Biittner, scoring Staiger. Felix Millan reached on an error by Ivan DeJesus to load the bases.

Bruce Boisclair then singled to drive in two and give the Mets a 6-0 lead. But how about those gloves on the Cubs? The Mets had the equivalent of seven outs in that inning!

I was at this game also. 13 years old, with my Dad. Even though Kranepool couldn't come up with the hit by Ontiveros, I remember he did make a leaping catch at the fence to rob a homer from one of the Cubs. (Don't remember which one). Also remember Kingman hitting a home run that was tremendously high in the air, took forever to come down and just cleared the fence in left- center.

I remember watching this on TV. I can't remember the Cubs getting good wood on the ball the entire game! I remember the lone hit that Kranepool let drop in. I wouldn't even categorize it as a line drive! It was more like a looping fly ball that just fell in the grass in right field and died. Without a doubt, Tom Seaver deserved a no-hitter for that game!

Remember being at this game with a buddy (we were about 14 years old) and cringing before the start when a older guy - a grandpa with his family - started saying over and over before the game that "Seaver's pitching a no-hitter today. Today is the day. He's pitching a no-hitter today."

I was going to type what John S. already did.

I was also at this game with my dad (photo album day, wasn't it?), but, as a 10 year old kid, I rationalized it by saying without Kranepool's catch, the Cubs would have had a HR, so somehow the two plays canceled each other out.

I guess I'm outnumbered on this page, but I always remembered that Kranepool did dive, but still short-hopped Ontiveres's ball.

I feel like this one-hitter is never talked about in Mets lore, but as one-hitters go, this was as close as the Mets have come--maybe 3-4 inches?? The other one that comes to mind is Gooden versus the Cubs in '84 where Knight should have been given an error on Moreland nubber and then the Mets actually DO have their first no-no.

I remember this game very well; it was Mets Photo Album day,and my two favorite Mets of all time were playing. Being a Met fan, we all loved Tom Seaver. Tom pitched a masterful game, keeping the Cub hitters off balance all game. I remember Ed Kranepool leaping up over the right field fence and robbing a Cub player of a home run. Kranepool also slightly misjudged the low liner in right, causing Tom to lose his no-hitter. I also remember Dave Kingman hitting a towering home run over the left centerfield wall off of Bill Bonham. Kingman's homer was a moon shot that took forever to fall to earth. The standing ovation the Shea stadium fans gave Seaver after the last out was beautiful.

I am stunned that no one commented on this game. This is Terry Leach's finest moment. He pitched subpar all year that year but showed us how good he can pitch by pitching a 10 inning 1 hitter. This may never be done again the way baseball is currently. Pete Rose called Terry Leach one of the toughest pitchers he has ever faced and we gave him away twice.

Unless I'm mistaken... this was the Dwight Gooden no hitter that wasn't. He spun a one-hit shut out where the only Cub to get a hit was Keith Moreland who hit a slow roller to third base that Ray Knight bobbled, then threw late. Moreland had no speed (didn't even run well for a catcher, Tim). If Knight fields this ball cleanly, he gets Moreland, and Doc has his first no-hitter. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be.

I was at this game, and I feel this should have been the Mets first and probably only no hitter, if I can remember correctly (Keith)Moreland hit a slow groundball to Knight at 3rd who bobbled it. I feel that Knight should have been charged with an error, and the Mets would have there first ever no hitter. Can we lobby somebody to overturn the official scorers scoring. Otherwise at this rate the Mets will never get a no hitter. Its amazing there in there 40th season and have never had a no-no!

I agree that this was the closest a Mets hurler has come to a no-hitter. I was at the game and if my memory is correct, Knight did not even make the throw. Everyone in the stands groaned because we all thought he could have got the runner even though he had trouble getting the ball out of his glove. Could have been scored E-5, but doubt this can be changed so many years after the fact (I think 100 out of 100 official scorers today would call a play like that a hit).

First game I ever went to, and the reason I became a Mets fan, a pitching fan, and especially a Doc fan. I did remember the Moreland hit being in the infield, but for some reason I thought it was the pitcher that hit it. Maybe it was the cheap nature of it that made me think that.

Anyway, forget about those games with the HR hitting contests. Give me Doc in the 80's mowing down the opposition.

This was a Friday night after the first week back to school. I remember that everybody was talking about the Mets and Doc. The Mets were actually in contention, just a few games back, which for those of us in High School had never happened before!!!

On the whole it was a great game. Lots of offense, dominant pitching from Doc. Just for the record, Moreland's "swinging bunt" was a fluke, but it was a hit - Knight was playing deep.

I was at this game.

It may be the best Mets game I ever saw. It obviously wasn't competitive, but after watching that 1977 - 1983 club with great frustration, having a studly team that hit HRs and dominated was a dream.

I agree with the poster above about Moreland's single. It was an error, particularly b/c Moreland was a lardass catcher. If some speed demon hit it, maybe it's a different scoring decision, but Knight had time.

Looked like an easy play to us in the upper deck with beers in our hands, anyway. Was probably a bit tougher on the field.

This is one of those "all-time greatest" memory games. I went with my Dad (who I lost in 95), and yes it was the no-hitter that should have been. It eas E-5 all the way. It would have been interesting if it had happened later in the game to see if it would have been scored a hit or errror. When the play happened, a no-no was not in anyone's mind. I remember Backman was all over the field, and my section was singing to the tune of "Batman", "da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Back-Man!"

As a side note, does anyone remember that someone fell off the escalator of the upperdeck and died? I think that happened this night.

I saw this game on NBC, since I was living out of NY at the time. I remember Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola discussing the only hit that wasn't a hit.

I remember this game vividly. The only Cub hit was a little dribbler down the 3rd Base line by Kieth Moreland, a slow runner, that Ray Knight, who was playing back, fielded while on the run, came up clean with it in his glove, but never got a good grip on the ball and failed to make a throw. He did state during a post game interview that he didn't know it was going to be the only hit of the game for the Cubs, and if he knew it was, he would have at least attempted to make a throw. Knight also said that Gooden would have plenty of opportunities and will throw plenty of no hitters. Too bad not for the Mets.

I was at this game sitting in the top of section 16. I remember this play as vividely as any I have ever seen before. Keith Moreland, probably the slowest member of the Cubs that night, hit a dribbler down the third base line. Ray Knight at first bobbled the ball then could not get it out of his glove. Knight never attemted to make a throw. Red Foley wherever you are, called it a hit. Now that I am 43, I say poppycock. I know for a fact that was an error if I had ever seen one. That ladies and gentleman was the only no-hitter the Mets have ever had.

Yes, this was the no-hitter that wasn't. I too was at this game at that game and I think this was quite possibly the best game Gooden ever pitched. From my POV, it was E-5. I was very surprised he was not given a error.

The irony is he did pitch a no-hitter for the Yankees. Problem is, is also walked 6 or 7 batters that game. Some no-hitter.

Doc's first shutout at Shea. He had two on the West Coast before this game.

I saw this game when I was 6. First Mets game I ever went to.

Does someone - ANYONE- have a clip of the Moreland hit?

email me at drltoo@aol.com Would be willing to pay for the clip or the game (if you happen to have it on tape or DVD)

Thanks! dan

I was at this game. Definitely more of a no-no than Santana's...now that he threw one I felt compelled to post this here because Dr K was a homegrown Met, not a trade and sign. Does anyone else remember 84 and 85 Met homestands? Seemed like a sellout every 5th night and the stadium would shake whenever Gooden had 2 strikes on a hitter. Never saw him waste a pitch either. Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. Take a seat. Don't think we'll ever see that again. Such a shame what happened to him. Was also at the first game of the home/away day/night Yankee doubleheader in July 2000, his first game as an opposing pitcher if memory serves (Piazza got beaned by Clemens in the nightcap in the Bronx). Was surprised he didn't get more of an ovation when he took the hill. The game, and its fans...sure have changed.

Like many on this list, I too was fortunate enough to be at this game. With the Cubs in first and in town and the Mets in a pennant race for the first time in my memory, atmosphere at Shea was electric, like I'd never experienced before. Of course the Moreland "hit" stands out -- at the time, the way Gooden was throwing, I was sure that would be the only hit on the night, especially since every Met game I attended I always thought "tonight will be the night" for a no-hitter. But no way that could have been scored an error. Knight had trouble getting it out of his glove, and I joked after that he should have had the decency to make a bad throw to first to try to draw an error, but was clearly a hit, even if a very cheap one.

I was fortunate enough to be at this game and thought it was an ERROR by Knight.....should've been a no-no :-(

This was the first game I ever went to -- ok, the first Mets game. The previous month my Dad had taken me to Yankee Stadium to see the Yanks play Texas; this, at the age of 5, was my first of many visits to Shea. Before the game Juan Samuel of the Phillies signed an autograph for me, and I remember my Dad's excitement after the game at the young combination of Fernandez and McDowell combining for the shutout. Of course, what I remember most was my hero, Strawberry, breaking his thumb making a sliding catch in rightfield.

This game, arguably, cost the Mets the division in 1985. Losing Darryl Strawberry for 6 weeks let the Cardinals right back in the race.

Sadly, the game that probably cost the Mets a playoff spot in 1985, despite the win. Straw breaks his thumb diving for a ball and the Mets play very average-below average ball for the next 6 weeks in his absence. (Though to his credit, Danny Heep did not play badly while filling in.) But the absence of Straw was a huge blow.

A horrible rainy day turned into a one-hitter by David Cone. I believe the Padres got a 3rd inning double by Tony Gwynn past a diving Keith Hernandez. Gregg Jeffries hits his first major league homer.

Brian, Tony Gwynn's double came with one out in the fourth inning for the only hit off Coney. He walked two batters and struck out eight while improving to 14-3.

In addition to his first HR, Jefferies also doubled and tripled in the game.

Len Dykstra was ejected in the second inning by home plate umpire Jim Quick after Dykstra was caught looking.

This was my first ever baseball game. I was six years old, and my father took me with my brothers. I've been a diehard Mets fan ever since. I remember being so excited at being there for Gregg Jefferies first career HR. Of course, he didn't turn into the superstar everyone thought he would be.

I was also at this game and, if I recall correctly, Mookie struck out to end the game and was booed because Gregg was on deck and everyone was hoping to see him hit for the cycle.

One of four one hitters I've been at (Matlack '74, Seaver '76 and Seo/Weathers/Benitiez '03).

This would be a GREAT game for SNY to pull out of the vault if they have it.

Cone threw a masterful one hitter... Jefferies hits his first homer (a HUGE deal at the time obviously) and the Mets begin to close out the last stretch of the season in fantastic fashion, leading to a great and fun September.

This was the only Met one-hitter ever thrown against the Montreal Expos and a bright moment in a disappointing season. Mets had been 2.5 games out of first at all-star break and gone 19- 38 since then to fall 17 games behind when Shourek threw this gem which was his only complete game shutout of his MLB career. Kenny Williams got a single to left in the fifth to ruin the no-hit bid. This was also the first of three one-hitters in eleven days thrown by the Mets. Cone started and lost a one-hitter on September 14th, and then Cone won a one-hitter on Sptember 20th.

Quite possibly the most forgotten one hitter in Mets history (at least modern Mets history). Pete Schourek throws a gem, with the only hit a harmless single by Ken Williams in the 5th inning. The attendance for this game was almost non-existent, about 9K, not helped by the fact that it was a mid-week afternoon game and school had already started by this point. I've never even seen any highlight from this afternoon even after all these years. Maybe we should ask Pete if his parents taped it to make sure it happened.

The only one-hit game (out of twenty-seven) by Met pitchers that they lost. In the bottom of the fifth, Cone gave up two walks, got two outs, then gave up a two-run single to Lankford. A run scoring double by McReynolds in the ninth was not enough and the Mets lost 2-1. A typically frustrating game in the 1991 season.

I was at this game and remember it clearly. After Cone walked two, he threw a wild pitch prior to Lankford's single. Also, Lankford threw out the tying run at the plate with 2 out in the 9th to end the game. Fitting for the person that had the only hit for the Cardinals.

The third one-hitter thrown by Met pitchers in eleven days! Schourek had thrown one on September 10th, and Cone had started and lost one on September 14th. Both that day and this day. the Mets only got one run, but this time, Cone made it stand up with a shutout.

As stated by Ed K, this was the third Mets one-hitter over an 11-day period. The only Cardinal hit was a double by Felix Jose leading off the eighth inning. Cone pitched - and won - this one in a complete game after combining with Jeff Innis six days earlier in a loss at St. Louis. These three games were also the only one-hitters the Mets had for the entire 1990s.

Thank you Bobby Jones! What an amazing game! The Mets win the most exciting games I have ever seen in the post-season. Last night, Benny wins the game witha an extra inning walk off home run, today Bobby Jones wins the game with a one-hitter (if only Robin were 6 inches taller). Anyway, I am extremely proud to be a Mets fan (just as I was in 1994 when I went to 22 games as a teenager) and am extremely grateful to my fiance for getting us tickets for the two division series games at Shea.

Great performance.

We miss you Fresno!

Arguably the greatest game ever pitched by a Mets pitcher!

A magnificent game, which I had travelled down from Binghamton that morning to see. Fresno left the Giants flailing away at pitch after pitch, and by the 5th, the game was out of reach. By the end, the chants of "BOBBY JONES!! BOBBY JONES!!" echoed throughout the stadium. And in the parking lot, I saw five young men circled around a cell phone screaming "Who let the dogs out!!" More fitting should have been Who let Bobby Jones out?

I was 17 years old at the time, I worked at a Burger King in Astoria. During work my girlfriend at the time came to my job and surprised me with tickets to the game that afternoon. I was hyped to go, but the game started at 4 and I got out of work at 5. So I did what any 17 year old would do. Fake a sickness. I did, and my supervisor actually bought it. I grabbed some food, and went to the game. Oh boy was it worth it. To see Bobby Jones mow down the Giants 1 by 1 was sweet. When the crowd started chanting Bobby Jones I knew I was watching one of the best Met games in my life. The icing on the cake was when that jackass Balco Bonds ended the game by flying out to Payton. I went bonkers after that.

I was at this game and I was happy with Bobby V's decision to start Bobby Jones instead of Glendon Rusch and it turned out to be an incredible decision because Bobby Jones almost pitched a no- hitter and I thought he would before Jeff Kent hit a double in the fifth and in the ninth, it was a fitting end: Barry Bonds comes up and hits a line drive and Jay Payton is right there and the Mets win and "Who Let the Dogs Out" comes on and, for the second year in a row, I was at the game that sent the Mets to the NLCS.

Sorry mom I played hooky from work to attend this game. I'll be damned if I was going to miss one of the biggest games in the history of this great franchise to flip burgers at Burger King. (Even though I needed the money for my senior trip to Florida.) Anyway Fresno Jones pitched one of the greatest games I've ever seen anybody pitch. Man he was mowing the Giants down one by one. When he got Barry Bonds to fly out to end the series I knew it was a matter of time.

Great playoff game to be at. Beautiful weather, and a 1 hitter- by Bobby Jones, of all people. It hurt a little that Kent got the only hit.

Great game. Little talked about fact in my opinion is this would have/could have been a perfect game. Kent led off the 5th with a screamer off Ventura's glove for a double. The score was 2-0 at the time. He got real careful with the runner on 2d and walked the bases loaded with 2 outs (Baker also got blasted for letting the pitcher hit here). These were the only baserunners SF had in the game, I always felt if Ventura would have caught Kent's smash, Jones sets them down in order as he did the whole game. One of the best I ever saw...Bobby Jones???

Charlie's right -- it was very close to a no-hitter, but it was also very close to one of those games that suddenly unravels. Sitting in the Upper Deck behind home plate, high enough for the winds to freeze my neck, I was absolutely convinced it was all about to come apart there in the 5th. Dusty must have been as well or he'd have pinch-hit for his pitcher there. Was a good explanation ever offered?

Will never forget this game, beautifully pitched and all of us standing on our seats singing, "Who let the dogs out"!

This was the greatest pitched game that I have ever seen in person. I have seen all sorts of great Mets pitchers over the years.but Bobby Jones pitched the game of his life on this day.

Even though I was keeping a scorecard, I did not realize that Bobby had a one-hitter going until I asked the person next to me whether he thought Bobby V would leave Bobby Jones in for the 9th. The person mentioned the one-hitter and I checked the scorecard and sure enough.

This game was also the only time I saw the Mets clinch anything. In 1981, I saw the Expos (with Gary Carter) clinch the second half-season of the NL East at Shea on the next-to-last-day of the season.

Fantastic game. There were about 53,000 people at the game, the most at a game I had been to since the playoffs in 2000. Four years after interleague play started, I finally went to an interleague game. I went with a friend who was a Yankees fan so we would both have a reason to root for the Mets.

We sat next to some hillarious Red Sox fans that were quite knowledgeable. They bet me $50 against me throwing my Mets hat off the upper deck that the Red Sox would win (needless to say, I couldn't take the bet in good conscience -- the hat is too valuable!)

In retrospect, I really should've taken the bet. Rusch pitched a fantastic game, in which the only hit was one of the infield variety in the first inning. The game really got the Mets rolling and was the first of a five-game winning streak.

As Glenn mentioned in March of 2002, this may have been Glendon Rusch's best game as a Met. he pitched eight innings, striking out ten, and allowing only one hit. The hit was a bunt single by Trot Nixon with two outs in the top of the first inning when Rusch couldn't get over to first base in time to take the throw from first baseman Lenny Harris.

Mark Johnson drove in both Mets runs, the first with his third home run of the year. The win gave Bobby Valentine his 1,000th career victory.

If I remember correctly, an overcast day at Shea. Rusch pitched a great game. I believe this series was the first Red Sox visit to Shea since the '86 series.

A correction for P. Gola: The Red Sox Nation paid visits to Shea for series in 1997 and '99. Also they played a charity exhibition game in 1987 (the season after the '86 Series). I remember a sign in the stands that said "Thank You, Bill (Buckner)" during the '87 game.

I didn't get to see this game in person or the first time it was on TV, but the re-broadcast was unique. Most of the time, you get an edited rebroadcast, chopping out innings to fit into a time frame. But the quickness of this game (1:53) made that unnecessary. It was a real joy to watch because the pace was so QUICK. It's been a long time since I've seen a Met pitcher in "the zone" the way Estes was this night. Strike after strike after strike. I don't recall him looking this good since a game at Shea in late 1998, when he came in with the Giants and shut the Mets down.

One of the best pitched games in franchise history. I always enjoy a good old fashioned 1-0 pitcher's duel rather than a 10-9 slugfest. Two young southpaws working quickly, getting it done in under 2 hours. Ex-Met Rusch pitches a gem despite being the hard luck loser, but Estes even though he wasn't successful in Flushing, pitches one of the many 1-hitters in Met history. To this day, still no no-no by a met. Maybe Pedro will do it. We'll see.

Shawn Estes for ex-Met Glendon Rusch. Estes had one of the best pitching performances in Mets history, giving up one hit and the Mets won.

I'll remember that Jose Reyes hit a grand slam to left field, and you could feel the magic of the player.

My 4th Mets one hitter (Matlack-'74, Seaver-'76 and Cone '88) Clearly, not the class of pitcher(s) featured in those gems, but I did not recall until I looked at the box score here, that this trio of Mets pitchers actually faced the minimum in this game, as the only runner was erased by a caught stealing! So, maybe this game deserves some love in the annals of great Met moments! Does anyone out there have the answer as to how many Mets pitchers have faced 27 batters in a (complete!) game.

This was the game where Steve Trachsel should have had a no-hitter. Trachsel was pitching a gem and had a perfect game going. In the 6th inning, someone tried to bunt to break up the perfect game, but to no avail. The next guy up was the opposing pitcher, some Taiwanese guy. He hit a double over Timo's head (which he should've caught). What made me mad, was that where I was sitting there were more people cheering the pitcher than Trachsel. I was in the upper deck, which was full of Taiwanse people from Flushing (who knew nothing about baseball). In the 9th inning, someone else got on base. It was initially ruled an infield hit, but after the game changed to an error. Trachsel ended up with a complete game one hitter. It was an enjoyable afternoon game, with a Mike Piazza home run. One of my more enjoyable games at Shea for a while. You know, I don't think the Mets will ever get a no-hitter. It's kind of like Boston or Chicago winning the World Series. And now with Bob Murphy retired, I wouldn't want anyone else to call the first Mets no-hitter!

This was my 2 kids' first Mets game. It was also my daughter's birthday, and I wrote in to have her name put up on the scoreboard during the birthday announcements. It was a fabulous day, weather-wise and baseball-wise. We almost saw the first Mets no-hitter. I really wanted it more for them than for anything. I could have told them one day down the road that they saw a piece of history.

Wow...Heilman was impressive. If only Luis Castillo hadn't gotten that hit in the fourth, Heilman, of all people, may have been the first Met to pitch a no-hitter. Of course, I didn't get to see the game, being forced in the middle of Cablevision and Time Warner Cable's dispute.

It was my first trip to Shea in 2005. And to date probably one of the best pitched games I ever saw. Heilman was the best he ever was that night. A great night at old Shea!

Maybe this team needs to play just 5 innings a game,because when this happens the Mets not only win but their pitcher gets credited for a 1 hitter and a complete game shutout. They have accomplished this feat twice this year; the other time it was Tom Glavine when he faced the Cardinals at Shea. I bet Oliver Perez wished it had rained on Wednesday when he faced the Pirates. Ramon Castro looks like maybe he will get some more playing time this week after Lo Duca got hurt. He went 2 for 2 in this game with a double and a Home Run.

This game was also a birthday present. Only this time my stepsister (divorced parents) took me even though she likes the Yankees better. (She likes the Mets too though and she got me this b-day present.) I went to this game even though I woke up with a fever of approximately 101-103. I was bummed out that it rained but happy about the result while falling asleep on the car ride home.

This was the second Mets game we took our young sons to - the first was the Mike Pelfrey debut in 2006. The game only lasted just past the 5th inning when the skies broke open after about an hour and a half. After a while, we went down to the gift shop to look for souvenirs, and were there when the game was called. I was a little annoyed that the Mets did not offer attending fans another game - even a weekday in September - for coming to a barely legal game.

Funny that, with all that happened this month, I'm more disappointed that Maine did not pitch the no-hitter than anything else. There's only one year left until we move to that awful stadium, we will probably never get the chance to have one at Shea. It was always my great fear that when it does happen, I won't be there.

In any event, this was a nice day. The weather was great, we got up big early, we had the no-no going until late and we all generally believed that the horror had ended just in time.

Funny how it goes, no?

I wasn't able to see this game on TV so I settled for radio. As I listened, I kept thinking that if the division title was going to get away, at least John Maine would give the Mets their first no-hitter as some kind of compensation (minimal as it might have been.) But when Paul Hoover got that infield single in the 8th, that hope was lost, too.

Still, the victory did lift the team into a first place tie with the Phillies, who lost to the Nationals later that day. But it was just a temporary reprieve. We all know what happened the next day.

Oh, well, thanks for the great effort, John. Fate can be so cruel!

I wish that John Maine pitched the no-no this game. Though this was long before my time, I remember reading a library book about the Mets and I learned Tom Seaver came closer to pitching a no-no more than once, including the imperfect game. That is what I thought about while hearing about the game. (I missed it because I was with my dad and he doesn't have cable which is why I try to boycott his house at times like this.)

Probably the best pitched game I ever attended. Thought for sure Maine was going to get a no- hitter, no one could touch him. 14 strikeouts and only a slow 30 foot roller down the 3rd base line could beat him. Went from a great high to the ultimate low point the next day. The Mets have never been the same.

I attended this game, I sat out in the left field bleacher seats. This game was electric, a ton of offense and bad blood, this erupted at 3rd base with Olivo and Reyes. Because of the fight, the game was delayed and Olivo was ejected. His replacement got the only hit off Maine. This excitement made me want to see the next game and final day of the season, I did get those tickets to see Glavine blow it in the first and it has been painful ever since! Let's Go Mets!

Last game I ever went to at Shea. 13 ks, almost a no-hitter and a bench-clearing brawl. I'd trade it all for a win the next game.

Anytime someone writes "Probably the best pitched game I've ever seen" (Pat from 2012), I have to check the game score and then see where it ranks among all-time great Mets pitching performances.

Maine's 7.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, and 14 strikeouts earned him a game score of 89. Therefore, this game ranks as number 23 of all time for the Mets, and no, I did not go through every start in Mets history. Here is my source:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1218387-new-york-Metstop-pitching-performances-in-Mets-history

By the way, the article was written before Jacob deGrom's April 23, 2021 gem, so everyone takes one step back.

Regarding this game and its place in Mets history, I remember it, but revisiting any game from the 2007 season is like falling off a cliff into a dark abyss with no escape and where no one can hear me scream.

Another way to describe the Mets that year is to amend a classic line from the Wolf of Wall Street:

The 2007 Mets were fairy dust. They didn't exist. They never landed. They were no matter. They were not on the elemental chart. They were not f^#*!ng real. Right?

Took our sons to this one. Finally got to see Pedro pitch in person but he had to leave early with an injury. My final game at Shea. It was a nice run.

This second half of a day-night doubleheader was one of the finest pitched games in Mets history. Jon Niese faced twenty-eight batters (just one over the minimum) in a one-hit shutout. Only Chris Denorfia's leadoff double in the third inning stood between Niese and perfection. Jon also recorded six strikeouts and scored the second of the Mets' three runs in the game.

The Padres had their own standout moment as well. They turned a triple play right after the Mets took a 1-0 lead on Jeff Francoeur's single that drove home Chris Carter in the bottom of the second.

My second game sitting in the amazing Delta Club section, 15 rows from the field next to the Phillies dugout. Dickey was equally amazing - the only hit he gave up was a bloop single to Cole Hamels.

The score should have been 2-0, but the umps screwed up the call on their video replay review of Mike Hessman's homer. I'd never seen a review take that long - at least 6-7 minutes - and I'd never seen what resulted - a ground rule triple!

Dickey was more dominant than any Mets pitcher so far including Johan. He allowed a slow grounder which I think if Wright used the glove and threw quickly, Upton would have been out. In my book, he got 29 outs in a row. Amazing.

One of the most dominant pitching performances by a Mets pitcher that I can remember.

I might be wrong, but I believe that Matt Harvey against the White Sox (May 7, 2013, game score 97) was the most dominant performance since David Cone struck out 19 on October 6 1991 (game score 99). By comparison, Seaver's game score on July 9, 1969 was 96. In either of his two Cy Young-winning seasons, Jacob deGrom never achieved a game score of over 90 (he did however accrue a game score of 98 on April 23, 2021, which I missed because I had to work).

Anyway, back to R.A. dominating the Rays on June 13, 2012. Aside from one slow roller in the first inning that David Wright misplayed, R.A. was untouchable that day. His 9 IP, 12 K, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB earned him a game score of 95. 

Amazingly, R.A.'s next start against Baltimore, he topped this start with a game score of 96, and I don't even remember that game. But I remember how dominant he was in this one, and I listened to it on the radio. This game (Tampa broadcast) is available on YouTube by the way. 

If only Wright had handled that BJ Upton grounder with his glove instead of trying to barehand it, the Mets might have had two no-hitters in a span of two weeks after not having one for 50 years.

Was at this game Never saw a more dominant game by a Mets pitcher ever.

I was at this game. The team had a social media day and allowed certain fans to watch batting practice from the warning track. It was chilly and cool at game time but Dickey had his knuckleball working. The Orioles looked helpless against Dickey and Ike Davis hit a grand slam.

I thought that the greatest Mets game I had ever been to was the second to last game of the 2008 season at Shea when Johan pitched one of the greatest games of his career. This game has maybe taken over the top spot.

Talk about memorable pitching performances! I was at the no-hitter and that had nothing on this performance by Matt Harvey ! 9 innings 12 Ks, no walks and one measly infield hit. To put in perspective, Tom Seaver's infamous "imperfect game" , July 9 '69 against the Cubs, he had 11 Ks one hit and no walks. Have to rank this performance with Seaver's game vs the Cubs, the game vs the Padres when he struck out 19 including the last 10, Johan's no hitter, also his performance at the end of 2008 and the Bobby Jones one hitter in the playoffs in 2000 as among the best in Mets history.

One of the best pitched games in Mets history, if not THE best. The no hitter was stupendous but Johan walked a lot of guys. The White Sox couldn't touch Matt Harvey that night. Statistically speaking, it was very similar to Seaver's "Imperfect Game". Except the only hit never got out of the infield.

Jacob deGrom faced only 28 batters and turned in a complete one-hit shutout in this game. The Phillies’ lone hit was a third-inning single by deGrom's mound opponent, Zach Eflin. The one-hitter was the 39th in Mets history, 30th of which was a complete game for the starter. It was also the fifth of these thirty-nine games that had a pitcher getting the only hit.