Ultimate Mets Database - Matt Galante

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Matt Galante

Matthew Joseph Galante
Born: March 22, 1944 at Brooklyn, N.Y.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 5.06 Weight: 175

Matt Galante was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on March 22, 2024.

Non-playing roles with Mets

Coach 2002 - 2004

Matt Galante managed the following Mets farm team:
Little Falls Mets 1979

Share your memories of Matt Galante

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

FAN SLAM
June 18, 2002
My favorite memory of Matt Galante was when he managed the Astros for 27 games from June 14-July 14, 1999 to a 13-14 record, while Larry Dierker recovered from brain surgery.

Stan Musial
June 30, 2002
My favorite moment of Matt Galante was when Kevin Mitchell of the Giants accidently knocked his butt down on the ground during a pregame workout in 1989.

Mr. Sparkle
July 12, 2002
I have no idea what Matt looked like in his playing days but he is the type of guy that totally amazes me in sports. He's got such a huge gut on him it looks like he's carrying a keg underneath his shirt. It's very possibly that a keg is the culprit but I can't imagine how an athelete can let his body go to this extent. Guys like Rusty and Don Zimmer are the same way. Rusty was svelte when he wore number 4 for the Mets and now he's huge. How could Galante with that body have ever been an athelete. I eat garbage and I'll never look like that and I'm a couch potato.

Baseball is for Kids
September 19, 2003
He really let himself go, didn't he? The first time I saw him at Shea (vs. Milwaukee, April 2002), I was surprised that this guy was actually a coach, and not an ordinary joe who had won a contest to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Even though he has been with the Mets, I will remember him more for his brief stint as the interim manager of the Astros when Larry Dierker suffered a brain aneurysm in 1999.

Cliff Wexler
March 1, 2005
Matt Galante wasn't always the rolly-polly coach most MLB fans know. In the late 1950s, Matt and I played on the same James Madison (Blyn) High School varsity baseball team.
At that time, Matt was a 5'5", 150lb. slick fielding second baseman. He amazed all those who watched him scooping up ground balls like a vacuum cleaner. Matt was never fast on his feet, but he made up for his limited speed with great positioning and quick hands.
Matt was also the consumate punch hitter. He rarely missed a pitch and could smack a single to any field. I know, because I batted ahead of Matt's second slot and we executed many hit and run plays.
Matt went on to be an All-American at St. John's University before working his way through the minor leagues as both player and manager before joining the coaching staff of the Houston Astros.
Even during our high school years together, Matt was a student of the game. He deserves all the honors and admiration he receives.

original mets
March 1, 2005
I taught Matt Galante's kid, Matt Galante Jr. in 1991 when they lived in Staten Island. The kid, played in the Mets system in 2001-2002. I met Matt Galante at parent teachers conference and he came across a s being quite arrogant. I often wondered if he could see his shoes when he looked down.

Andy Capasso
March 14, 2005
I too went to James Madison High School in Brooklyn and played on the baseball team like Matty Galante did. I was a slick fielding shoststop from 1981 - 1983 and was 5' 7" tall and 135 lbs. Unfortunately I have "let myself go" and today Matty and I could be brothers (or at least father and son). Oh well. I also played for the Brooklyn Cadets and received the "Matty Galante Award" in 1986. Exactly what the award stands for I can't remember but I'm sure it's something good since Matty seems like a good coach and a very nice man.

Jonathan Stern
June 16, 2005
The little coach wore a hangdog expression on his face the whole time he was here. I never saw his expression change. Understandable, given how things went while he was here.

steve smith
December 2, 2005
I played against Matt in 1966 when he played for the Binghamton Yankees. I played for the Auburn Mets and was known as "Scooter Smith". I wasn't much taller than Matt and our respective teams were the two best teams and met in the year-end "Governor's Cup" to determine the league championship. Jerry Koosman threw a four hit shutout for us, (Matt got two of the four hits), and we won, one to nothing. Every time we played Binghamton, Matt participated in their run production in one way or another. I enjoyed competing against that team and especially Matt. He was some competitor!

Bart Edsall
December 21, 2005
Matt and I were the same weight but I was a little taller at 5'11. The thing that amazed us was his seeming ability hit the ball "late" to really wait - before the time when all ballplayers knew that was a Tony Gwynn doctrine. 1966 - St. Johns, and Oneonta are a long time ago - I think he has aged pretty well. I saw Stan Musial's comment about Matty getting knocked on his butt - I assume he landed with dignity.

Michael
July 16, 2006
I actualy grew up a block away from him in the 80's in Staten Island and knew his son a little bit. We played football on his block, which was basically a huge hill, one day and I asked him if he coached the Astros and he said yes. Other than that he was a nice guy from what I gathered.

Bill
August 24, 2006
Matt is a great guy--he is as good a student of the game as you will ever meet. Ask him about a specific move and he'll be patient and explain why he may disagree. He would have been an excellent major league manager. He deserved the opportunity in Houston when Larry Dierker received it. He was well-liked in New Orleans when he managed the Triple A Zephyrs for Houston there.

bill peterson
August 14, 2007
Matt and I played for the Cadets at the parade grounds. We also worked at White Weld and Co. on Broad St. We were both pages. Matt used to go to church every day. He was a great guy. He also was a terrific fielder. On our team was also Rico Petrocelli, later played for the Red Sox. Joe Torre had played the year before, and would come back and see us every once in a while. I either played short or 3rd for the Cadets. I then transferred over to the Bonnies. Wish I could see Matt now and talk about memories.

Skip Pfeffer
November 8, 2007
I played shortstop at Madison High with Maddy from 59 to 61. I vividly remember Maddy hitting homers over the clubhouse. I still play tournament senior softball nationwide. Happy to see Maddy still in organized baseball. Just came back from Charlotte where we had a Madison HS football reunion. I must say that Maddy was the most talented player I have played with. I did play with Gail Goodrich in JHS in California.
Best Wishes,
Skippy Pfeffer Madison HS "61"

Lee Weinstein
October 9, 2008
Ah yes,it was many years ago. Matt played 2nd base on our P.S. 225 softball team. He was a fabulous fielder and a good hitter too. The year was 1956 and we won every game. I was the pitcher for each game. We played a tough team for the Brooklyn Borough Championship and we won one to nothing. Fond memories were shared by all. Don't know if he remembers the team, but it truly was a good team. 1st base: Bruce Siper 2nd base: Matt Galante SS: Frank Hunt 3rd base: Joel Raynor L.F.: Arthur Schwarts C.F.: Stanley (Red) Cohen R.F.: Gerald Goldschein (G.G.) Catcher: Alvin Zavier Pitcher: Lee Weinstein. It was a special time. I went on to play High School Ball and college too out on Eastern Long Island. Good memories so many years later.

Bill C.
October 20, 2008
I was about 7 or 8 when my dad took me to watch a St Johns baseball game in the early 60's. I was shagging foul balls during the game. (You would receive a new ball from the coach.) After the game myself and another kid went up to coach Kaiser and said we were shagging the foul balls. Coach Kaiser gave the other kid a brand new baseball and told me to get lost. I was so hurt, I felt like crying. As I walked back to the stands where my dad was, someone tapped me on my shoulder. I turned to see who it was and it was Matt Galante with a new baseball in his hand. He said, "Here you deserved this." After that day Matt Galante and Mickey Mantle were my favorite baseball players.

Tom Green
April 24, 2009
I first met Matt after he married my God daughter, Mary Jo Capozzi. The last time I saw Matt was when we played a round of golf outside of Binghamton, NY. From all I know of him, he's a great guy. I look forward to seeing him sometime in the future. Since I live in North Carolina, it may be some time coming.

Joe Hawkins
June 18, 2009
I was a Senior at James Madison HS and Matt was a freshman and a starter which was very unusual for a freshman because we had a very strong baseball team. You could wake Matt up at 3AM and he would get a hit for you. Most people don't know that Matt was an avid NY Ranger fan. Both Matt and myself were the only guys on the team that knew anything about hockey. Before practice we used to turn our bats upside down and make believe the bat was a hockey stick and the ball a puck, the other players did not have a clue what we were doing. I use to call Matt POCKET ROCKET. We were the only ones who knew what that meant. Matt was a hell of a ball player.

Jim McElroy
August 11, 2009
I remember scouting Matt Galante back in late 50's and early 60's. I was bird doggin for the Yankees.

Ken Wirell
November 15, 2010
I had the pleasure of playing with Matty in 1963 with the Brooklyn Cadets. We were fortunate to have won the AAABA Johnstown Tournament that year and Matty was one of the major reasons why we won. I never met a ball player who enjoyed the game more than Matty. His IQ for the game was off the charts. Although he lacked size he more than made up for it with his heart and passion for the game. Whenever you needed a hit in the clutch or a key fielding play you could always depend on him.
I also played baseball at St.John's and eventually signed with the Minnesota Twins. I remember Jack Kaiser the baseball coach at the the time asking me about a player he heard about and his name was Matty Galante. I immediately told him to give him a scholarship and you will never regret it. Truer words were never spoken.
I have followed his career over the years and lost contact with him. I was very disappointed when I saw him about 5 years ago when St. John's had a big ceremony honoring Lou Carnesseca (Renaming Alumni Hall- Lou Carnesecca Arena). I tried to talk to him about the good times we had together and he basically brushed me aside. I also wrote him a letter and he never wrote back. I am not sure what happened but it will never change how I feel about him.

JOEL TUCHFELD
December 9, 2011
I lived across the street from Matt on East 16th street and Emmons Avenue in Brooklyn NY. We played street roller hockey, basketball, stickball together in a sand lot right across the street from our homes. Matt comes from a closely knit family. I remember his mom and dad and his big brother Ben were always pleasant to talk to and to be around. His nephews John and Joe were always around Matt and I have fond memories of them looking up to him as a mentor. Matt probably knows me best from our parents talking about the "twins" on the block because I have a twin sister, Judy.
Matt was a great athlete, he literally ran circles around me when playing street hockey and was a fabulous baseball player. He use to play with what I term, "the big kids" because he was so good that the kids younger than him, and I am only one year younger, could not keep up with his mastery of the sports he played.
I played on the PS 225 baseball team under coach Drechsler a year after Matt graduated. He had already been touted as an upcoming baseball wiz kid. His older brother Ben at the time had already made the New York Yankees farm team and I believe he later joined the Houston franchise. It was a lot of fun playing on the PS 225 baseball team. Moreover, we were fortunate to have gone to city school in the nineteen fifties that had a band, an orchestra, glee club and many other activities that were not common to a NY public school in those years. Mr. Samet, our Principal made it all possible.
I went to Sheepshead Bay HS the first year it opened in 1958-59 and Matt went to Madison so I had to follow his career by asking his parents how he was doing or read it in the local paper. Matt was very modest about his accomplishments, you see. At Sheepshead Bay HS I met Rico Petrocelli and coach Russo while playing for the baseball team.
Many years later I contacted Matt when he was on the Mets and he sent a letter back to me remembering the fun we had as kids along with an autographed photo for my kids. So Matt, thanks for the memories. It was fun and best wishes to your family too.

Bob Feinstein
January 23, 2012
It really hurts to read all the negative comments about Matt. I was a teammate of Matt for 3 seasons on the Brooklyn Cadets as well as a good friend. He was absolutely a terrific player and had he been a few inches taller he would have been the Yankee 2nd baseman for a number of years. My brother, who pitched for a rival team and eventually signed with the Minnesota Twins, told me he struck Matt out 3 times in one game. I just looked at him and laughed; Matt didn't strike out 3 times in a season. I saw him last at a Cadets reunion dinner and we shared some laughs and memories of all the time we spent together in the late 50s and early 60s.

Joe Tyson
March 28, 2013
A Brooklyn boy... St John's University.

Joe Sherman
July 29, 2015
I remember Matt and his St. John's teammate Joe Russo as the best double play combination I ever saw in the Cape Cod League. Matt, of course, was at second base and Joey played shortstop for the Cotuit Kettleers in the early 1960s, a few years before Thurman Munson arrived on the Cape to play at Chatham and Bobby Valentine, just out of Rippowam High School in Connecticut, played for manager Lou Lamoriello at Yarmouth. It was great to see Craig Biggio, who also played on the Cape in 1986, credit Galante for helping him become a Gold Glove second baseman during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech on Sunday.

Bill Permakoff
October 18, 2015
Great teammate and friend who helped me through some tough times at SJU. Wonderful player with tremendous skills and work ethic who made playing with him a privilege and honor.

Paul Stein
February 1, 2021
I played right field for James Madison HS '61. I do not believe I saw a ground ball all season. Matty scooped them all up. All I needed to do was catch fly balls.

Mike Hipscher
November 2, 2022
Played SS for Parkway BC against him and the Cadets for three years. He always found a way to beat us, either with his bat or his glove. Also, played for Midwood H.S. against him when he played for Madison H.S. He was 2 years behind me in school, even though we are the same age, since I skipped a grade in junior high and was a January baby. Best baseball player I ever played against. Missed playing against him in college. I played for Brooklyn college from 1960-64, but we never scheduled St. John's during those years.