Today In History

1962 NEW YORK METS - In 1962, National League baseball returned to New York with the expansion Mets, whose orange and blue colors were chosen to represent the departed New York franchises of the Giants and Dodgers, respectively. However, uniform color was the only way in which these Mets mimicked the successful franchises of New York’s past. The expansion Mets finished last in the 10-team National League, losing 120 games, the most losses by a major league team since 1899. The Mets finished 60 ½ games behind the pennant winning San Francisco Giants, and even finished 18 games behind the 9th place Chicago Cubs. The Mets lost their first 9 games of the season, and also had separate losing streaks of 17, 13, and 11 games during the season. Only one player on the team hit over 16 home runs (Frank Thomas – 34 home runs) and only one regular player hit over .300 (Richie Ashburn - .306). Pitcher Roger Craig lost 24 games and Al Jackson lost 20 games. Other pitchers posted records such as 8-19, 3-17, and 1-12. Such futility led Manager Casey Stengel to ask “Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?” The Mets would go on to lose at least 109 games in each of the next three seasons, but a turnaround was not far off for Met fans as the 1969 Miracle Mets won the World Series in the franchise’s 8th season.