Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Vin Scully, on the Mets' Historic Haplessness

We don't get TWC at SoSG Worldwide Headquarters, so we apologize for the lack of new Vin transcriptions this season. But we've dipped into the archives (OK, last year's games) to bring you some fresh transcriptions we haven't run yet.

Marv Throneberry.

Vin Scully, from the third inning of the Mets-Dodgers game on August 12, 2013:

The New York Mets. Boy, in 1962, when Casey Stengel was the manager, the team that lost 120 games.

Probably the classic story about the Mets involved a man by the name of Marv Throneberry, who came up with runners at first and second in the first inning. They were losing, as usual, to the Cubs, four to one.

And Throneberry, playing in the Polo Grounds, and the Polo Grounds was vast. Throneberry had an extra-base hit, looked like a triple to drive in two, the place went wild.

Only, Ernie Banks was playing first base for the Cubs and he wanted the ball. And when he got the ball he went over and stepped on first. Dusty Boggess, the first-base umpire, said, "You're out."

Throneberry had missed first base.

Stengel came running out to argue. The second-base umpire, Stan Landes, came in and said, "Casey, take it easy. You might as well go back — he missed second base as well."

That was the background of the New York Mets in 1962. It eventually led to a book by Casey. The title was something like "Can't Anybody Play This Game Up Here?" They were some collection.

But they've grown and grown and there was the Miracle of '69.

Here's the one-two pitch on the way, fouled off.

In 1969, the Mets finished — in the last 49 games, they went 38 and 11, they finished eight games ahead of the Cubs, who led the Mets by ten when the streak started. The streak started August the thirteenth.

Down that stretch, Tom Seaver went nine and oh, and Jerry Koosman went eight and one. And then, the season spilled over into October, and the Mets went seven and two to beat the Braves for the pennant, and the Orioles in the World Series.

The Miracle of 1969.

So they went from being a joke to winners telling jokes. Didn't take 'em long, from '62 to '69.

Three-and-two count on Ricky Nolasco....

AP photo

4 comments:

Steve Sax said...

Ricky Nolasco!

I just realized I have one of those Dodger Stadium photographs that was taken by an offical stadium photographer, so when I bought the item (don't ask, it's a long story), it's framed with a graphic that has Nolasco's name on the bottom of the frame (it appears Nolasco started the game, vs. the Cubs, on August 28, 2013).

So I've got a photo memory of Dodger Stadium, and it will forever have Ricky Nolasco's name on it as part of that memory.

(cries)

Fred's Brim said...

"Photo of your family, sir? It's free! You can check it out after the 5th inning at our booth on the mezzanine level."

"Sure, I guess. Can you guys put blue circles over our faces?"

Fred's Brim said...

"and can you blue out Nolasco's face while you are at it?"

Alex Cora said...

Hate to be the Debby Downer, but if the general public can't hear these types of stories this year due to the contract dispute and this happens to be Vin's last year, it will be a real shame.