I was 13 years old watching this with my father. I taped it on my reel to reel recorder, which I would listen to it a few times over the last 50 years. Now to watch it tonight on the 50th anniversary. All I can say is thank you for posting this.
The Mets sure had a excellent scouting and farm system back then. To have Seaver,Kooseman, and Ryan on the pitching staff they sure didn't have any losing streaks.
Thanks for posting this. I was not born yet when the Mets won in 69. I was a fan from 76-92, & heard so much about how great & special this year was. This will always be the most remarkable triumph of any professional sports franchise. It's in so may ways a metaphor for life. It's message is simple; never believe that something is impossible. Not one player here seems totally satisfied with this (which in itself was big). It seems like they all knew they were gonna win the pennant & WS too.
Big Jim Bibby was a September call up, to this day in '69 he'd been with the organization for parts of four seasons. Although he was never handed the ball for a Mets regular season game, Gil Hodges and Rube Walker thought well of him and assigned him as a batting practice pitcher during their post season run. Bibby would earn a world series ring 10 years later as a member of the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
I think the very last frame with the Cubs dugout gives away that this was part of the 1969 Mets highlight film "Mets With Love". It was far superior to the general one that's aways circulated. It has tons of originall channel 9 videotape footage (not filmed videotape) and was a little artsy, using "The Impossible Dream" from the The Supremes & The Temptations as the theme. They used to show it during rain delays in the 70's on WOR. Would love to see the whole program.
Patrick Carmosino you are correct. I wish whomever has the master (WWOR??) should release this on DVD, especially with the 50th anniversary next year. I read somewhere that Lindsey’s family has a master copy of this.
Nolan Ryan probably did not look good in this video,but he put it together and was the pitcher that blanked the Braves for the final out in the 1969 NLCS and baffled the Orioles in the World Series.He later hurled a No-Hitter against the Orioles when he was with the American League.
Nolan Ryan was REALLY celebrating in this clip. If he only knew how better things would get for him. He would hurl a record seven ho-hitters, have over 4,000 strikeouts, be inducted in the Hall of Fame, purchase the Texas Rangers, and that team would win two straight AL pennants.
gregnugget, you are such a good person for uploading this. Thank you so much. If you could upload the 2006 Mets playoff run as well, that would be super terrific. Ya Gotta Believe!
I remember watching this game when I was in 5th grade (on black-and-white TV). The '69 season was surreal, the greatest story in American sports history. I was also was at Shea Stadium in July of that year for the first game of a double-header when the Houston Astros (with Rusty Staub) recorded back-to-back grand slam homers against the Mets without making an out. (The Mets also lost the 2nd game.) I'd read that after that day Seaver registered for fall semester classes at USC. Whodda thunk it?!
Rusty Staub was traded by the Astros to the expansion team Montreal Expos at the beginning of the 1969 season. Donn Clendenon was part of that deal but he refused to report to the Astros. In turn Clendenon ended up being traded by the Expos to the Mets and truth is, good as the Mets pitching was in 1969, Donn Clendenon made a huge difference in the pennant drive and the World Series win.
I also remember well a truly unique interview with the Mets' team that was done on the plane as the team was in transit, at the time when they were bearing down on the NL East pennant. The reporter and cameraman were right in the plane's aisle interviewing various players, and I've never seen that done before or since. I wonder if that footage exists anywhere, because I've never seen the footage replayed ever again after that day. I've been a Met fan ever since that pennant drive. Unbelievable!
I heard the shower tossing was great too. The players grabbed people, turned the showers on, and threw the people in the shower. Sal Marciano was doing sports back then and got totally soaked. R.I.P. Tug, Cal Koonce, Donn Clendenon, Gil, Tommie Agee, Don Cardwell, Johnny Murphy, Piggy and everyone who made this wonderful sports moment possible.
Just think Tug McGraw was the only member of this team to win a World Series after this season when he won with the '80 Phillies. He also didn't know he had fathered Tim McGraw as this was going on! In another peice of trivia, Jerry Koosman would later get traded to the Minnesota Twins in the 80's for SOME GUY NAMED JESSE OROSCO! I'd say the Mets got a good deal there!
I wish I'd been alive to see this live... THEY DRANK THE CHAMPAGNE! XD Not just spraying it and dumping it on folks heads, they do that too plenty but they want to drink and get drunk...and DO THEY EVER GET DRUNK! That is just so...so "Mets!" :D From a lifelong Californian and Mets fan...LET'S GO METS!
hey, remember the O's had been baiting them from the dugout (unreported in the media) after the Mets lost Game 1, the O's whipping Seaver rather easily. It all started when Gaspar said they would sweep the O's after the Mets beat the Braves.
I heard Tom Seaver say once that on a staff with him, Ryan, Koosman, Cardwell, that Gentry threw harder than all of them. Arm troubles later on; he was a rookie in '69.
I was 13 years old watching this with my father. I taped it on my reel to reel recorder, which I would listen to it a few times over the last 50 years. Now to watch it tonight on the 50th anniversary. All I can say is thank you for posting this.
The Mets sure had a excellent scouting and farm system back then. To have Seaver,Kooseman, and Ryan on the pitching staff they sure didn't have any losing streaks.
the nolan ryan scenes alone are priceless
Thanks for posting this. I was not born yet when the Mets won in 69. I was a fan from 76-92, & heard so much about how great & special this year was. This will always be the most remarkable triumph of any professional sports franchise. It's in so may ways a metaphor for life. It's message is simple; never believe that something is impossible. Not one player here seems totally satisfied with this (which in itself was big). It seems like they all knew they were gonna win the pennant & WS too.
Wonderful memories!!!
Thank You so much for 1969 , as a 9 year old in long island these were the glory day!!!!! "lets go mets" Thanks greg
"It's always great to win the first one!" God, I love Yogi!!!
"It ain't over 'til it's over!" " A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore."
Not for him, but of course, for the Mets! Steve Cohen?? We want years like this AGAIN and AGAIN, please!!!
the greatest story in sports history.
Happy 74th Birthday Gary Gentry!
Big Jim Bibby was a September call up, to this day in '69 he'd been with the organization for parts of four seasons. Although he was never handed the ball for a Mets regular season game, Gil Hodges and Rube Walker thought well of him and assigned him as a batting practice pitcher during their post season run. Bibby would earn a world series ring 10 years later as a member of the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
+NPRMc He did have his day 10 years later and also became a decent pitcher in his own rights.
I had no idea that Jim Bibby and Amos Otis were on the 1969 Mets. Neither of them appear in the 1969 team photo.
My Amazing Mets...
I remember this as though it were yesterday. Watched the game on TV and stayed up to watch the celebration. New York went absolutely bananas.
I think the very last frame with the Cubs dugout gives away that this was part of the 1969 Mets highlight film "Mets With Love". It was far superior to the general one that's aways circulated. It has tons of originall channel 9 videotape footage (not filmed videotape) and was a little artsy, using "The Impossible Dream" from the The Supremes & The Temptations as the theme. They used to show it during rain delays in the 70's on WOR. Would love to see the whole program.
Patrick Carmosino you are correct. I wish whomever has the master (WWOR??) should release this on DVD, especially with the 50th anniversary next year. I read somewhere that Lindsey’s family has a master copy of this.
Nolan Ryan probably did not look good in this video,but he put it together and was the pitcher that blanked the Braves for the final out in the 1969 NLCS and baffled the Orioles in the World Series.He later hurled a No-Hitter against the Orioles when he was with the American League.
Nolan Ryan was REALLY celebrating in this clip. If he only knew how better things would get for him.
He would hurl a record seven ho-hitters, have over 4,000 strikeouts, be inducted in the Hall of Fame, purchase the Texas Rangers, and that team would win two straight AL pennants.
gregnugget, you are such a good person for uploading this. Thank you so much. If you could upload the 2006 Mets playoff run as well, that would be super terrific. Ya Gotta Believe!
If the Mets would have kept Ryan and Otis they probably would have beaten the A’S in 1973!
I would like to thank who ever posted this. Thank you very much!
I remember watching this game when I was in 5th grade (on black-and-white TV). The '69 season was surreal, the greatest story in American sports history. I was also was at Shea Stadium in July of that year for the first game of a double-header when the Houston Astros (with Rusty Staub) recorded back-to-back grand slam homers against the Mets without making an out. (The Mets also lost the 2nd game.) I'd read that after that day Seaver registered for fall semester classes at USC. Whodda thunk it?!
I believe also that it is the greatest American sports story ever.
Greatest sports story? That would be the 1980 US Olympic hockey team.
Rusty Staub was traded by the Astros to the expansion team Montreal Expos at the beginning of the 1969 season. Donn Clendenon was part of that deal but he refused to report to the Astros. In turn Clendenon ended up being traded by the Expos to the Mets and truth is, good as the Mets pitching was in 1969, Donn Clendenon made a huge difference in the pennant drive and the World Series win.
I also remember well a truly unique interview with the Mets' team that was done on the plane as the team was in transit, at the time when they were bearing down on the NL East pennant. The reporter and cameraman were right in the plane's aisle interviewing various players, and I've never seen that done before or since. I wonder if that footage exists anywhere, because I've never seen the footage replayed ever again after that day. I've been a Met fan ever since that pennant drive. Unbelievable!
I heard the shower tossing was great too. The players grabbed people, turned the showers on, and threw the people in the shower. Sal Marciano was doing sports back then and got totally soaked. R.I.P. Tug, Cal Koonce, Donn Clendenon, Gil, Tommie Agee, Don Cardwell, Johnny Murphy, Piggy and everyone who made this wonderful sports moment possible.
Just think Tug McGraw was the only member of this team to win a World Series after this season when he won with the '80 Phillies. He also didn't know he had fathered Tim McGraw as this was going on! In another peice of trivia, Jerry Koosman would later get traded to the Minnesota Twins in the 80's for SOME GUY NAMED JESSE OROSCO! I'd say the Mets got a good deal there!
Good ol Tug McGraw...He was a high spirited type of guy. Little did we know back then his son Tim who was 2 would be a country music superstar.
More great stuff. They're really drunk! They actually drank the champagne! They don't do that anymore, just spray it. another great post.
ohhhh, thank you so muvch, gnugg. I'll never forget you for this
@johnstone2010 Yes, it was Jim Bibby, who was a September call up, as was Amos Otis.
THANKS AGAIN FOR POSTING THIS
what a special and wonderful bunch of guys! The Beatles of baseball..hahah:D
love the last shot, Cubs cryin
Amos Otis right before becoming a long term All Star with K.C.
Amos Otis for Joe Foy WAS the worst trade in Met history - until they topped themselves by trading Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi.
I wish I'd been alive to see this live...
THEY DRANK THE CHAMPAGNE! XD Not just spraying it and dumping it on folks heads, they do that too plenty but they want to drink and get drunk...and DO THEY EVER GET DRUNK!
That is just so...so "Mets!" :D
From a lifelong Californian and Mets fan...LET'S GO METS!
hey, remember the O's had been baiting them from the dugout (unreported in the media) after the Mets lost Game 1, the O's whipping Seaver rather easily. It all started when Gaspar said they would sweep the O's after the Mets beat the Braves.
who could look more out of place in that celebration than m. donald grant?
@TheRetro64 And yet this remains his only world championship. He was a strike away - twice - as an owner Wednesday night.
i think he drank too much bubbly...
A very young Nolan Ryan
I heard Tom Seaver say once that on a staff with him, Ryan, Koosman, Cardwell, that Gentry threw harder than all of them. Arm troubles later on; he was a rookie in '69.