On This Date in Sports September 24, 1969: Miracle Mets Clinch East
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
At 9:07 the New York Mets become champions of the Eastern Division of the National League as Joe Torre his in a game-ending double play. The Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 at Shea Stadium, sending fans int delirium. The Mets who hade never finished better than ninth and lost the season opener to the expansion Montreal Expos used an incredible final stretch to surpass the Chicago Cubs.
Managed by Gil Hodges, the New York Mets started the season as 100-1 underdogs. Having never finished better than ninth in their first seven seasons, the Mets lost on opening day to the Montreal Expos 11-10 at Shea Stadium. The Mets struggled through much of April, as they lost 11 of their first 17 games. The Mets played better in May, but could not break the .500 barrier, until the month came to an end. As May turned into June, things began to turn for the Mets as they won a franchise-record 11 straight and went above .500 in for the first time in team history in June.
The Mets sent a message to the National League and the rest of baseball when they won two games against the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium in July — rallying in the ninth inning in one game, while Tom Seaver flirted with a Perfect Game the next day. As Apollo 11 landed on the moon, the Mets found themselves facing just as daunting task to catch the Cubs, as they trailed by ten games on August 13. It was here that the Mets surge began, as they won 38 of their final 49 games. This included sweeping a two-game set with the Cubs.
The Mets went into the final home game of the season, needing a win to clinch the National League East. The Mets had rookie left Gary Gentry on the mound for the clincher as they faced the St. Louis Cardinals who had been to the previous two World Series. Steve Carlton who a week earlier had 19 strikeouts, struggled badly in this start as he failed to make it out of the first inning, giving five runs while retiring just one batter. The Mets offense came with a three-run home run by Donn Clendenon and a two-run shot by Ed Charles. Clendenon later added a second home run in the fifth inning, to give the Mets a 6-0 lead.
Gary Gentry delivered perhaps his best start of the season in the clincher as he set down the first nine Cardinals in order. Lou Brock singled in the fourth but was erased, when Vada Pinson hit into an inning-ending double play. Entering the ninth, Genty had allowed just two hits, and two walks, while striking out four. The Cardinals started the ninth with back to back singles by Brock and Vic Davalillo. After a Pinson strikeout, Joe Torre came to the plate. Torre would hit a ground ball right to Bud Harrelson at short; he flipped it to Al Weis who made the force out at second and relayed the ball to Clendenon at first to complete the double play and end the game at 9:07.
As the game end, many of the 54,928 fans at Shea Stadium rushed the field to celebrate, as the New York Mets became the Miracle Mets, as the least likely team to win its division. The Mets would go on to sweep the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS and stun the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.