Willie Mays launches career home run #600 off Mike Corkins of the Padres joining Babe Ruth as the only players to top that milestone. Appearing as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning for George Foster, Mays ended the season with exactly 600 dingers.

Cardinal lefty Steve Carlton broke a long-standing major league record with 19 strikeouts against the New York Mets on September 15 at Busch Stadium. Amazingly, the Mets won the game 4-3 on the strength of two 2-run home runs by Ron Swoboda.

Juan Pizarro of Boston became the first player to record an official "save" as the statistic became official for the first time.

Ironmen

Billy Williams played in all 163 games extending his consecutive games streak to 982. His streak would conclude on September 2nd, 1970 at 1,117 games - the NL record until Steve Garvey broke it in 1983.

Matty Alou of the Pirates and Sal Bando of the Athletics also played in all of their team's 162 games.

Comebacks

After an August 1967 beaning by Jack Hamilton, Tony Conigliaro missed the entire 1968 season and seemed unlikely to play again. Instead the popular slugger returned to Fenway, playing 141 games and knocking 20 HRs and 82 RBIs. Tony C earned the AL Comeback of the Year Award.

The Washington Senators shocked baseball on January 18 when they announced the hiring of Ted Williams as their manager for the 1969 season. In his first season, the Nats improved by 15 games in the standings. The most notable improvement was Williams' work with hitters. Light hitting Ed Brinkman improved from .187 to .266 and long-ball prospect Mike Epstein jumped from 13 HRs and 33 RBIs in 1968 to 30 Hrs and 85 RBIs in 1969. Even Frank Howard improved in HRs from 44 to 48 while reducing his strikeouts from 141 to 96 - breaking a string of 7 straight seasons in triple digit whiffs.

The improvement was short-lived however due largely to demoralizing trades for malcontents Denny McLain and Curt Flood. By 1972, Williams was gone and the Senators were off to Texas.

HOFers Retire

March 1, 1969

After announcing his retirement on March 1st, Mickey Mantle was honored at Yankee Stadium - his number retired and a monument in center field unveiled. At the time of his retirement, Mantle ranked fourth all-time in career home runs, trailing only Ruth (714), Mays (600) and Aaron (554). "I just can't play anymore and I know it," the Mick explained at his farewell news conference.

Topps noted Mantle's retirement on the back of his 1969 card but honored the Yankee star by going ahead with plans to run the Mick's card as #500 in their 1969 card set.

August 11, 1969

Dodger ace Don Drysdale called it quits in August, less than a full season after breaking Walter Johnson's 1913 mark of 56 consecutive scoreles innings. Drysdale had ended up with 58 2/3 innings in 1968 - a record which stood for 20 years when another Dodger righty bested the mark. The Dodger ace cited chronic shoulder problems which limited him to 12 starts and 63 innings.

Drysdale finished with a career mark of 209-166 and was later elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984.

Other Exits

Several veterans earned their releases or retired after the 1968 season. After capping the year with a World Series victory as a pinch-hitter, HOFer Eddie Mathews called it a career with 512 home runs. Other retirees included veteran catchers Elston Howard, Smoky Burgess, Bob Uecker and Earl Battey, former World Series heroes Bill Skowron, Jack Sanford and Johnny Podres - although Podres returned from retirement in April to start 9 games for the expansion Padres before retiring again in June.

June 3, 1969

Stuart was perennially the worst fielding first baseman in the majors. From 1959 through 1961, he hit 85 home runs for the Pirates. He also managed to lead or tie the league for worst fielding percentage every professional season from 1957 - 1964. He earned the nickname Dr. Strangeglove for good reason. Stuart bolted the NL after finishing up the 1966 season with the Dodgers to play in Japan. After 2 season abroad, he appeared in 22 games in 1969 for the Angels before hanging up his glove. In his farewell season, Stuart made only 1 error in 13 games at first base.

August 21, 1969

Righty fork baller Elroy Face set a baseball record which should stand forever, going 18-1 for a .947 winning percentage for the 1959 Pirates. His 15 year career for the Bucs came to an end when he moved to Detroit for the Bengals pennant run in 1968. After failing to make the squad in spring training, Face pitched 44 games for the expansion Expos before earning his release.

October 2, 1969

St. Louis placed first basemen Bill White on the voluntary retirement list. The 5 time all-star hit a career .286 with 202 home runs for the Giants, Phillies and Cardinals. He later worked as a broadcaster and rose to prominence as the President of the National League during the 80s.

NL East

November 27, 1968

The Road to a Miracle began when the Mets traded pitcher Bill Denehy to the Senators for manager Gil Hodges - a rare case where a player is traded for a manager. Hodges brought instant credibility to the youthful Mets.

100

Philadelphia Phillies

Montreal Expos

110

NL West

Atlanta Braves

APRIL 8, 1969

Shades of Mets' past, Mets and Tom Seaver lose at home 11-10 to the Montreal Expos - giving the expansion team a victory in their first ever contest.

June 15, 1969

In the most significant trade of their franchise history, the Mets traded prospects to the Expos for Donn Clendenon, a former Pirates slugger who had put the league in turmoil by rejecting a January 22nd trade to Houston. Clendenon went on to win the World Series MVP award for the Miracle Mets.

San Diego Padres

110

AL East

109

28.5

46.5

July 9, 1969

The Mets took 2 of 3 in a pivotal series against the 1st place Cubs at Shea. In Game 2 of the series, Tom Seaver pitched 8 1/3 innings of perfect ball - before surrendering a weak single to light-hitting Jimmy Qualls.

AL West

July 20, 1969

After absorbing a 16-3 drubbing in game one of a double header with Houston, the Mets surrendered 10 runs in the third inning. Gil Hodges came out to make a pitching change, but instead walked out to left field and escorted Cleon Jones off the field for loafing on a play. Jones went on to hit .340 for the season.

PLAYERS IN TURMOIL

Turmoil between the players and owners began to show in 1969 as the player's union threatened a boycott of Spring Training over the pension fund. As the owners elected Bowie Kuhn as their new Commissioner on February 4, the players and their union head Marvin Miller targeted the elimination of the Reserve Clause with a new gambit - threatening retirement.

On January 22, the Expos traded Donn Clendenon to Houston in a deal which brought them the popular Rusty Staub. On February 28, Clendenon stunned the Astros when he announced his retirement. NL President Giles refused to accept the retirement application and Kuhn ruled that the deal stands. Eventually the Expos surrendered pitchers Jack Billingham and Skip Guinn to complete the deal but Clendenon relented and returned to Montreal - earning a large raise in the process. After only 38 games in Montreal, Clendenon was dealt to the Mets for whom he went on to World Series glory.

Just after the season began, the identical scenario was replayed in Boston when the Red Sox traded reigning RBI champ Ken "Hawk" Harrelson to the Indians. Harrelson immediately announced his "retirement" - relenting a week later when Cleveland agreed to doubling his salary.

Tigers slugger Willie Horton reacted to booing on May 15th at Tiger Stadium by leaving the team without permission for five days. Yankee first sacker Joe Pepitone also earned fines for leaving the team twice during throughout the 1969 season.

Phillies slugger Richie Allen was suspended on June 24th when he failed to show up for a double header in New York. The slugger sat out until July 19th over the dispute, which triggered his off-season trade to the Cardinals for a package of Cardinals including Curt Flood.

Despite finishing the season 20-12, right hander Dave Boswell is best remembered for his altercation in the parking lot outside a bar with manager Billy Martin - the first of many battles for the feisty skipper.

On August 1st, manager Dick Williams fined and benched reigning batting champion Carl Yastrzemski for not hustling. Before the end of the season, the feud would cost Williams his job at Fenway.

Long-time Cardinals outfielder Curt Flood was traded on October 8th to the Phillies in a deal involving Richie Allen. On December 29, 1969, Flood announced his intention to refuse to report to Philadephia, sit out for the 1970 season, and challenge Baseball's Reserve Clause in the Courts. It wasn't until 1971 that Flood ultimately lost his case in front of the Supreme Court - by then his playing career was ended.

September 8-9, 1969

The Mets swept the Cubs in a 2 game series at Shea - cutting a 2 1/2 game deficit to 1/2 game. A Black Cat ran on the field at the beginning of the first game, setting the stage for the Mets Magic to come. In game one, Wayne Garrett singled home Tommie Agee in the 6th with the go-ahead run on a close play at the plate. Cub catcher Randy Hundley thought he applied the tag on the sliding Agee - protested famously but to no avail. The Mets won 3-2 behind Jerry Koosman. In the second game, Tom Seaver beat the Cubs 7-1 for his 21st victory as Donn Clendenon belted a 2-run home run. The following day the Mets won a double-header from Montreal to move into first place for keeps.

September 12, 1969

The Mets' Road to the Miracle continued with a double header sweep at home over the Pirates with two 1-0 scores. Most unusual about the sweep was that the only runs scored that day were driven in by Mets picthers Koosman and Cardwell.

September 15, 1969

The Miracle continues as the Mets survive a record-breaking 19 strikeout performance by Steve Carlton to defeat the Cardinals 4-3. Ron Swoboda - who heard the boo birds at Shea when he whiffed 5 times against the Cards (2 by Lefty) - provided all the offense with two 2-run homers.

September 24 - 9:07 PM

Joe Torre grounded into a double play setting off pandemonium at Shea - the twin killing sealed a 6-0 victory for Gary Gentry and clinched the NL East title for the Miracles Mets.

Trailing the Cubs by 8 1/2 games on August 14, the Mets went 38 and 11 to close out the season.

PLAYERS IN TRIUMPH

An incredible six no-hitters were tossed during the 1969 campaign, including a pair of back-to-back no hitters for only the 2nd time in history (it was done previously in 1968). Jim Maloney pitched his 3rd career no-hitter on April 30th beating the Astros 10-0. Don Wilson returned the favor the next day, holding the Reds to zero hits in a 4-0 triumph. The first no-hitter of the season was tossed by Expo Bill Stoneman, who shackle the Phillies 7-0 on April 17th. The only AL no hitter came on August 10th when Jim Palmer beat the A's 8-0. The most unusual white wash was on August 18th by Ken Holtzman against Atlanta. The lefty surrendered no hits but also registered no strikeouts in the 3-0 victory. The final blanking came on September 29th when a 21 year old Bob Moose shut down the Miracle Mets at Shea 4-0.

Pete Rose won the NL batting crown with a .348 average, besting Roberto Clemente (.340) and Cleon Jones (.340). Willie McCovey took the NL MVP by leading the circuit in HRs (45) and RBIs (126). Tom Seaver won the NL Cy Young award posting a 25-7 mark or the champion Mets.

Rod Carew won his first batting title with a .332 mark by a wide margin over Reggie Smith and Tony Oliva (both .309). Harmon Killebrew won the AL MVP by leading the major leagues in HRs with 49 and RBIs with 140. 1968 Cy Young Winner Denny McLain was the co-winner in 1969 with Mike Cuellar.

Orioles star Dave McNally tied Johnny Allen's 1937 record for victories at the start of the season when he broke out of the gate with 15 consecutive victories.

Perennial prospect Lou Piniella broke through with a .282 season to capture the AL Rookie of the Year award for the expansion Royals. Infielder Ted Sizemore swatted .271 and played an excellent in 118 games at 2nd base for the Dodgers to capture the NL Rookie award.

October 6, 1969

Entering the game with 2nd and 3rd, no outs and down 2-0 in the 3rd inning of Game Two, Nolan Ryan whiffed Carty and Boyer en route to 7 Ks and a win in the pivotal contest.

The Mets went on to sweep the Braves and advance to the World Series.

October 12, 1969

Bouncing back from a 4-1 defeat in Game 1, Donn Clendenon homered and light-hitting Al Weis drove in the winning run in the 9th to even the series. Jerry Koosman no-hit the Orioles for 6 innings - finishing with a 2 hit, 2-0 victory.

October 14, 1969

Tommie Agee made two spectacular catches to hold off the Birds 5-0 behind Gentry and Ryan. Agee was picked up before the 1968 season in the Tommy Davis but batted a weak .217 with 103 strike outs and only 17 RBIs. During the Miracle season, Agee improved to .276 with 26 HRs and 76 RBIs.

October 15, 1969

Ron Swoboda's classic diving catch preserved a 1-1 tie in the top of the 9th of Game 4. Donn Clendenon's 2nd inning homer had given Tom Seaver a 1-0 lead. More Miracles awaited in the bottom of the 10th - pitcher Pete Richert hit JC Martin in the back on a sacrifice attempt allowing the winning run to score.

October 16, 1969

The Mets overcame an early 3-0 deficit to clinch the World Series in Five Games. Behind Jerry Koosman, the Mets rallied on a 2 run home run by Donn Clendenon following a controversial play where manager Gil Hodges presented a ball scuffed with shoe polish to convince the umpire Cleon Jones had been hit by a Dave McNally pitch.

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