1964 New York Mets season

{{Infobox baseball team season

| name = New York Mets

| season = 1964

| image = New York Mets Insignia (1962 to 1992).svg

| league = National League

| ballpark = Shea Stadium

| city = New York

| record = {{winpct|53|109|record=y}}

| league_place = 10th

| owners = Joan Whitney Payson

| general_managers = George Weiss

| managers = Casey Stengel

| television = WOR-TV

| radio = WHN
(Ralph Kiner, Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy)

}}

The New York Mets played their third regular season in 1964. They went 53–109 and finished tenth in the National League, 40 games behind the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals. They were managed by Casey Stengel. They played home games at Shea Stadium, which opened on April 17 of that year. This was Stengel's final full season as manager.

Offseason

October 10, 1963: Jack Fisher was drafted by the Mets from the San Francisco Giants in a 1963 special draft.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fisheja01.shtml Jack Fisher page at Baseball Reference]

Regular season

One high point of Shea Stadium's first season came on Father's Day, when Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning threw a perfect game against the Mets, the first in the National League since 1880. For perhaps the only time in the stadium's history, the Shea faithful found themselves rooting for the visitors, caught up in the rare achievement, and roaring for Bunning on every pitch in the ninth inning.{{cite news|quote=The Phils won the contest...before 32,904 fans who were screaming for Bunning during the last two innings...Yesterday's perfect pitching turned the usually loyal Met fans into Bunning fans in the late innings. From the seventh inning on...Bunning had the crowd...behind him.|title=Bunning Pitches a Perfect Game; Mets Are Perfect Victims, 6 to 0|date=June 22, 1964|first=Gordon S. Jr.|last=White|newspaper=New York Times|page=1}} His strikeout of John Stephenson capped the performance.

Another high point was Shea Stadium's hosting of the All-Star Game. Johnny Callison's ninth-inning three-run home run off Dick Radatz capped a four-run rally and gave the National League a 7–4 win over the American League in that game, which evened the series at seventeen wins for each league.

The stadium also saw pitcher Masanori Murakami of the San Francisco Giants become the first Japanese player to appear in the Major Leagues. He

entered the game in the ninth inning of the Giants' 4–1 loss to the Mets

Unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in the final hectic weekend of the 1964 season, the Mets relished the role of spoiler, beating the Cardinals in St. Louis on Friday and Saturday (keeping alive the hopes of the Phillies, Giants, and Reds) before succumbing to the eventual National League champions on Sunday.

= Season standings =

= Record vs. opponents =

= Notable transactions =

April 6, 1964: Darrell Sutherland was selected off waivers by the Mets from the Philadelphia Phillies as a first-year waiver pick.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sutheda01.shtml Darrell Sutherland page at Baseball Reference]
April 23, 1964: Chico Fernández, Bobby Catton (minors), and cash were traded by the Mets to the Chicago White Sox for Charley Smith.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/smithch04.shtml Charley Smith page at Baseball Reference]
August 7, 1964: Frank Thomas was traded by the Mets to the Philadelphia Phillies for Wayne Graham, Gary Kroll, and cash.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/t/thomafr03.shtml Frank Thomas page at Baseball Reference]
August 8, 1964: Frank Lary was traded by the Mets to the Milwaukee Braves for Dennis Ribant and cash.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/r/ribande01.shtml Dennis Ribant page at Baseball Reference]
August 27, 1964: Jerry Koosman was signed as an amateur free agent by the Mets.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/k/koosmje01.shtml Jerry Koosman page at Baseball Reference]

= Shea Stadium =

The Mets' new home park was originally to be called "Flushing Meadows Stadium" – the name of the public park on which it was built – but a movement was launched to name it in honor of William A. Shea, the man who brought National League baseball back to New York. After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, with the Mets losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, led by Roberto Clemente and Bill Mazeroski, 4–3 before a crowd of 50,312.{{Cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=196404170NYN|title = Box Score of Game played on Friday, April 17, 1964 at Shea Stadium}} Shea was a circular stadium, with the grandstand forming a perfect circle around the field and ending a short distance beyond the foul lines. The remainder of the perimeter was mostly empty space beyond the outfield fences. This space was occupied by the bullpens, the scoreboard, and the centerfield "batter's eye" backdrop. The stadium boasted 54 restrooms, 21 escalators and seats for 57,343. It was big, airy, sparkling, with a massive 86' x 175' scoreboard. Also, rather than the standard light towers, Shea had lamps along its upper reaches, like a convoy of semis with their brights on, which gave the field that unique high-wattage glow. Praised for its convenience, even its elegance, Shea was deemed a showplace.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=moehringer/080929&sportCat=mlb|title=Moehringer: One last trip home - ESPN Page 2}}

Roster

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"
colspan="10" style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992\|border=2}}; text-align: center;" \| 1964 New York Mets
colspan="10" style="{{Baseball secondary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992\|border=2}}; text-align: center;" \| Roster
valign="top" \| Pitchers {{MLBplayer\|20\|Craig Anderson}} {{MLBplayer\|38\|Ed Bauta}} {{MLBplayer\|31\|Larry Bearnarth}} {{MLBplayer\|26\|Galen Cisco}} {{MLBplayer\|39\|Steve Dillon}} {{MLBplayer\|22\|Jack Fisher}} {{MLBplayer\|24\|Jerry Hinsley}} {{MLBplayer\|47\|Jay Hook}} {{MLBplayer\|38\|Willard Hunter}} {{MLBplayer\|15\|Al Jackson}} {{MLBplayer\|25\|Gary Kroll}} {{MLBplayer\|17\|Frank Lary}} {{MLBplayer\|45\|Ron Locke}} {{MLBplayer\|27\|Tom Parsons}} {{MLBplayer\|17\|Dennis Ribant}} {{MLBplayer\|36\|Tracy Stallard}} {{MLBplayer\|47\|Tom Sturdivant}} {{MLBplayer\|43\|Darrell Sutherland}} {{MLBplayer\|43\|Bill Wakefield}} {{MLBplayer\|28\|Carlton Willey}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Catchers {{MLBplayer\| 8\|Chris Cannizzaro}} {{MLBplayer\|12\|Jesse Gonder}} {{MLBplayer\|19\|Hawk Taylor}} Infielders {{MLBplayer\| 6\|Larry Burright}} {{MLBplayer\| 4\|Wayne Graham}} {{MLBplayer\| 3\|Tim Harkness}} {{MLBplayer\|33\|Ron Hunt}} {{MLBplayer\|10\|Rod Kanehl}} {{MLBplayer\| 6\|Bobby Klaus}} {{MLBplayer\|21\|Ed Kranepool}} {{MLBplayer\|11\|Roy McMillan}} {{MLBplayer\|40\|Al Moran}} {{MLBplayer\| 7\|Amado Samuel}} {{MLBplayer\| 1\|Charley Smith}} {{MLBplayer\|16\|Dick Smith}} {{MLBplayer\|49\|John Stephenson}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Outfielders {{MLBplayer\| 2\|George Altman}} {{MLBplayer\|23\|Joe Christopher}} {{MLBplayer\|42\|Larry Elliot}} {{MLBplayer\| 9\|Jim Hickman}} {{MLBplayer\|25\|Frank Thomas}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Manager {{MLBplayer\|37\|Casey Stengel}} Coaches {{MLBplayer\|53\|Mel Harder}} (Pitching) {{MLBplayer\|52\|Don Heffner}} (Third base) {{MLBplayer\|54\|Sheriff Robinson}} (Bullpen) {{MLBplayer\|51\|Wes Westrum}} (First base)

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"

colspan="10" style="{{Baseball primary style|New York Mets 1962thru1992|border=2}}; text-align: center;" | 1964 New York Mets

colspan="10" style="{{Baseball secondary style|New York Mets 1962thru1992|border=2}}; text-align: center;" | Roster

valign="top" | Pitchers

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Catchers

Infielders

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Outfielders

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Manager

Coaches

{{MLBplayer|53|Mel Harder}} (Pitching)

{{MLBplayer|52|Don Heffner}} (Third base)

{{MLBplayer|54|Sheriff Robinson}} (Bullpen)

{{MLBplayer|51|Wes Westrum}} (First base)

Player stats

style="background-color:#FFCC00; border:1px solid #aaaaaa; width:2em;" |

| = Indicates team leader

= Batting =

== Starters by position ==

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="5%" \| Pos ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="16%" \| Player ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| G ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| AB ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| R ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| H ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| Avg. ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| HR ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| RBI ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| SB
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| C	{{sortname\|Jesse\|Gonder}}	131	341	28	92	.270	7	35	0
align="center" \| 1B	{{sortname\|Ed\|Kranepool}}	119	420	47	108	.257	10	45	0
align="center" \| 2B	{{sortname\|Ron\|Hunt}}	127	475	59	144	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|.303	6	42	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|6
align="center" \| 3B	{{sortname\|Charley\|Smith}}	127	443	44	106	.239	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|20	58	2
align="center" \| SS	{{sortname\|Roy\|McMillan}}	113	379	30	80	.211	1	25	3
align="center" \| LF	{{sortname\|George\|Altman}}	124	422	48	97	.230	9	47	4
align="center" \| CF	{{sortname\|Jim\|Hickman\|Jim Hickman (1960s outfielder)}}	139	409	48	105	.257	11	57	0
align="center" \| RF	{{sortname\|Joe\|Christopher}}	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|154	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|543	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|78	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|163	.300	16	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|76	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|6

{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1964.shtml|title = 1964 New York Mets Statistics}}

== Other batters ==

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="16%" \| Player ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| G ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| AB ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| R ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| H ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| Avg. ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| HR ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| RBI ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| SB
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Rod\|Kanehl}}	98	254	25	59	.232	1	11	3
align="center" \| Hawk Taylor	92	225	20	54	.240	4	23	0
align="center" \| Larry Elliot	80	224	27	51	.228	9	22	1
align="center" \| Bobby Klaus	56	209	25	51	.244	2	11	3
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Frank\|Thomas\|Frank Thomas (outfielder)}}	60	197	19	50	.254	3	19	1
align="center" \| Chris Cannizzaro	60	164	11	51	.311	0	10	0
align="center" \| Amado Samuel	53	142	7	33	.232	0	5	0
align="center" \| Tim Harkness	39	117	11	33	.282	2	13	1
align="center" \| Dick Smith	46	94	14	21	.223	0	3	6
align="center" \| {{sortname\|John\|Stephenson\|John Stephenson (baseball)}}	37	57	2	9	.158	1	2	0
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Wayne\|Graham}}	20	33	1	3	.091	0	0	0
align="center" \| Al Moran	16	22	2	5	.227	0	4	0
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Larry\|Burright}}	3	7	0	0	.000	0	0	0

= Pitching =

== Starting pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="16%" \| Player ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| G ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| IP ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| W ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| L ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| ERA ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Jack\|Fisher}}	40	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|227.2	10	17	4.23	115
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Tracy\|Stallard}}	36	225.2	10	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|20	3.79	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|118
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Al\|Jackson}}	40	213.1	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|11	16	4.26	112
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Galen\|Cisco}}	36	191.2	6	19	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|3.62	78
align="center"

== Other pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="16%" \| Player ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| G ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| IP ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| W ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| L ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| ERA ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| Dennis Ribant	14	57.2	1	5	5.15	35
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Frank\|Lary}}	13	57.1	2	3	4.55	27
align="center" \| Carl Willey	14	30.0	0	2	3.60	14
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Darrell\|Sutherland}}	10	26.2	0	3	7.76	9
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Gary\|Kroll}}	8	21.2	0	1	4.15	24
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Tom\|Parsons\|Tom Parsons (baseball)}}	4	19.1	1	2	4.19	10
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Jerry\|Hinsley}}	9	15.1	0	2	8.22	11
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Craig\|Anderson\|Craig Anderson (right-handed pitcher)}}	4	13.0	0	1	5.54	5
align="center" \| Jay Hook	3	9.2	0	1	9.31	5

== Relief pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="16%" \| Player ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| G ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| W ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| L ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| SV ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| ERA ! style="{{Baseball primary style\|New York Mets 1962thru1992}} width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Willard\|Hunter}}	41	3	3	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|5	4.41	22
align=center \| {{sortname\|Bill\|Wakefield}}	bgcolor="#FFCC00"\|62	3	5	2	3.61	61
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Larry\|Bearnarth}}	44	5	5	3	4.15	31
align="center" \| Ron Locke	25	1	2	0	3.48	17
align="center" \| Tom Sturdivant	16	0	0	1	5.97	18
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Ed\|Bauta}}	8	0	2	1	5.40	3
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Steve\|Dillon\|Steve Dillon (baseball)}}	2	0	0	0	0.00	0

Farm system

{{MLB Farm System|level16=AAA|team16=Buffalo Bisons|league16=International League|manager16=Whitey Kurowski

|level17=AA |team17=Williamsport Mets|league17=Eastern League|manager17=Ernie White

|level18=A |team18=Salinas Mets|league18=California League|manager18=Kerby Farrell

|level19=A |team19=Auburn Mets|league19=New York–Penn League|manager19=Clyde McCullough

|level20=Rookie|team20=[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=3c76fd2d Cocoa Mets]|league20=Cocoa Rookie League|manager20=Ken Deal

}}

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Auburn

Notes

References

[https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1964.shtml 1964 New York Mets at Baseball Reference]
[http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1964&t=NYN 1964 New York Mets team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]
{{Cite book| editor1-last=Johnson| editor1-first=Lloyd| editor2-last=Wolff| editor2-first=Miles| title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball| edition=2nd| location=Durham, North Carolina| publisher=Baseball America| year=1997| isbn=978-0-9637189-8-3}}

Category:New York Mets seasons

New York Mets season

New York Mets

Category:1960s in Queens