Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - A Classic Fall Classic: 1969

Episode Date: November 28, 2020

Jason Block from 8ThreeStudios guest hosts this episode, which looks back upon the 1969 World Series between the powerhouse Baltimore Orioles and the amazin' New York Mets. A classic and thrilling World Series, in which one team would score a seemingly miraculous victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Here's your host, filling in for D.C. Lundberg, Jason Block. Thank you very much, Joey Martin. I am Jason Block of 83 Studios.com. That is the number 83 Studios.com filling in for D.C. Lungberg here on Locked on Mariner's, part of the Locked-on podcast network. Please remember to download, rate, and subscribe to this program on whichever podcast app that you prefer. You can follow us on Twitter at at L.O. underscore Mariners, and of course you follow me on

Twitter at Beat the Block. So today, we're going to look back at a World Series which was amazing, the 1969 World Series. The Amazing Mets faced off against the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles were becoming an American League powerhouse, winning 109 games during the regular season in 1969, led by a spectacular starting rotation. Their offense was also powerful, ranking second in the American League in batting average, slugging, and runs scored. The Mets, on the other hand, had been the laughing stock of Major League Baseball since their first season in 1962, and had never finished before above 500. However, this season, they'd record 100 victories. Their offense was ranked in the middle of the pack in most categories, but like the Orioles, they had a great starting

rotation featuring Future Hall of Famer Tom Terrific, the recently deceased Tom Seaver. 1969 was also the season Major League Baseball instituted divisional play, giving birth to the league championship series. Both of these series ended in three game sweeps, with the Mets taking down the Atlanta Braves, and the Orioles besting the Minnesota Twins. Most experts favored the Orioles going into this World Series, and many people figured it would take a miracle for the Mets to win it all. So, game one took place on October 11th, 1969, in Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

Starting for the Orioles was 23-game winner Mike Quelyar, and he'd be opposed by the Great Tom Seaver. After the Mets failed to score on the top of the first, Don Bufor took the first pitch he saw from Seaver over the right-field wall to give his Orioles the quickest one-to-nothing lead. you can imagine. The Orioles would extend that lead in the fourth inning. With two out, Elrod Hendricks would single and future Mets manager Dave Johnson would walk. Mark Belanger then came to the plate and he'd single home Hendricks. Mike Quelyar would then hit a single of his own to score Johnson. Don Buford then

doubled scoring Belanger and giving the Orioles a four-nothing lead. Mets would answer in the seventh with Don Clendenin, scoring on a sacrifice fly, but that would be the last. lone run the Mets could muster that day, and they'd fall four to one. Hoya turned to complete game, striking out eight, and allowing that lone run and a scattering six hits. The next day, the Mets looked to Jerry Kuzman to improve their fortunes. And while the O's sent Dave McNally to the mound, this would prove to be a great pitcher's duel.

McNally would turn in four, one, two, three innings, while Kuzman set the birds down one, two, three, and six of his innings. The Mets began the scoring on the top of the fourth, with Dodgers. Clendenin hitting a lean-off home run. The O's would answer in the seventh, with Paul Blair scoring on a Brooks Robinson single to tie the ball game. Both teams went down in order in the eighth inning. It was still tied one-to-one going into the ninth. With two out and two-one on base for the Mets, Al-Wise singled home Ed Charles to reclaim the lead for New York at two-to-one. Jerry Cousman went back to the mound on the bottom of the ninth with that two-to-one lead. After retiring the first two

batters, he'd walk both Frank Robinson and Boog Powell. And with Brooke Robinson coming up, he'd be relieved by Ron Taylor. Taylor did his job and got Brooks to ground out, ending the ballgame and giving the Mets a one-to-one series tie. Both starters pitched brilliantly, and that final at bat was the only at bat in the game pitched by a reliever. The sherry shifted to New York for game three on October 14, 1969 at Shea Stadium. The Orioles did not score against Garrier, Gertrary in the top of the first. Then Tommy Agee made a statement leaning off of the Mets. He set the first pitch he saw from future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer over the

center field wall for an instant one-to-nothing lead. New York would score two more in the second with starting pitcher Gary Gentry hitting a two-run double. They tack on another run in the sixth with Jerry Grotie doubling in Tom Boswell. While Gentry didn't exactly shut down the O's, he didn't allow a run in his six-and-two-thirds innings. He did walk five, however, so the Orioles did have scoring opportunities, but they couldn't cash them in. Nolan Ryan, remember him, relieved Gentry in the 7th after Gentry walked the bases loaded with two outs.

Paul Blair lined out to end the inning, putting the rest the bird's best chance to do some damage. The Mets ended on an insurance run in the 8th on an Ed Cranpool solo home run. Baltimore failed to score in the 9th, and the Mets took game 3 by a 5-0 final. final. We'll talk about the remaining game shortly, but first, this word from Bilt Bar. If you haven't tried Bilt Bar yet, do it. They're great-tasting protein bars covered in 100% real chocolate. They're low in sugar, calories, and carbohydrates. They're gluten-free, and for someone like me who's allergic to nuts, their nut-free flavors are all produced in a nut-free facility. They come in 18 delicious flavors, and also don't forget about boost drink powder and

Built Go Energy shots. All this can be found at Builtbar.com. That's B-U-I-L-T-B-A-R.com. And if you use the promo Locked-on at checkout, you'll get 20% off your next order. Builtbar.com promo code locked-on

to get 20% off of your next order. If you have a question or comment, send it to Locked-on Mariners at gmail.com and D.C. will read it and reply to it on the air. Questions and comments on any subject are welcome, but remember that this is a family show, so please keep it appropriate. Locked-on Mariners will continue looking back at the 1969 World Series right after this. Welcome to the second half of Lockdown Mariners. Here's your guest host, Jason Block.

Much thanks again, J.M. I'm Jason Block filling in today for D.C. Longberg talking about the Memorial and Amazing 1969 World Series. We left off after Game 3, and New York currently has a... two games to one lead over Baltimore. Game four took place on Wednesday, October 15th, 1969 in Shea Stadium would be another clothly-fault, exciting pitchers duel. This was also a rematch of Game 1, Quayar versus Seaver. The Mets would be first on board with Don Clendenin and a lean-off home run in the second inning. Both teams would trade zeros for much of the rest of the ball game. While Quayar gave up seven hits and in seven innings of work, they were

more or less scattered. That one-to-nothing lead would hold up going into the ninth inning. With Tom Terrific, still on the mound, Frank Robinson and Booge Powell both hit singles with one out. With those runners on the corners, Brooks Robinson would step up and had a sack fly to score Robinson, tied the ballgame. Elrod Hendrix would line out to end the inning,

but the O's had gotten on the board and almost the last possible minute. The Mets failed to score in the ninth, sending the ballgame into extra innings. The Mets sent Sever back to the mound for the 10th, Wow. Baltimore didn't score, despite getting two runners on base. Jerry Grotie would lead off the bottom of the 10th with a double for the Mets. Al Weiss was then intentionally walked, bringing up Siever's spot in the order.

Pinch hitter J.C. Martin came to bat with the intention of sacrifice bunting both runners along. He bunted the ball back to the pitcher and ran hard out of the box, but inside the baseline. Peter Rickert, fielded the bunt and his throw to first base hit Martin in the back. Grotty scored the winning run as the ball rolled away. and the Mets take home a hard four two to one victory and were now just one win away from the 1969 World Series championship. Game 5 was the next day, October 16th, with amazing attendance of 57,000, 397 fans packing Shea Stadium hoping to see the completion of a miracle. The wind would be taken out of their sales in the third inning with Baltimore, the first on board. pitcher Dave McNally hit a two-run home run, and later in that same inning,

Frank Robinson would add a solo home run. New York began to chip away in the sixth, with Don Clendening hitting a two-run home run of his own. Al Weiss would tie up the ballgame leading the seventh with a solo home run. The Mets would apply the Kudegra in the eighth. Ron Swoboda would double home Cleon Jones for a four-to-three lead, then one batter later would score on an error. Five to three was the Mets lead heading into the ninth, and that five to three score would prove to be the final as the New York Mets, the Amazing Mets, the Miracle Mets, took home their first World Series title.

This was also their first season in which they had a regular season record of 500 or better to boot. Don Clendeninternon was World Series MVP. Baltimore, though, had a chip on their shoulder and took next year's Fall Classic in 1970 against Cincinnati. This series was best remembered for Brooks Robinson's spectacular defense at third base. That'll do it for this one. We'll be discussing another classic world series on our next episode. Please remember to download, rate, and subscribe to Lockdown Mariners. Look for us on any podcasting app that may spring to mind.

Follow the show on Twitter at Lockdown underscore Mariners, and follow me on Twitter at Beat Bloc. My name is Jason Block. I hope you enjoyed this look back at the 1969 World Series, and of course, we'll see you next time here on the... the Locked-on Mariners and the Locked-on Podcast Network. This is Joey Martin, speaking for Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.