1973 National League Pennant

Lore & Background

Despite their regular-season dominance, the season ended in heartbreak. In the World Series against the Oakland Athletics, the Mets took an early lead and held a commanding position, only to see the A's mount a historic comeback.

In Their Own Story

The late summer sun beat down on the scorched grass of Shea Stadium as Tom Seaver stepped onto the mound for Game 5. The crowd was a sea of orange and blue, their chants rising above the crack of the bat. With two outs and the bases loaded, Seaver nodded to his catcher, locked eyes with the batter, and delivered a fastball that seemed to hang in the air before dropping into the glove. It wasn't just a strikeout; it was a statement that this team would fight for every inch of the diamond until the final out.

Reader's Guide

The 1973 National League Pennant was secured after the Mets finished first in the NL East, winning their division by five games over the Chicago Cubs. This victory marked their second pennant in four years, solidifying their status as a perennial contender. Tom Seaver's performance was pivotal; he won 20 games and pitched with such dominance that he earned unanimous Cy Young Award honors, anchoring the rotation throughout the grueling season. The team clinched the division title on September 26, 1973, in a game against the Houston Astros at Shea Stadium, sparking wild celebrations among the faithful who had waited four years for another shot at October glory.

Did You Know?

• Tom Seaver won the Cy Young Award unanimously in 1973, his second of three consecutive wins.
• The Mets became the first team to win a division title after starting the season with a losing record.
• The team featured a young Jerry Grote who would later become a key figure in the franchise's history.