Jerry Koosman

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Koosman's journey began in unlikely fashion; he was discovered by John Lucchese, the son of a Shea Stadium usher, while serving in the Army. His path to the majors faced an early hurdle when assistant farm director Joe McDonald had to request his retention in 1966 because Koosman owed the team money wired for car repairs en route to spring training. In 1968, he shattered franchise records with a 19–12 record, seven shutouts, and a 2.08 ERA, breaking marks set by teammate Tom Seaver. That same year, the National League All-Star Game ended in a rare 1–0 score, with Koosman earning the save by striking out Carl Yastrzemski for the final out. He finished as the runner-up to Johnny Bench for the National League Rookie of the Year and earned his first of two All-Star selections.

In Their Own Story

In 1969, after trailing the Chicago Cubs by as many as 9½ games, Koosman helped lead the Mets to an unexpected National League East title. His performance in Game Two of the NLCS was rough, yielding six runs including a Hank Aaron home run, but the team swept the series. The true magic occurred in the 1969 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. In Game Five at Shea Stadium, Koosman allowed two home runs to fall behind 3–0. The Mets rallied with a two-run homer by Donn Clendenon and a tying blast by Al Weis, who had hit only six career homers prior to that night. After scoring two in the eighth for the lead, Koosman walked Frank Robinson to start the ninth but retired the next three hitters to seal the victory and the World Series. Left fielder Cleon Jones gave Koosman the game ball for this final out, a moment he cherished until selling it in the early 1990s.

Reader's Guide

Koosman remained a cornerstone of Mets pitching through the turbulent early 1970s. In 1973, despite a losing record, he set a franchise mark with 31⅔ consecutive scoreless innings and helped the team overtake the Cubs again to win the NL East. He was the winning pitcher in Game Five of that year's World Series against Oakland, holding them scoreless for 6⅓ innings before the A's completed their repeat championship. His final years in New York saw a sharp decline; after a career-best 21-win season in 1976, he slumped to 8–20 in 1977 and 3–15 in 1978 as the team deteriorated following Tom Seaver's trade. At his request, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins in December 1978, with Jesse Orosco eventually completing that deal. Koosman retired after the 1985 season with a 222–209 record and 3.36 ERA. The Mets retired his number 36 on August 28, 2021.

Did You Know?

• Koosman nearly lost his job in 1966 when he owed the Mets money for a car repair; assistant farm director Joe McDonald insisted they keep him until he paid it back.
• In the 1–0 1968 All-Star Game, Koosman pitched the scoreless ninth inning and struck out Carl Yastrzemski to record the save.
• Al Weis hit a tying home run in Game Five of the 1969 World Series despite having only six career homers at that point, none of which were hit in a home game prior.
• Koosman sold his Game 5 World Series ball (given to him by Cleon Jones) in the early 1990s, and its current whereabouts are unknown.
• He was sentenced to six months in federal prison in September 2009 for misdemeanor tax evasion related to unpaid taxes from 2002–2004.