RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
The New York Mets faced off against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, September 23, 1970, at Connie Mack Stadium. The Mets, who had won the World Series in the previous season, were looking to regain their championship form, while the Phillies were in the midst of a rebuilding phase. On the mound for the Mets was Ray Sadecki, a seasoned left-hander who had been acquired from the San Francisco Giants in 1969. For the Phillies, Chris Short, a reliable veteran and two-time All-Star, took the start. This was a time when the league was witnessing a surge in offensive power, marked by an increase in home runs and batting averages.
The game kicked off with a back-and-forth between the two teams. The Phillies drew first blood in the first inning, capitalizing on a Mets' error. The Mets responded in the third inning to even the score. However, the Phillies took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning, thanks to a two-run homer by Larry Hisle. The Mets clawed back in the sixth inning, tying the game at 3-3, only for the Phillies to regain the lead in the bottom half. The Mets' batters, however, were undeterred. In the eighth inning, Donn Clendenon hit a two-run homer, giving the Mets a lead they would not relinquish.
In the end, the Mets emerged victorious with a 5-4 win. The game was notable for its pitching changes, with the Mets using five pitchers and the Phillies three. Tug McGraw, who would later become a Phillies legend, earned the win for the Mets, while Dick Selma took the loss for the Phillies. Clendenon was the offensive star of the game, with his eighth-inning home run proving to be the game-winner.
The 1970 season was a mixed bag for both teams. The Mets, despite their victory in this game, could not replicate their championship run from the previous year, finishing in third place in the National League East. The Phillies, on the other hand, ended up in the cellar of the same division. However, this season marked the beginning of their slow climb to their first World Series title in 1980. As for the league, the season was dominated by the Cincinnati Reds, who won the National League pennant, and the Baltimore Orioles, who won the World Series. The 1970 season also saw Johnny Bench of the Reds and Boog Powell of the Orioles winning the Most Valuable Player awards in their respective leagues.
On May 1, 1970, a tightly contested matchup took place at San Diego Stadium...
1970 New York Mets vs San Diego Padres - Radio Broadcast / On May 1, 1970, a tightly contested matchup took place at San Diego Stadium between the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres. The Mets, led by their ace pitcher Tom Seaver, were looking to build momentum early in the season. San Diego, with Al Santorini on the mound, aimed to fend off the visiting Mets in front of their home crowd. This game came during a period when both teams were establishing their identities in the league, with the Mets still riding high from their miraculous 1969 World Series win and the Padres continuing their struggles as a relatively new franchise established in 1968.
The game's tempo was set by dominant pitching, with Seaver and Santorini both keeping runs off the board through the first two innings. The Mets broke the deadlock in the third inning when Bud Harrelson doubled and later scored along with Tommie Agee, driven in by a clutch single from Donn Clendenon. This burst gave the Mets a lead they managed to maintain throughout most of the game. The Padres responded in the sixth with a solo home run from Chris Huntz, but they struggled to capitalize further despite several opportunities, which included leaving runners in scoring positions in the later innings.
The Mets held on to win the game 2-1, a typical example of their season's reliance on strong pitching performances and timely hitting. Tom Seaver's excellence on the mound was a recurring theme throughout the year as he led the Mets with dominant performances, encapsulating the era's pitching-driven approach to the game. Although the Mets did not repeat their World Series appearance, they remained competitive, while the Padres ended the season at the bottom of their division, reflecting their ongoing growing pains as a franchise.
On a crisp Saturday, September 2, 1967, the Chicago White Sox faced off against the...
Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox - Radio Broadcast / On a crisp Saturday, September 2, 1967, the Chicago White Sox faced off against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. the White Sox were led by pitcher Joe Horlen, who was having a stellar season with a 14-6 record at the time. the Red Sox countered with their own star, Jim Lonborg, who was enjoying an 18-6 season. the 1967 season was a pivotal one for both teams, with the White Sox looking to improve their standing in the American League and the Red Sox in the midst of the "Impossible Dream" season, where they were making a strong push towards the World Series after finishing ninth the previous year. the league was buzzing with anticipation, as the Red Sox's Carl Yastrzemski was on track for a Triple Crown season, a feat not achieved since 1947.
the game started with a bang for the White Sox, who scored three runs in the first inning, led by Rocky Colavito's double that drove in two runs. the Red Sox defense, usually reliable, faltered in the first inning, leading to an early deficit. the Red Sox managed to get on the board in the fourth inning with a run driven in by Ken Harrelson, but the White Sox's pitching held them in check for the rest of the game. Horlen, in particular, was masterful, scattering six hits over nine innings while striking out four. the White Sox added an insurance run in the sixth inning, increasing their lead to 4-1.
As the game progressed, the White Sox maintained their lead, thanks to a strong performance from their bullpen. Boston's Lonborg was replaced by reliever Dan Osinski after seven innings, having given up four runs on nine hits. the White Sox's defense also stepped up, turning a key double play in the first inning to halt a potential Red Sox rally. the game ended with the White Sox victorious, 4-1, marking a significant win for the team in the late stages of the season.
In the broader context of the 1967 season, this game was a key moment. Despite the loss, the Red Sox would go on to win the American League pennant in a dramatic finish, famously known as the "Impossible Dream" season. They would eventually lose to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Yastrzemski would indeed secure the Triple Crown, leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in, a bright spot in a season filled with highs and lows. Meanwhile, the White Sox would finish fourth in the American League, a respectable finish but short of their championship aspirations.
