Tom Seaver

When somebody finally goes into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a unanimous selection, the sport will have a new unbreakable record to put next the nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning.

This is a special season for the New York Mets franchise.

It was 25 years ago this October that they last won the World Series. Since that time, fans have endured too many hardships to review here.

There has also been too many media reflections on the '86 Mets and their spectacular run that season.

If you're a Mets fan, you are familiar with heartache. The very term "Mets fan" is synonymous with pain. This trade deadline has brought us too many moments of agony to rehash, but there are several that stick out in the collective memory of the fan of the Mets. These trades are the lemon juice in a cut type of transaction. They were the ones that really stung.

On July 6, 1971, New York's most beloved franchise, the New York Mets, announced that ace left-hander Jerry Koosman was being placed on the 21-day disabled list.

Koosman started against the Montreal Expos at Shea Stadium, but was forced to leave following only one inning of work. After the game, Mets' manager Gil Hodges said Jerry had developed tightness in his left side.

A team spokesman told reporters, "They don't know what it is. It could be his shoulder or his back or a virus. They don't know what."

On this day 23 years ago, one of the greatest players in baseball history hung up his cleats one final time, announcing to the world that he had no more competitive pitches left in his arm.

Despite being a near unanimous first-choice Hall of Fame inductee and one of the all-time greats, Tom Seaver does not get the recognition he deserves.

His 311 wins only barely gets him a spot in the top 20 list of career victories and his total of 3,640 strikeouts is topped by five other pitchers, including one who has 2,000 more Ks to his name.

There were 87 starting pitchers from the 1970s who pitched in at least 200 games. That is the highest number of any decade in the history of Major League Baseball, other than the 1980s and 2000s.

The 1970s is an interesting decade to write about, because it was chock-full of high-caliber pitchers.

On October 16, 1969, Baltimore has a runner on base with two outs.  The Orioles are trailing by two runs in the top half of the ninth inning.  They are on the brink of an incredible elimination in the World Series.  Mets' starter Jerry Koosman has his sign and delivers the pitch to Baltimore's second-baseman Davey Johnson.  Johnson swings.  He hits a long and towering fly ball to left field.  Left-fielder Cleon Jones is tracking the fly ball.  He continues tracking the ball back, back, back, almost at the warning track.  Jones reads it.  He opens his glove awaiting the catch, dropping drop

One never knows what is going to happen in a baseball game. Pennant-winning teams might struggle against cellar-dwellers, or a play that has never been seen could occur.

There are no guarantees, which is a major reason that before the first pitch, all baseball games are potentially created equal.

Gaylord Perry Against Bob Gibson

The paid attendance on Sept. 17, 1968 at Candlestick Park was 9,546.

Team Has Come Close Only Three Times in Its History

The New York Mets are now in their 48th season of existence and although they've had some great moments and great players, they still have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter in their uniform. That is a well-known fact.

There is one other fact that is not so well known, though: They still have never had one of their players named the National League's Most Valuable Player.

In case you missed Pt. 1, check it out here.

The 1960s, among many other things, were known for the next level of television programming. If the '50s were the “Golden Age of TV”, then the 1960s were “The Teenage Years.” Oh my God!