1963 New York Mets

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

on september 18 1963 at 4:21PM TED SCHREIBER hit into a game ending doubleplay to end the NEW YORK METS 2 year stay at the polo grounds. there was only 1,752 paying customers to watch the mets last game at the polo grounds. THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLES won the game 5-1. CHRIS SHORT was the wining pitcher for the philles and CRAIG ANDERSON was the losing pitcher for the mets.THE last homerun ever hit in the polo grounds was hit in the 4th inning by JIM HICKMAN(his 17th homerun of the year)and the last hit in the polo grounds was by CHICO FERNANDEZ of the mets. THE mets had a total attendance for 1963 of 1,080,104. and over 2 million for both 1962 and 1963 combined. THE NEW YORK JETS PLAYED there 1963 football season at the polo grounds ending in DECEMBER WITH A 19-10 jets loss to BUFFALO BILLS.THE end finally came to the polo grounds on APRIL 10 1964 WITH the demolition company that demolished EBBETS FIELD IN 1960, dressed like NY GIANTS WITH HARDHATS ON and the same wrecking ball that was painted to look like a baseball that took down EBBETS FIELD.take care everyone P.S. LONG LIVE THE POLO GROUNDS 1891-1964 DONALD DETROIT MI :mad:

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello on MAY 3 1963 the mets were playing the SF GIANTS at the polo grounds on WILLIE MAYS nite.despite 2 homeruns by DUKE SNIDER the mets lose 5-3 to the giants in front of a crowd of 49,431 at the historic polo grounds. :waving

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello on 5-4-1963 the SF GIANTS played the NEW YORK METS at the historic polo grounds.the giants hit 6 homeruns in 6 innings and beat the mets and roger craig 17-4.this is the begining of roger craigs famous 18 game losing streak. Donald :waving

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello the giants played a doubleheader vs the new york mets infront of 53,880 at the polo grounds.the giants win the opener 6-3 then the mets win the nightcap by the score of 4-2. the mets for the second straight year are the first team to draw more the 50,000 fans for a home game in their last year playing at the polo grounds Donald :waving

[GIANT]

Craig was much better than the 18 game losing streak. He changed his number from 38 to 13 during the streak. If memory serves me, he finally won a game beating the Cubs at the Polo Grounds on a Friday night. Paul Toth was the staring pitcher for the Cubs. Jim Hickman hit a home run.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

HELLO on 5-8-1963 the mets were playing philadelphia at the polo grounds. the mets won the game 3-2 on a double by ed kranepool in the 9th inning. :waving :clapping

[The Commissioner]

I'd imagine that had to be one of the first runs batted in of Kranepool's long career.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of mets manager casey stengel and his wife before the last mets game ever at the polo grounds on 9-18-1963. the phillies beat the mets 5-1 in that game.

PHOTO FROM EBAY LISTING

[VIBaseball]

Donald, I don't know if you're aware of this special bit of history concerning one of your favorite ballparks. It's not as well-known as it deserves to be.

On October 12, 1963, the first (and last) Hispanic-American major-league All-Star Game took place. This was actually the last game featuring major-leaguers at the Polo Grounds.

The National League team beat the AL squad 5–2. The game featured such names as Felipe Alou, Luis Aparicio, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Julián Javier, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva and Zoilo Versalles. Vic Power received a pregame award as the number one Latin player. NL starter Juan Marichal struck out six in four innings, though reliever Al McBean was the winning pitcher. McBean, a personal favorite of mine, also tripled but was thrown out at the plate as he tried to leg it into an inside-the-park homer. Pinch hitter Manny Mota drove in two runs against loser Pedro Ramos.

Ed Bauta of the Mets finished the game, and Joe Christopher also appeared.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Donald, I don't know if you're aware of this special bit of history concerning one of your favorite ballparks. It's not as well-known as it deserves to be.

On October 12, 1963, the first (and last) Hispanic-American major-league All-Star Game took place. This was actually the last game featuring major-leaguers at the Polo Grounds.

The National League team beat the AL squad 5–2. The game featured such names as Felipe Alou, Luis Aparicio, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Julián Javier, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva and Zoilo Versalles. Vic Power received a pregame award as the number one Latin player. NL starter Juan Marichal struck out six in four innings, though reliever Al McBean was the winning pitcher. McBean, a personal favorite of mine, also tripled but was thrown out at the plate as he tried to leg it into an inside-the-park homer. Pinch hitter Manny Mota drove in two runs against loser Pedro Ramos.

Ed Bauta of the Mets finished the game, and Joe Christopher also appeared.I never heard of this until i learned how to use the computer a couple of years ago and found this info on the internet.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This thread will cover the 1963 new york mets the last team to play at the historic polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is mets outfielder Jim Hickman who hit the last major league homerun at the polo grounds on 9-18-1963. the philadelphia philles beat the mets 5-1. hickman hit the historic homerun in the bottom of the 4th inning.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

The audio of this game i have on audio tape and this is a great game.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is Roger Craigs 1963 topps baseball card.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In the second game of this doubleheader at the polo grounds mets 1st baseman Gil Hodges played his last game of his career. he is seen in this photo with Duke Snider and Casey Stengel from a 1963 exhibition game with baltimore on 4-6-1963..

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is ed kranepools 1963 stats with the mets.

86 GAMES 2 HR 14 RBI AVG .209 12 DOUBLES 2 TRIPLES 4 SB

[KCGHOST]

That was Kranepool's 3rd rbi of the season and his career. Fourteen rbi's may not sound like much, but through age 18 fourteen rbi's would rank 10th in the modern era (just one rbi behind the 9th place Ty Cobb).

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of Casey Stengel before a game at wrigley field from 8-24-1963.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1963 new york mets yearbook with Mr Met on the cover.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a 1963 new york mets polo grounds program. you can see that the cover has been autographed by some of the mets.Mr Met is also on the 1963 mets program cover.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1963 topps marv throneberry baseball card.Marv did not play much for the mets in 1963 and was sent down to the minors in May of 1963.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the mets official song on 45 record called meet the mets.these were sold at the polo grounds souvineer stands in 1963.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a 1963 topps Gil Hodges card. Gil Hodges like Marv Throneberry did not play much for the mets in the 1963 baseball season. he retired in May to become a manager for the washington senators.

[milladrive]

Here is the 1963 new york mets yearbook with Mr Met on the cover.

That looks like a pretty nice specimen, PG. :) There were four editions released in 1963. If I'm not mistaken, the roster in the book you've got pictured there is May 1. :lookitup

[Dalkowski110]

Donald...let me try and guess the autographs...
-Ed Bauta
-Duke Carmel
-Solly Hemus
-Larry Bearnarth
-Al Jackson
-Al Weis (On a '63 program? It looks like Al Weis, but I have no idea what he's doing there.)
-John DeMerit (?)
-Two illegible.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Donald...let me try and guess the autographs...
-Ed Bauta
-Duke Carmel
-Solly Hemus
-Larry Bearnarth
-Al Jackson
-Al Weis (On a '63 program? It looks like Al Weis, but I have no idea what he's doing there.)
-John DeMerit (?)
-Two illegible.
There is also Galen Cisco and Al Moran autographs on that program cover.and it also looks like that Duke Sniders autograph is there.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of Marv Throneberry at ist base at the historic polo grounds.the mets sent him down to the minors in may of 1963 which upset alot of his fans in new york.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a 1963 topps baseball card of Hot Rod Kanehl of the 1963 new york mets.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is my 1963 new york mets photo pennant. you can see the team in front of the clubhouse and bleachers in the outfield of the polo grounds in 1963.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a 1963 topps postcard of Gene Woodling who had a quick cup of coffee with the new york mets.

[DODGER DEB]

Donald...let me try and guess the autographs...
-Ed Bauta
-Duke Carmel
-Solly Hemus
-Larry Bearnarth
-Al Jackson
-Al Weis (On a '63 program? It looks like Al Weis, but I have no idea what he's doing there.)
-John DeMerit (?)
-Two illegible.

I recognize both DUKE SNIDER and FRANK THOMAS signatures!

c.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is willie mays batting at the polo grounds vs the mets in 1963. checkout the wall ads. this photo was also originally posted in the polo grounds photo thread.

[Candlestick60]

Great polo grounds pics love the 1963 topps Baseball cards as well:cool: C60

[metsfanbook]

My favorite memory of the 1963 Mets was a grand slam by Tim Harkness in something like the 11th or 12th inning, when the Mets were behind 8-6, and there were 2 outs and a 3-2 count on Harkness. I remember thinking that if the Mets had been three and not two runs behind, it would be the most exciting comeback in a single swing imaginable. I haven't looked this game up, but I remember that it happened as my family was driving on the Belt Parkway to my grandparents and being so excited that I couldn't help but bang against the back of my mother's seat and getting yelled at.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

My favorite memory of the 1963 Mets was a grand slam by Tim Harkness in something like the 11th or 12th inning, when the Mets were behind 8-6, and there were 2 outs and a 3-2 count on Harkness. I remember thinking that if the Mets had been three and not two runs behind, it would be the most exciting comeback in a single swing imaginable. I haven't looked this game up, but I remember that it happened as my family was driving on the Belt Parkway to my grandparents and being so excited that I couldn't help but bang against the back of my mother's seat and getting yelled at.

This game was played on 6-26-1963 with the chicago cubs playing the mets at the historic polo grounds.Harkness hit the granslam in the 14th inning to give new york a 8-6 victory.this game still exsits today on audio tape from The Miley Collection. the game runs 249 minutes.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello all. checkout my website for my 1963 NY METS stratomatic computer replay season.it will have a dailey newspaper recap of all of the games. here is the site. enjoy.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/POLOGROUNDS1962

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1963 topps card for the mets outfielder Joe Christopher

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1963 topps card for the mets Larry Burright

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the polo grounds in a Doubleheader with the Milwaukee Braves playing the New York Mets on 4-21-1963.i have both of these games complete on audio tape.

[Mr. Met]

Heh, heh. That left field line almost looks 'respectable' in that shot. :silent:

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Heh, heh. That left field line almost looks 'respectable' in that shot. :silent:

The polo grounds looks alot better than that stadium that the mets play in today.i would love to have those seats in the photo for a game today with a cold rheingold in hand.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is my 1963 new york mets polo grounds games that i have on audio.

4-9-1963 ST LOUIS at NY METS
4-21-1963 MILWUAKEE at NY METS GM 1 DH
4-21-1963 MILWAUKEE at NY METS GM 2 DH
4-29-1963 LA DODGERS at NY METS
5-3-1963 SF GIANTS at NY METS
5-5-1963 SF GIANTS at NY METS
5-7-1963 PHILADELPHIA at NY METS
5-10-1963 CINCINNATI at NY METS
5-12-1963 CINCINNATI at NY METS GM 2 DH
5-30-1963 CHICAGO at NY METS GM 1 DH
5-30-1963 CHICAGO at NY METS GM 2 DH
6-2-1963 PITTSBURGH at NY METS GM 1 DH
6-2-1963 PITTSBURGH at NY METS GM 2 DH
6-5-1963 MILWAUKEE at NY METS
6-7-1963 ST LOUIS at NY METS
6-8-1963 ST LOUIS at NY METS
6-9-1963 ST LOUIS at NY METS GM 2 DH
6-23-1963 PHILADELPHIA at NY METS
7-6-1963 PITTSBURGH at NY METS
7-7-1963 PITTSBURGH at NY METS
7-13-1963 LA DODGERS at NY METS
7-14-1963 HOUSTON at NY METS GM 1 DH
Mr Pat Rispole who taped these games back then stopped taping the 1963 mets season games after the 7-14-1963 houston game.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo from the 1963 season showing the ads on the polo grounds wall. they are playing the cincinnati reds. you can also see the bullpen out in the outfield. checkout the listerine ad on the awning.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the program cover from the mets oldtimmers game at the polo grounds before the philadelphia at new york mets game on 6-22-1963.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of the polo grounds taken over 1 month after the mets last game there. the date of the photo is 10-24-1963

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This photo from May of 1963 show the giants before there game against the mets.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is another great photo from may of 1963 showing the giants taking batting practice before there game with the mets. you can see in the photo all of the ads on the polo grounds outfield walls.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a autograph sheet that the mets sent to season ticket holders. on the other side of this is the 1963 new york mets team photo. The one met that i dont see here is a autograph of Duke Snider.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I just checked the team photo on the other side of the 1963 autograph sheet that i just posted and its from spring training 1963 before Duke Snider joined the mets.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is what i have been told is rare a 1963 Mets Magazine that came from a newspaper. i bought this around 6 years ago out of sports collectors digest. it has the 1963 mets players inside.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a rare view of the polo grounds from the 157th street side of the ballpark(3rd base side)

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of the polo grounds taken during a mets pregame show before a Mets and Cardinals game in 1963.

[Mr. Met]

I can't make out the player but that sure looks like Ralph Kiner with him.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here are some pages from the 1963 new york mets yearbook showing there manager Casey Stengel.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here are more pages from the 1963 new york mets yearbook. you can see Duke Snider and catcher Norm Sherry.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Mr Met the teams mascot was born at the polo grounds in 1963. you can see Mr Met in a page from the 1963 Mets Yearbook.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This photo shows the team roster and team photo. the team photo was taken out in centerfield at the Polo Grounds. you can see in the photo part of the clubhouse building, and the batters background out in the right field bleachers.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is Mets catcher Jesse Gonder in a photo taken at the Polo Grounds in 1963.he was the only met in 1963 to have a batting average over .300 but he big problem was that he was not a good defensive player teams stole bases off of him.alot of errors and passed balls.
The mets got Gonder in a trade with the Cincinnati reds for Sammy Taylor and Charlie Neal.

[penncentralpete]

here's gil hodges as a met pete

[penncentralpete]

here's the marvelous one at the polo grounds. pete

[penncentralpete]

here's the first pitch at the polo grounds in 1962. pete

[penncentralpete]

ooooops! i just realized i posted the above picture of '62's first pitch in the 1963 thread. sorry. pete

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

here's the marvelous one at the polo grounds. pete

I have this photo autographed by Marv Throneberry.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

There is a nice book out by the baseball hall of fame called Grand Old Game: 365 Days Of Baseball by Joseph Wallace. it has plenty of photos including some of the polo grounds when the mets were there. The book does not list pages but lists days of months. here are some nice photos to checkout.

JUNE 27 the photo shows a trumpeter in the stands of the polo grounds during a game in May of 1963. you can hear him at times during a game on the radio.

JUNE 29 There is a nice photo showing fans holding signs saying WE WANT MARV on the polo grounds outfield walls from 1963

JULY 5 This photo is from opening day 1963 with the cardinals warming up before the mets home opener at the PG.

MARCH 29 this photo shows Willie Mays throwing a baseball at the Polo Grounds. you can see in the photo the EL PRODUCTO ad on the polo grounds outfield wall.

MARCH 30 In this photo you see Willie Mays batting against the Mets at the polo grounds. you an also see the Mets dugout and the fans in the stands.
This book has alot of great photos in it. check it out at your local book store.

ISBN 0-8109-5594-6 BASEBALL HALL OF FAME photos $29.95

[Gary Dunaier]

Here is a photo of the polo grounds taken during a mets pregame show before a Mets and Cardinals game in 1963.
It must have been really cool to live in one of those apartments if you had a view of the field. Now of course those buildings are still there but they only have a view of other apartment buildings.

I wonder why they built a housing project next to the Polo Grounds in the first place, and if any of the people who did live there during that time felt it was anything special to live next door.

I have a feeling POLO GROUNDS 1957 would have loved to live there. :D

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

I can't make out the player but that sure looks like Ralph Kiner with him.
Reply With Quote
Looks like Stan Musial in the photo with Ralph Kiner.

[Mr. Met]

Yup. On 2nd look I think you're right about Musial with Ralph.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of a Popcorn megaphone with Mr Met on it from the Polo Grounds in 1963.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo showing the Reds playing the Mets at the Polo Grounds on 6-11-1963