New York Mets Hobie Landrith

landrith first draft choice in 1961 expansion draft casey stengel (pictured).

1961 saw addition of 2 brand new teams national league, houston colt .45s , new york mets. on october 10, 1961, mets , club president george weiss used first pick in 1961 major league baseball expansion draft select landrith second overall. new york manager casey stengel justified choice explaining that, gotta have catcher or re gonna have lot of passed balls. landrith s salary $75,000, required minimum first round picks in draft. when landrith sent contract offer weiss, turned down landrith said @ least $3,000 pay cut. told weiss offer totally unacceptable. weiss sent same contract 3 times, leading landrith giving , signing deal. signed official contract play in inaugural season of new york mets on february 11, 1962 new york mets season|1962]]. landrith slated first-string catcher, young players chris cannizzaro , choo-choo coleman backups. before opening day, landrith had brief scare against chicago white sox on april 4. chicago outfielder floyd robinson fouled off pitch hard swing. in follow-through, bat hit right side of landrith s head, knocking him ground. landrith led off dressing room, in enough shape play in fast approaching regular season.

landrith played @ catcher in new york mets first regular season game on april 11, 1962 against st. louis cardinals, batting 8th in order , going 0 4 in 11-4 loss. cardinals stole 3 bases landrith behind plate. centerfielder curt flood stole 2 bases , second baseman julián javier stole base. landrith charged error, 1 of 3 mets errors on day. stengel gave on landrith after 1 game, giving starting job joe ginsberg. after ginsberg had 0 4 day in mets second game, gave job cannizaro. round robin of catchers played mets season. 7 different catchers used, none playing in more 70 games.

landrith s home run met came @ prime moment on may 12. set pinch hit in bottom of 9th inning mets down 2-1 against milwaukee braves , all-time pitching great warren spahn. when landrith reached batter s box, stengel called time out, going batter s box , whispering in landrith s ear. on first pitch, landrith hit game-winning two-run home run. after game, stengel remarked, told him hit home run. in typical mets form inaugural season, win voided when rod kanehl, pinch runner gil hodges, failed touch third base after home run. third base coach solly hemus gave landrith sign slow down, escorted kanehl third base. if landrith touched third base before kanehl, rod have been called out , braves have gained win on walk-off home run opposing team. after landrith s game-winning blast, had raised average way .421, including one-month stint between april 21 , may 19 hit .391 1.169 ops, excellent hitting, new york mets compounding 1 of worst seasons in history of major league baseball.