The Baltimore Orioles of 1969 had the greatest season of any major league team that year, even better than the Mets. The Orioles had won 109 games while losing just 59, winning the American League East by a staggering 19 games. The big difference between Baltimore and the Amazin’ Mets was expectations. The Orioles were expected to dominate unlike the Mets who were simply predicted to improve. And dominate the Orioles did.

Baltimore had a lineup of Don Buford in left, Paul Blair in center, Frank Robinson in right, Boog Powell at first, the defensive wizard Brooks Robinson at third, Elrod Hendricks behind the plate, Davey Johnson at second, and shortstop Mark Belanger. The case could be made that the Orioles had better players at every position when compared to the Mets. And if you think the Mets had the edge on the mound, guess again. While the Mets pitched phenomenally during 1969, so did the Orioles.

The Mets had Seaver, Koosman, Gentry, McAndrew, and Ryan. But Baltimore could counter that with Mike Cuellar and Dave McNally, both twenty game winners with 23 and 20 respectively. Plus they had Jim Palmer, Tom Phoebus and Jim Harden. In the bullpen, Baltimore had Pete Richert, Eddie Watt, Dick Hall, Dave Leonhard, and Marcelino Lopez. The bench included catcher Andy Etchebarren, outfielders Merv Rettenmund, and Dave May.

The Orioles manager was none other than Earl Weaver. The short, stocky Weaver was as fiery as they came. He was a fierce competitor who was often quoted as saying his best friend was a three run homer. Weaver argued with umpires constantly and was thrown out of games often. He would go nose to nose with an ump with his hat on backwards as he kicked dirt on their shoes. One time he actually brought a rule book out and pointed to a particular page as he argued. Earl was quite a show. From the players to the manager, the Orioles were stacked.

Like the Mets, the Orioles swept their championship series three games to none. Baltimore defeated the AL Western Division champion Minnesota Twins. Not too many were predicting an easy time of it for the Mets. Most assumed the Orioles would win in five or six games, maybe even a four game sweep. But Mets fans had faith but that faith would be tested right off the bat.

October 11, 1969, World Series Game 1

Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium – With twenty five wins plus one in the NLCS, there was no question that Tom Seaver would start game one for the Mets. The Orioles had the home field advantage, not because of their better record or an All Star game victory which they did not do back then, but because it was the American League’s turn to host the series. The first two games would be in Baltimore followed by three games at Shea Stadium and if necessary, another two back in Baltimore. All games were played during the day then. Night World Series games were still a few years away.

Seaver’s mound opponent was Mike Cuellar. The left handed pitcher was a hard thrower who pitched 18 complete games including five shutouts and 182 strikeouts during the regular season.

In the first inning, Cleon Jones got the first World Series hit in Mets history with two out, a single to center. But he was left there after Cuellar stuck out Donn Clendenon.

In the bottom of the first, Seaver’s first pitch was met squarely off the bat of Don Buford who drove it over the right field wall. Ron Swoboda raced back to the wall and made a valiant effort to catch the fly ball but was unable to reach it. Swoboda recently claimed he got a bad jump on the ball and felt he should have caught it. As lore goes, Buford rounded the bases and smugly suggested to Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson that they hadn’t seen anything yet. Harrelson confidently replied that Buford hadn’t either.

The Mets could not get anything going against Cuellar. Through four innings, all the Mets could muster was a single, a walk, and a double but were unable to take advantage.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Orioles rallied for three runs with two outs. Elrod Hendricks singled, Davey Johnson walked, and then Belanger singled scoring Hendricks. To add insult to injury, Cuellar singled scoring Johnson then Buford doubled driving in the final run of the inning. After four, the Orioles led the Mets 4-0.

And that’s the way it stayed until the top of the seventh when the Mets loaded the bases with one out. But all the Mets could do was score one run on a sacrifice fly from Al Weis. Cuellar allowed the Mets nothing the rest of the afternoon. The Orioles won game one 4-1 and confidently walked off the field shaking hands.

The Mets, with heads down, went into their dugout. Seaver walked into the tunnel very upset with his outing. Donn Clendenon told Seaver not to worry, it was only one game and they would still win the series.

Record Orioles 1, Mets 0, in the best of seven series.

The loss was the first for the Mets since October 2nd, the last game of the regular season.