He won twenty-five games during the regular season against seven losses. He struck out 208 batters, pitched eighteen complete games, five of which were shutouts. He won his last eight decisions but yet Tom Seaver had struggled in the post season.

It’s not as if he was bad but he wasn’t as dominating as he had been during the 162 game campaign. Seaver was 1-1 in the post season. He won the first game of the NLCS but gave up five runs in the process. Luckily for Tom, the Mets bats scored nine runs that first game to bail him out. In game one of the World Series, Seaver gave up four runs and was outpitched by Mike Cuellar as the Mets could only score a single run.

Seaver was getting another chance in game four to show the country on National Television just what kind of pitcher he was. Tom admitted to trying to do too much and perhaps even being a bit nervous in the Series opener. The Mets and their fans were counting on Seaver to put them in position to win the series at home. If the Mets won game four, they would take a three games to one lead in the Series. Even the powerful Baltimore Orioles would have the odds stacked against them to win the series if that were to happen.

October 15, 1969, World Series Game 4

Shea Stadium – In game one, Orioles left fielder Don Buford rudely greeted Seaver with a leadoff homerun on the first pitch of the game. But on this date, Seaver struck out Buford. Center fielder Paul Blair singled for the first hit of the game but was left stranded when Tom got Frank Robinson to fly out then struck out Boog Powell.

Mike Cuellar started for Baltimore. He too looked sharp again as he faced Seaver for the second time. In the first, he retired Agee, gave up a single to Harrelson and then got Cleon Jones to hit into a double play.  

In the second, Seaver walked Elrod Hendricks with one down but Jerry Grote threw him out trying to steal second. In the bottom of the inning, Donn Clendnenon led off with his second homerun of the World Series to give the Mets the early lead.

Seaver got into trouble in the third, giving up back to back singles to open the inning. Once again, Seaver was not looking as sharp as he had prior to the post season. But the big right handed pitcher got the next three batters preserving the slim Mets lead. The Mets also put two runners on with singles in the bottom half of the third but were not able to score against Cuellar. A third the way through, the Mets held a slim 1-0 lead.

After the two hits given up in the third, Seaver hit his stride, not giving up another hit until the ninth inning. The Orioles could not muster anything against Seaver accept a walk in the sixth inning. Unfortunately however, the Mets could not get anything going against Cuellar either. The Mets got a few hits but were unable to rally for any runs and continued to hold a 1-0 lead through eight innings.

But in the top of the ninth with one out and Seaver still in the game, Frank Robinson and Boog Powell hit back to back singles putting runners on first and third. Hodges left Seaver in hoping to get a double play ground ball. But instead Brooks Robinson lined a ball into right field that looked for sure as if it would touch down and go to the wall. Ron Swoboda dove to his right. With his body parallel to the ground and glove outstretched, Swoboda miraculously caught the ball. He got up quickly and fired home as Frank Robinson tagged and scored the tying run. Quite possibly, Ron Swoboda made the greatest catch in World Series history, even better than the two Agee made the previous day. More importantly, had Swoboda missed catching that ball, the tying and go-ahead runs would have scored.  Seaver got out of the inning without any further damage. The score was tied at one.

After two singles in the ninth got the winning run to second, Gil Hodges sent up Art Shamsky to pinch hit for Ed Charles. Shamsky grounded out to first ending the inning. It was on to extra innings for the first time in the Series.

Tom Seaver stayed in the ballgame. Through nine innings, he had given up just one run on five hits. Wayne Garrett entered the game to play third for Charles who was pinched hit for. The Orioles’ Dave Johnson reached on an error to lead off the tenth when Garrett bobbled a ground ball. Seaver got Mark Belanger to pop up in foul territory. Grote made the catch for the first out. Clay Dalrymple was sent up to pinch hit by Earl Weaver. Dalrymble singled pushing Johnson into scoring position.  Lead off hitter Buford flied out to right. The putout was deep enough to allow Johnson to tag and reach third. Now a miscue could give the Orioles the lead. But Seaver was true to form as he struck out Paul Blair to end the inning.

Dick Hall came in to start the tenth for the Orioles. Jerry Grote led off the inning by doubling down the left field line. The Mets had the winning run on second with nobody out as the Shea faithful went wild. Hodges sent in Rod Gaspar to run for Grote. Weaver countered by intentionally walking Al Weis. After pitching ten innings, Seaver was taken out as Hodges sent up left handed hitter J.C. Martin to pinch hit. It was likely that Martin was up to bunt the runner to third. But before Martin could hit, Weaver brought in left handed pitcher Pete Richert.  Hodges let the lefty Martin hit. Martin dropped down a bunt on the first base side. Catcher Hendricks ran up the line to pick up the ball and fired it to first. But the ball hit J.C. Martin and ricocheted toward second base. Gaspar running all the way scored from second giving the Mets the 2-1 victory.

Record Mets 3, Orioles 1, in best of seven series.

The ending was controversial. It appeared on the replay that Martin was outside of the runner’s lane while running to first when the ball hit him. According to the rules, he could have been called out for interference. However, it is a judgment call made by the first base umpire and in this case, no one came out to argue the play, not even the feisty Earl Weaver.

The Mets were now in the commanding position of having to win just one game of the potentially remaining three. The Mets had one more game at Shea Stadium the next day. Mets fans were hoping the Mets could do it at home. I’m sure the players were hoping the same thing.