Mets Met Yanks Long Ago

Lou Di Falco — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0400

Do you remember the first time the Mets ever played the Yankees? No, it wasn’t in 1997 when Dave Mlicki shut out the Yanks by a score of 6-0. That of course was the first game that counted.

The first time the Mets played the Yankees occurred in 1963 at the old Yankee Stadium, the one where DiMaggio and Ruth actually played at. The date was June 20, 1963 and it was the first Mayor’s Trophy game the two clubs played in.

The Mayor’s Trophy game was actually started many years earlier when the Yankees played the New York Giants in an exhibition game during the regular season. Most years, the Yankees played the Brooklyn Dodgers in the Mayor’s Trophy Game raising money to benefit sandlot baseball throughout the city. The game was played every year until the two National League clubs left for the west coast.

It was decided to restart the Mayors Trophy Game in 1963, the second season for the Mets. In the first contest, the Mets defeated the Yankees by a score of 6-2. It was especially enjoyable for Mets manager Casey Stengel who had been let go by the Bombers after the 1960 season. The Yankees paid the Mets back during the inaugural season of Shea Stadium. The Mets lost to the Yankees 6-4 on August 24, 1964.

The series continued every year through 1979. In 1969, the Mets first championship year, the Mets defeated the Yankees 7-6 at Shea Stadium. During the Yankees championship seasons of 1977 and 1978, the Mets defeated the Yanks at Shea 6-4 then the Yanks beat the Mets 4-3 respectively. Through ’79, the Yankees led the series 9-7-1. The one tie came in 1979 when the Mets and Yanks tied at one run each.

George Steinbrenner hated the game. He hated anything having to do with the Mets gaining success, even for bragging rights against the Yankees. So the series ended after 1979 but it was restarted for two seasons in 1982 and 1983. The last Mayor’s Trophy Game occurred on April 21, 1983, a 4-1 loss at Shea Stadium. The Yankees and Mets would not play again until inter-league play began in 1997. However, during spring training, the Mets played the Yankees on and off over the years. It has not happened in recent years though because of the travel time between Tampa, where the Yankees train, and Port St. Lucie.

The last exhibition game the Mets played during the regular season, not including games against triple A affiliate Norfolk, occurred in 1986. Ironically, the Mets played the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 4 in a game benefiting the Jimmy Fund. The Jimmy Fund is a long running charity in Boston that raises money for cancer patients. Both clubs, closing in on division titles, had to realize there was a chance of meeting in October and of course they did. The Mets won that game by a score of 7-3 in front of a sold out Fenway Park.

The Mets did not play the Yankees during the regular season again until 1997 when Mlicki pitched his gem at Yankee Stadium.

Last evening the Yankees played the Mets for the first time ever at Citi Field. After clobbering the Mets, the Yankees have the edge in inter-league play with 40 wins against 30 losses. And of course, the one subway World Series played between the two teams went to the Yankees 4 games to 1.

Perhaps someday in the distant future the Mets will dominate the Yankees. I wonder if any Mets fans today will live long enough to see it.

Meet the Yanks, Meet the Yanks, step right up...

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 09:43:25 -0400

What is all of this nonsense about not rooting for the Yankees against the Phillies? Look, I hate the Yankees too...

Interleague Paradox

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 15:15:32 -0400

Here's an interesting thought. Mets fans are put in a peculiar position this evening.

Prepare for abuse

Lou Di Falco — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 09:50:40 -0400

You better be ready today. As a Mets fan you know it's inevitable. At some point during the course of the day be it at work or play, someone will come up to you and say...

Exhausting Weekend

Lou Di Falco — Mon, 22 May 2006 10:03:40 -0400

I'm glad these three games are over. I mean what an emotional roller coaster. From the tremendous come from behind (several times) win on Friday night capped by David Wright's walk off single to Billy Wagner's implosion on Saturday to last night's nail bitter, you could not ask for more exciting baseball especially subway series baseball.

Hung Over

Lou Di Falco — Sun, 21 May 2006 09:30:38 -0400

In my quest to find something good related to yesterday's Mets game, here it is-Jorge Julio, that's right.

Disgusted!

Lou Di Falco — Sat, 20 May 2006 23:00:14 -0400

Why did Willie put his closer in a non closer situation? And even though that may be questionable, how come Billy Wagner can't get three outs with a four run lead?

There, I've changed my mind.

Lou Di Falco — Thu, 18 May 2006 22:39:17 -0400

The beauty of writing this blog of course is self therapy. One of the things it helps me do is to get my mind off of a loss, especially today when the Mets ended this horrible road trip with another loss.

Never Forget 69