Willie Mays Day

[roger_that]

May 11th 1972 was the day the Mets got Mays.



More of a sentimental move than a player acquisition, he "made" the All Star team in both 1972 and 1973, despite abysmal numbers both years. I get a bit annoyed when I see him credited with 24 All Star teams over his career. Yeah, because they played 2 games per year from 1959 thru 1962 and gifted him in his two Mets years. The real number is 18, which is impressive enough.

[kcmets]

Kinda funny, I'm corresponding with a SABR colleague today

about what I think was my first Mets game....



I was nine --



https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197207120.shtmlhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197207120.shtml

[Edgy MD]

Willie Mays not only did not have abysmal numbers in 1972, in the half season he was healthy enough to play, he was one of the best 41-year-olds in history to that point, certainly among non-pitchers.



I wish I was abysmal enough to put up a .402 OBP.

[dinosaur jesus]

Yeah, he was really good in 1972. He was the Mets' best hitter. Which with the '70s Mets isn't saying much, but still.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Mays' OPS+ for 172 was 131, just outside the NL top 10. His 1972 OBP was .400. That would've been good for second place in the NL if Mays was qualified. The year before, Mays led the NL in OBP; the only major leaguer with a higher OBP than Mays in 1971 was Bobby Murcer, who had his career year and might've been the best hitter in the AL in '71. Not only was Mays was not washed up in '72, but he was still an asset.



Also, this might be my favorite SI Mets cover of all-time:







[FIMG=444]https://vault.si.com/.image/t_share/MTY5MDk4Njg4MDMzNDAwMDk3/43143---toc-cover-image.jpg[/FIMG]

[stevejrogers]

=roger_that post_id=192349 time=1747004266 user_id=128]
I get a bit annoyed when I see him credited with 24 All Star teams over his career. Yeah, because they played 2 games per year from 1959 thru 1962 and gifted him in his two Mets years. The real number is 18, which is impressive enough.

[Edgy MD]

I have no problem crediting him with 24 All-Star games. Among other things, it matches the number on his back.



When I am commissioner, there will be three mid-season All-Star Games, as part of Baseball Week.

[stevejrogers]

Okay, a little bit of time now to hit up the DNPs of the 4-year 2-game run



1959 I 13 (GEEZ Fred Haney used 17 of 25 available)

Billy Pierce AL White Sox P

Hoyt Wilhelm AL Orioles P

Yogi Berra AL Yankees C

Joe Cunningham NL Cardinals OF

Vada Pinson NL Reds OF

Frank Robinson NL Reds OF

Bill White NL Cardinals OF

Smoky Burgess NL Pirates C

Hal Smith NL Cardinals C

Gene Conley NL Phillies P

Warren Spahn NL Braves P

Wilmer Mizell NL Cardinals P (Injured)



1959 II 22 (Looks like the reverse happened with Stengel not using 13 guys at his disposal while Haney had 8 guys left on the bench or in the pen)

Roy Sievers AL Senators 1B

Bill Skowron AL Yankees 1B

Bobby Richardson AL Yankees 2B

Harmon Killebrew AL Senators 3B

Gil McDougald AL Yankees SS

Bob Allison AL Senators OF

Harvey Kuenn AL Tigers OF

Minnie Minoso AL Indians OF

Elston Howard AL Yankees C

Gus Triandos AL Orioles C

Bud Daley AL Athletics P

Pedro Ramos AL Senators P

Ryne Duren AL Yankees P

Camilo Pascual AL Senators P (Injured)

Orlando Cepeda NL Giants 1B

Bill Mazeroski NL Pirates 2B

Johnny Logan NL Braves SS

Bill White NL Cardinals OF

Johnny Antonelli NL Giants P

Lew Burdette NL Braves P

Warren Spahn NL Braves P

Don Elston NL Cubs P



1960 I 12 (okay, manageable, even by today's standards)

Vic Power AL Indians 1B

Whitey Ford AL Yankees P

Camilo Pascual AL Senators P (Injured)

Early Wynn AL White Sox P

Gerry Staley AL White Sox P

Dick Stigman AL Indians P

Ed Bailey NL Reds C

Larry Jackson NL Cardinals P

Johnny Podres NL Dodgers P

Stan Williams NL Dodgers P

Bill Henry NL Reds P

Lindy McDaniel NL Cardinals P



1960 II 14 (ugh, Al Lopez goes off the rails, but Walt Alston does his team right for the 6-0 win)

Jim Gentile AL Orioles 1B

Luis Aparicio AL White Sox SS

Jim Lemon AL Senators OF

Elston Howard AL Yankees C

Bud Daley AL Athletics P

Chuck Estrada AL Orioles P

Bill Monbouquette AL Red Sox P

Jim Coates AL Yankees P

Dick Stigman AL Indians P

Camilo Pascual AL Senators P (Injured)

Bob Buhl NL Braves P

Bob Friend NL Pirates P

Mike McCormick NL Giants P

Roy Face NL Pirates P



1961 I 7

Jim Perry AL Indians P

Billy Pierce AL White Sox P

Ryne Duren AL Angels P

Eddie Kasko NL Reds SS

John Roseboro NL Dodgers C

Joey Jay NL Reds P

Art Mahaffey NL Phillies P



1961 II 24 (After a modern day like use of the roster by both Paul Richards and Danny Murtaugh in the first game, THIS happens!? And this is the 1-1 tie after 9 innings due to rain game at Fenway)

Yogi Berra AL Yankees C

Jim Gentile AL Orioles 1B

Bill Skowron AL Yankees 1B

Nellie Fox AL White Sox 2B

Harmon Killebrew AL Twins 3B

Dick Howser AL Athletics SS

Tony Kubek AL Yankees SS

Jackie Brandt AL Orioles OF

Tito Francona AL Indians OF

Dick Donovan AL Senators P

Whitey Ford AL Yankees P

Ken McBride AL Angels P

Luis Arroyo AL Yankees P

Barry Latman AL Indians P

Hoyt Wilhelm AL Orioles P

Don Zimmer NL Cubs 2B

Ken Boyer NL Cardinals 3B

Frank Robinson NL Reds OF

Ed Bailey NL Giants C

Don Drysdale NL Dodgers P

Joey Jay NL Reds P

Mike McCormick NL Giants P

Warren Spahn NL Braves P

Roy Face NL Pirates P



1962 I 14

Tom Tresh AL Yankees SS

Elston Howard AL Yankees C

Hank Aguirre AL Tigers P

Bill Monbouquette AL Red Sox P

Dave Stenhouse AL Senators P

Ralph Terry AL Yankees P

Hoyt Wilhelm AL Orioles P (Injured)

Richie Ashburn NL Mets OF (Pinch hits in the second game)

John Roseboro NL Dodgers C

Turk Farrell NL Astros P

Bob Gibson NL Cardinals P

Sandy Koufax NL Dodgers P

Warren Spahn NL Braves P

Hank Aaron NL Braves OF (Injured)



1962 II 14

Norm Siebern AL Athletics 1B

Mickey Mantle AL Yankees OF

Jim Landis AL White Sox OF

John Romano AL Indians C

Jim Bunning AL Tigers P

Dick Donovan AL Indians P

Jim Kaat AL Twins P

Camilo Pascual AL Twins P

Ralph Terry AL Yankees P

Hoyt Wilhelm AL Orioles P

Ken McBride AL Angels P (Injured)

Jim Davenport NL Giants 3B

Bob Purkey NL Reds P

Warren Spahn NL Braves P

[stevejrogers]

Edgy MD wrote: I have no problem crediting him with 24 All-Star games. Among other things, it matches the number on his back. When I am commissioner, there will be three mid-season All-Star Games, as part of Baseball Week.

Yeah, I'm just providing empirical evidence that his 8 games started as the NL CF from 1959 through 1961 are a legit 8 by the way the rosters were managed, both in selections, and in-game by the managers.



You don't lose 4-games because you were under the belief that the same players were on both teams, and you assumed everyone played in each game!