Lost Homeruns Quiz

[Guest Edgy DC]

In Met history, four Mets have cleared the wall in fair territory, but not been credited with a homerun, due to a clearly blown call by an umpire, a strict adherance to the rules, or a subsequent weather-based cancellation.

Name these four unfortunates, and, if you can, the circumstances.

[HahnSolo]

Ventura's walk-off in 99 against Atlanta. Tackled by Todd Pratt before reaching second base.

[Guest Edgy DC]

HahnSolo gets the easy one.

10/17/1999: In game 5 of the NL Championship Series, the Braves had taken a 3-2 lead in the top of the 15th inning. However, after an one-out intentional walk to load the bases, Todd Pratt walked to push across the tying run for the Mets. Robin Ventura came to the plate with a chance to win the game. Ventura hit a Kevin McGlinchy pitch over the right-centerfield fence for an apparent game-ending grand slam. However, once each baserunner had advanced one base, thus scoring the winning run, Pratt turned and ran towards Ventura to give him a big hug. Ventura had rounded first base and was advancing towards second in his home run trot. He kept motioning to the other runners to keep running. Since each runner only advanced the one bag, Ventura is officially credited with an RBI-single. It would have been the first game-ending grand slam in the history of post-season.

[Elster88]

I'll say it again: I would've been pissed in Ventura's position.

Though it did give me my favorite Costas quote of all time: After Todd Pratt's walk pushed across the tying run, Ventura singled over the right-field fence...

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, shucks, at least guess.

[Willets Point]

Don't remember when (1987-88?) but Tim Teufel had a homer at the Astrodome that the umps ruled that it only hit the top of the wall.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

What are we supposed to remember 40+ years of rainouts? And what's with all the thunder stealing when there's an already unfinished quiz in front of you?

And where's the clue?

[Valadius]

If I remember correctly, a few years ago, like in '02 or '03, somebody hit a home run that was negated due to a rainout. It was either Wiggy, Piazza, or Vaughn, I'm not sure which.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Willets gives us number two.

5/11/1988: The Mets were playing at the Astrodome in Houston. In the top of the ninth, Tim Teufel hit a line drive that cleared the fence in left center for an apparent grand slam off Dave Smith to put the Mets ahead. However, it struck the concrete outer wall and came back on the field. The blast was eventually ruled a three-run double, which tied the game and sent it into extra innings. The Mets eventually won it in the tenth, 9-8.

I got Elliott Maddox in the Last Games Quiz. I'm not a superhero.

Remaining answers: one from the sixties and one from the nineties. Both came on blown calls. No rain-cancelled Met homers, apparently.

[Valadius]

Then maybe I'm confusing myself with a memory of somebody on my fantasy team having a rain-negated homer a few years back. Possibly...

[Guest SI Metman]

Was it Chris Jones in the '90's who lost a homer due to a blown homer call?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Good job. By act of the Mets Congress, The Immortal Chris Jones' name should always include the words "The Immortal." Must have been a slow day at the Congress.

8/23/1995: At Shea Stadium, the Giants led 3-2 with two out and The Immortal Chris Jones at bat for the Mets. The Immortal Jones hit a drive to right field which appeared to be a game tying homer off Terry Mulholland. However, first base umpire Gary Darling ruled the ball foul, even though replays of the hit showed it hitting the fair pole. Mulholland struck out The Immortal Jones on the next pitch to end the game.

[Guest Edgy DC]

We're down to one incident. Big clue: It's from the sixties and it led to the coining of a Yogism.

[Guest sharpie]

Can't remember Met fat ladies of the '60's.

[Guest Edgy DC]

You don't look so hot yourself.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy DC wrote: 5/11/1988: The Mets were playing at the Astrodome in Houston. In the top of the ninth, Tim Teufel hit a line drive that cleared the fence in left center for an apparent grand slam off Dave Smith to put the Mets ahead. However, it struck the concrete outer wall and came back on the field. The blast was eventually ruled a three-run double, which tied the game and sent it into extra innings. The Mets eventually won it in the tenth, 9-8. .

Good goes around. Let me explain.

I wrote to Retrosheet about this one a couple of years ago to suggest it be added to their list of lost home runs. I remembered the game and the situation but not all the details. They did the rest. I'm gratified that it struck the Retrosheet outerwall and came back on the Crane Pool Forum.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well now these mugs know where to go to find the fourth answer.

[Guest Edgy DC]

OK, the last one (which was the first one) occurred at Crosley Field.

[Guest Edgy DC]

OK, yeah, the quiz was largely a bomb. Thanks to the fans of Tim Teufel and The Immortal Chris Jones for bringing a few brief thrills.

As Greg implied, the source of these flasbacks is Retrosheet.org The last lost homer I was looking for:

4/30/1965: Met Ron Swoboda lost a grand slam at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. In the first inning, after a single, double and intentional walk, Swoboda hit a long drive to center field off John Tsitouris. At that time, there was a double fence; the main wall was concrete and it was topped with a plywood extension to protect the road construction crew outside. The concrete was in play while the plywood was a homer; Swoboda�s ball hit the plywood and bounced back. Vada Pinson threw the ball back to the infield; second base umpire Frank Secory ruled that the ball was in play. The slam turned into a 1 RBI single. Coach Yogi Berra was ejected for arguing the call for the first time in his National League career. After the game he uttered one of his classic lines: "Anyone who can�t hear the difference between wood and concrete must be blind."

It turned out that I was wrong, and a few Mets have lost homers to subsequent weather cancellations. There was one few would recall...

6/10/1967: Tommy Davis of the Mets homered to left field off the Cubs Bill Hands to lead off the second inning of a game in Chicago. The Saturday afternoon game was rained out after four innings.

...and one a few of us should have...

6/21/2003: The Mets and Yankees were rained out causing a day-night home-and-home double header one week later. In the cancelled game, two players lost homers. Jeromy Burnitz hit a two-run shot off the Yankees� Mike Mussina in the bottom of the first inning and Todd Zeile hit a solo home run off Jeremy Griffiths of the Mets in the top of the fourth. The Yankees were leading in the middle of the fourth, 4-2, when the game was called due to rain.

I'm thinking the homer that Dave Kingman hit off of the rim of Stade Olympique's roof should be included also.