Jerry Koosman, an All-Star left-hander who recorded the final out of the Miracle Mets' shocking 1969 World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles, died Sunday at age 83. Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Koosman had been sick for about a year and died of multiple illnesses in Osceola, Wisconsin, surrounded by his children. His leap onto catcher Jerry Grote on the Shea Stadium mound after the final out remains an iconic image in baseball history.
Koosman went 222-209 with a 3.36 ERA over 19 major league seasons, throwing 140 complete games, including 33 shutouts, and twice winning 20 games. He was 140-137 with a 3.09 ERA for the Mets from 1967 to 1978, then pitched for Minnesota, the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia. The Mets had lost 100 games in five of their first seven seasons, but in 1969 they surged into first place and finished with a 100-62 record.
Koosman went 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA in 1969, serving as New York's No. 2 starter behind Tom Seaver. In Game 2 of the World Series, he allowed one run over 8⅔ innings to earn the victory as New York won 2-1. In Game 5, he pitched a five-hitter, retiring Davey Johnson on a game-ending flyout to Cleon Jones as fans rushed onto the field at Shea Stadium.
Koosman was born in Appleton, Minnesota, and was honored with a parade when he returned home to Morris. He was part of the Mets' rise from expansion franchise to world champions, a run that remains one of the most celebrated in baseball history.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing