So as promised I googled it and found this post from my friend Centerfield Maz. He’s actually my friend for real to the point I know he won’t care if I steal half his post, which I shall. But he has a cool site you should check out.
Maz writes…
In the off season of 1974 the Mets took a three week good will tour of Japan. They had originally been asked to do the trip while still being the defending NL Champs. New York was a known team team in Japan & stars like Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Jerry Koosman & Tug McGraw were well known in Japan as well.
But not all the Mets were into the trip, Bud Harrelson, Cleon Jones, Jerry Grote &Tug McGraw did not participate in the journey. Some feel that McGraw being traded in the off season may have had something to do with his not going. Tom Seaver did not want to go eithr, his wife; Nancy was pregnant at the time with their second child. But all agreed Seaver was the big draw & had to make the trip. He went with Nancy, pitched in five games then came home early as Nancy got sick.
On the trip the Mets showed off their new acquisition, infielder Joe Torre. The Mets went 9-7 on the trip & had a fun time along the way.
Wow. I didn’t know about this one. My Mets knowledge really starts in 1977. Very very cool!
In fact, the only team the Mets have managed to beat has been the Japan All Stars —twice over the weekend, The clear inference, though, was that the All Stars were not as strong as the Giants, who have won nine pennants here in the last 10 years and who dominate Japanese baseball the way the New York Yankees ran things back home a generation ago.
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The Giants roughed Seaver today for seven hits and five runs in three innings They continued the pressure against Hank Webb, Jerry Crarri and Bob Miller, ‘finishing with 17 hits—including a homer by Oh off Cram to the delight of another capacity crowd of 56,000 at Korakben Stadiunton the national holiday knovin as the Day of Culture.” (via NY Times)
PAY ATTENTION!!! Tom Seaver was pitching NOVEMBER innings for fun. That was after a 236 inning season where it looks like he missed 4 starts (32 GP down from 36 in 1973 and innings down too) – and it didn’t break him. He wouldn’t throw fewer than 236 until 1979. As a comparison, JDG threw 204 last year.
I keep telling you millennials that baseball used to be good. Imagine if the Mets had Jake throw unnecessary innings in November? People would lose their minds. But that’s what happens when you baby pitchers. Seaver threw 238 innings in 1985 at age 40. Today’s pitchers are a joke. 21st Century baseball sucks.
But wait there’s more. From Stars and Stripes! The bold is mine.
There was speculation earlier that Seaver wouldn’t be making the Japan trip because of a recurring hip problem. If it was still bothering him Thursday night, it didn’t show during the air terminal welcoming ceremony.
“I feel great,” both he and Koosman exclaimed.
“I feel like doing some bowling,” Seaver added. “Are there any good bowling alleys in this town?”
In addition to Koosman, Seaver and Matlack, the Mets’ 25-player touring roster also includes infield strength in John Milner, Ed Kranepool, Wayne Garrett and the newly-acquired Joe Torre. (via Stars and Stripes)
OK Pay attention again – Seaver has a hip problem but hey lets have him throw November innings. Again imagine if the 2019 Mets did this with Jake. Yikes.
Anyway I found this which has a not-quite-right Mets logo…
Super fun. Maybe you all knew this already (you didn’t.) I enjoyed learning something new-to-me.
