Leaving home

Casey Stengel walks to the clubhouse after a final loss at the Polo Grounds

New York Mets manager Casey Stengel walks off the field and toward the clubhouse at the Polo Grounds for the final time 62 years ago today after his not-so-Amazin' Mets lose 5-1 to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Appropriately enough for the beleaguered Mets – losers in 111 of 162 games in only their second season of existence – the final play at the hallowed grounds is a 4-6-3 double play, courtesy of Philadelphia infielders Cookie Rojas, Bobby Wine and Roy Sievers.

The last hitter: Ted Schreiber

Not that many see it as only 1,752 fans show up on a Wednesday afternoon to see the finale at the old Polo Grounds, the longtime home of the since departed New York Giants and the temporary one for the Mets.

Delivering the final pitch is Chris Short, the Phillies’ starter that day who tosses a nine-hitter with the only run off him coming on a fourth-inning homer by Jim Hickman.

The final swing of the bat – the one leading to the game-ending double play – comes from pinch-hitter Ted Schreiber, who in his one and only season in the majors goes 0-for-7 against the Phillies and not much better against the rest of the National League.

The loss 62 years ago today drops the Mets’ record to 49-104 before they start a season-ending road trip, where they – the Mets being the Mets – lose seven of the final nine games.

The Mets move in 1964 to brand-new Shea Stadium, where they stink for a few more years before stunning everybody in beating the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series in 1969.

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