Jerry Koosman, Pitcher Who Got the Final Out of the Miracle Mets' 1969 World Series Win, Dies at 83

Jerry Koosman, the All-Star left-hander who got the final out of the Miracle Mets' 1969 World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles, died on Sunday, November 1. He was 83.

The New York Mets announced the death. 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, according to the Associated Press. Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen issued a statement recognising Koosman's importance to the organisation and the 1969 championship team.

The pitcher behind Seaver

Koosman was the Mets' No. 2 starter behind Tom Seaver. Over 19 major league seasons he went 222-209 with a 3.36 ERA, with 140 complete games including 33 shutouts, and two 20-win seasons. For the Mets from 1967 to 1978 he went 140-137 with a 3.09 ERA. He then pitched for Minnesota from 1979 to 1981, the Chicago White Sox from 1981 to 1983 and Philadelphia from 1984 to 1985.

In 1969 he went 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA in 32 starts. In the World Series he won Game 2, allowing one run over 8 and two-thirds innings in a 2-1 win. He then pitched a five-hitter in Game 5, retiring Davey Johnson on a game-ending flyout to left fielder Cleon Jones as the Mets won 5-3 to clinch their first championship.

"There's the old saying: good pitching gets out good hitting. So that's what happened and our pitching kind of took over," Koosman said when the Mets retired his No. 36 in 2021, as quoted by the AP.

From Appleton to the Mets Hall of Fame

Koosman was born on December 23, 1942, in Appleton, Minnesota. He played baseball in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg and signed with the Mets on August 27, 1964, for 1,600 dollars. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1967. In 1968 he went 19-12 with a 2.08 ERA, finished second to Johnny Bench in National League Rookie of the Year voting, and made the All-Star team in 1968 and 1969.

"I feared losing. I didn't want to be looked upon as a loser by anyone," Koosman said in a 2019 interview with Mets broadcaster Howie Rose, as quoted by the AP.

The Mets inducted Koosman into their Hall of Fame in 1989 and retired his No. 36 in 2021. He is survived by sons Michael and Shawn and daughter Danielle.