Mets retire legend Jerry Koosman's era as he dies at 83
The left-handed pitcher won three straight starts in the 1969 World Series and finished his 12-season Mets career with 222 wins.
By Evelyn Henderson ·
Jerry Koosman, the left-handed arm who anchored the 1969 New York Mets, died Tuesday at age 83. The team confirmed the news on social media, noting that Koosman passed away in Osceola, Wisconsin, surrounded by his family after a battle with multiple illnesses.
Koosman was the primary starter for the "Miracle Mets" that year. He pitched three complete games in the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, winning each one to secure the championship. His durability defined his tenure in New York, where he played 12 seasons. He earned All-Star nods in 1968 and 1969 and helped the club reach the postseason again in 1973, winning two starts against the Oakland Athletics.
Over a 19-year major league career that included stints with the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies, Koosman posted a 222-209 record with 2,556 strikeouts. He threw 140 complete games and 33 shutouts. In 1976, he went 21-10 and finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting before retiring in 1985.
The Mets retired his No. 36 jersey in 2021. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1989. Jay Horwitz, the team’s vice president of media relations, called Koosman one of the biggest heroes of the 1969 club.
"Rest in peace, Kooz," Horwitz wrote in a statement shared by the organization.
Source: WGVL
