Jerry Koosman, Miracle Mets World Series hero, dies at 83
Jerry Koosman, the left-handed pitcher who helped the New York Mets win their first World Series in 1969, died on November 1 in Osceola, Wisconsin. He was 83.
Koosman died surrounded by family after battling multiple illnesses, the Mets said. He spent 12 of his 19 major league seasons with New York and became one of the defining pitchers of its 1969 championship team, known as the Miracle Mets.
After the Baltimore Orioles won the opening game of the World Series, Koosman earned the victory in Game 2. He started again in Game 5, pitching a complete game as the Mets beat Baltimore 5-3 to secure their first championship. The final out was a fly ball caught by left fielder Cleon Jones.
Koosman made his major league debut with the Mets in 1967 and was an All-Star in 1968 and 1969. In 1969, he went 17-9 with a 2.28 earned-run average. He also helped New York reach the 1973 World Series, winning Game 5 against Oakland.
He spent the final stretch of his career with Minnesota’s Twins, Chicago’s White Sox and Philadelphia’s Phillies. Across 19 seasons, Koosman had a 222-209 record and a 3.36 ERA. With the Mets, he won 140 games and posted a 3.09 ERA. The team retired his No. 36 in 2021, and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1989.
Koosman finished second in voting for the National League Cy Young Award in 1976, when he won 21 games. He is survived by his sons, Michael and Shawn, and daughter, Danielle.