New York Mets: The oddest on-field moments in franchise history

Not everyone play on the field is as easy as a 6-4-3  double play. As these New York Mets moments on the field show, sometimes things get weird.

The New York Mets are familiar with strangeness both on and off the field. Many interesting characters have donned the orange and blue over the years, from Turk Wendell and his animal tooth necklaces to announcer Lindsay Nelson and his famously loud suits.

But as we Mets fans know, many of the strangest moments in Mets history have occurred in-game, on the field. At least once per Mets game, it seems, something happens that prompts Gary Cohen or Keith Hernandez to exclaim, “I’ve never seen anything like that, and I’ve been watching baseball for over 50 years!”

The Mets are many things, but boring is certainly never one of them. Here are a few of the oddest things to happen during Mets games over the years. Honorable mentions include the famous “black cat” incident in 1969 and the parachuting man from Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

2006: Paul Lo Duca’s double play at home plate

When Mets fans think back to remarkable defensive plays during the 2006 postseason, their minds likely go straight to Endy Chavez’s incredible catch in game 7 of the NLCS. Nearly as remarkable was a strange play that happened during the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the second inning, Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew opened up the action with back-to-back singles. Russell Martin followed with a line drive to right field that seemed destined to plate two runs for the Dodgers.

Mets right fielder Shawn Green came up with the ball quickly and fired a throw to second baseman Jose Valentin, who then promptly threw home. Expecting only one play at the plate, catcher Paul Lo Duca was able to tag out Kent as he came barreling towards home.

However, Kent had hesitated while rounding second base. Drew had not, meaning that as Kent was trying to score, Drew was still right behind him. As soon as Lo Duca tagged out Kent, he turned around and also slapped a tag on Drew sliding into home plate. Both runners were out. Two Dodgers for the price of one.

I had barely a year of baseball watching under my belt when this play occurred, but even nine-year-old me registered this sequence as highly unusual. Sure enough, the Mets have not replicated it since.

2009: Eric Bruntlett’s game-ending unassisted triple play

The 2009 Mets season was largely forgettable, due to the rash of injuries that plagued the roster throughout the season. However, the Mets were on the short end of one truly historic play that happened on August 23 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Mets were down 9-6 as they batted in the bottom of the 9th inning. Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett had already committed an error in that frame, allowing Angel Pagan to score and bringing the Mets to within two runs. Daniel Murphy followed with a single, giving the Mets runners on first and second with no outs. Jeff Francoeur then stepped up to the plate, a chance to tie the game with an extra-base hit.

Instead, he hit a line drive to Bruntlett, who promptly stepped on second base and tagged out Murphy. A 4-unassisted triple play to end the game. It was just the second game-ending unassisted triple play in MLB history, the other one turned back in 1927 by John Neun of the Detroit Tigers.

If anyone is curious, this play is immortalized on an endless video loop in the Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Bruntlett’s game-used jersey. Mets fans, next time you visit the Hall of Fame and stroll through the “One For The Books” exhibit, you might want to cover your eyes as you walk past this section.

1999: A mustachioed Bobby Valentine reappears in the dugout

Several Mets won Gold Glove awards in 1999, but on June 9, manager Bobby Valentine deserved a special award for on-field hair and makeup design. That night, the Mets were locked in a battle with the Toronto Blue Jays. The game was tied 3-3 in the top of the 12th inning, when the umpires ruled catcher’s interference on Mike Piazza’s attempt to throw out Shannon Stewart stealing second.

Valentine quickly came out of the dugout to protest the call and was ejected from the game just as quickly. Mets reliever Pat Mahomes worked his way out of the inning unscathed, and play continued.

As the bottom of the 13th inning began, the TV camera peered into the Mets dugout. There stood Valentine, still ejected from the game but clearly visible in the dugout wearing a different outfit, sunglasses, and a fake mustache. The announcers dissolved into giggles while narrating the moment. Howie Rose provided the final nail in the coffin when he proclaimed, “Sorry skip, we got ya.” Valentine was ultimately fined $5000 and suspended two games for his antics.

The Mets ended up winning 4-3 in 14 innings, and Valentine permanently etched his place in the hearts of Mets fans everywhere with his hilarious reappearance act. This incident has become one of the seminal “absurd Mets moments,” and its anniversary thoroughly deserves to be celebrated every year.

1963: Jimmy Piersall’s backward home run trot

The Mets of the early 1960s were a hodgepodge of aging veterans, career journeymen, and colorful characters like Casey Stengel. Another memorable personality during this era was Jimmy Piersall, who played for the Mets in 1963. On June 23 against the Phillies, Piersall hit the 100th home run of his career.

Rather than run the bases the normal way, Piersall decided to touch all four bases by running backward. In an odd, moonwalk-esque sequence, he ran through first, second, and third base while backpedaling, and triumphantly stepped on home plate to cap off the celebration.

Though Piersall clearly savored the moment, his manager Stengel did not, and Piersall was released two days later. His memorable 100th home run was one of only two that he hit all season, and he finished his career with 104 home runs.

Piersall had a career reputation as an emotionally volatile player, but there’s no doubt that his eccentric tendencies helped make history during this June game. By all accounts, no player has ever run the bases backward since Piersall did over 50 years ago. Perhaps his act was too big to follow.

As fans, we remember the glorious victories along with the heartbreaking Mets losses over the years. Moments like these five, remarkable mostly for being strange, are also worth remembering. They remind us that baseball is constantly reinventing itself. Every nine innings played adds new possibilities to a game that, after over 150 years, never seems to lose its sense of magic.

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What is your favorite weird on-field Mets moment in Mets history?