Jerry Koosman, the star pitcher who was instrumental in the New York Mets' improbable 1969 World Series victory, died Sunday at the age of 83. The team announced his passing, noting he had been battling multiple illnesses.
Koosman, a left-hander, pitched the decisive Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, securing the franchise's first championship. The 1969 Mets, famously known as the "Amazin'" or "Miracle" Mets, achieved a remarkable turnaround that season. After trailing the Chicago Cubs by 10 games on August 13, they rallied to take first place and ultimately won the division en route to their historic World Series triumph.
That season, Koosman posted a 2.28 earned run average, second only to Cy Young Award winner Tom Seaver on the Mets. He spent 12 of his 19 Major League Baseball seasons with the Mets before playing for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. His tenure in New York included a 3.09 ERA. In 1979, Koosman finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting.
Koosman's number 36 was retired by the Mets in 2021, making him one of the few players in franchise history to receive that honor. He joined fellow Mets legends Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza, and several others have been honored since.
