THE APEX TIMES
The Hall of Fame caliber southpaw, who won 140 games for New York and anchored multiple October runs, passed away at age 83.
Jerry Koosman, the Mets’ defining left-handed starter of the franchise’s first decades and the pitcher behind a pair of memorable World Series swings in 1969, died Sunday at 83, the team announced.
Koosman spent 12 seasons with the Mets (1967-78), winning 140 games and compiling a 3.09 ERA. His 21-win season in 1976 is among the best single-year outputs of his New York tenure.
In the 1969 World Series, Koosman delivered the key “stopper” performance in Game 2 at Shea Stadium, holding the Orioles hitless until the seventh inning to help New York tie the series at one with a 2-1 win.
Three games later, the Mets won the title, and Koosman completed a full game in the Game 5 clincher. The release described his celebration after the final out as cemented in Mets lore.
The Mets retired Koosman’s No. 36 on Aug. 28, 2021. The club noted he set long-standing franchise records among left-handers for starts (346), complete games (108), shutouts (26), wins (140), decisions (277), innings (2,544 2/3), and strikeouts (1,799).