In 1969, Seaver led the Mets to win the World Championship, going 25-7 in the regular season. On July 9, he retired 25 Cubs in a row until giving up a hit in the 8th inning. Seaver won 10 games in a row that year and won his first Cy Young Award.

In 1971, Seaver goes 20-10 with a league leading ERA of 1.76 and with 289 strike outs. Five times he won 20 games or more and won three Cy Young Awards.

On August 4, 1985, Hall of Famer Seaver won his 300th game before 54,032 at Yankee Stadium pitching for the Chicago White Sox and winning 4-1 and striking out 7 big Yankee hitters. The fans in New York were chanting "Lets Go Mets", a curse in Yankee Stadium. Tom pitched a complete game victory. This popular pitcher was always a threat against opponents and has to rate as one of the top pichers in the last 35 years.

In the Mets' pennant winning season of 1973, Grote hit .256 and, in 1975 he hit a career-best .295 with 14 doubles. Jerry Grote's career numbers: .252 BA, 1,092 hits in 1,421 Games, 4,339 at bats, 160 Ds, 22 Ts, 39 Hr, 352 Runs, 404 RBIs, a .318 on-base-pct. Baseballhistorian.com

Batting Average Leaders - 1969

National League:

Pete Rose, Reds .348... Roberto Clemente, Pirates .345... Cleon Jones, Mets .340... Matty Alou, Pirates .331... Willie McCovey, SF Giants .320... Alex Johnson, Reds .315... Willie Davis, LA Dodgers .311... Willie Stargell, Pirates .307... Bobby Tolan, Reds .305... Rusty Staub, Expos .302... Richie Hebner, Pirates .301...

Hank Aaron, Atl. Braves .300... Lou Brock, Cardinals .298... Tony Perez, Reds .294... Johnny Bench, Reds .293... Billy Williams, Cubs .293... Glen Beckert, Cubs .291...

American League:

Rod Carew, Twins .332... Tony Oliva, Twins .309... Reggie Smith, Red Sox .309... Frank Robinson, Orioles .308... Boog Powell, Orioles .304... Walt Williams, White Sox .304... Rico Petrocelli, Red Sox .297... Frank Howard, Wash Senators .296... Jim Northrup, Tigers .295... Mike Andrews, Red Sox .293...

Don Buford, Orioles .291... Roy White, Yankees .290... Cesar Tovar, Twins .288... Mark Belanger, Orioles .287... Del Unser, Senators .286... Paul Blair, Orioles .285... Horace Clarke, Yankees .285...

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Veteran Player Profiles complied from baseballhistorian.com - Archives

* Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins Second Baseman/1B, RH - an outstanding hitter with speed on the basepaths, Carew, playing in his third full major league season, won his first of seven AL batting titles in 1969 with .322... he broke into the big-leagues with Minnesota in '67 and hit a solid .292, lined 20 doubles, scored 64 runs in 112 games. Rod Carew's .328 lifetime batting average rates as one of the best in the history of baseball.

* Mike Andrews, Boston Red Sox, 2B/SS, RH - the 6ft, 3inch, 190-pounder had his best batting year to-date (1969), hitting a solid .293, 10th highest in the AL... and lined 20, 22 and 26 doubles in the last three years - 1967-69... he broke into pro ball as a 19-year old with Olean of the NY-Pa. League in 1962.

* Jerry May, Pittsburgh Pirates Catcher, RH - an excellent defensive backstop he finished his sixth big-league season in 1969 - all with Pittsburgh... his best batting season to-date was two seasons ago (1967) when he batted .271, with 12 doubles, 4 triples and one homer in 110 games... In '68 the durable catcher played 137 games and hit 15 doubles, 91 hits in 416 at-bats. Jerry May spent a month on the disabled list in '69 but still managed to play in 62 games for the Pirates.

* Cleon Jones, New York Mets Outfielder, Bats RH, T LH - an outstanding clutch hitter, he played a major part in the 'Miracle Mets' winning the pennant and their 1969 World Series win over the Orioles... during the '69 season Cleon Jones rose to the occasion and with game-winning hits while Batting .340, 3rd best in the majors, along with 25 doubles, 4 triples, 12 homers, scored 92 runs, 75 RBIs and swiped 16 bases in 137 games. In the 1969 NLCS his .429 batting mark topped all batters and helped the Mets sweep Atlanta in three games.

* Ed Kranepool, New York Mets 1B/OF, LH - a fine defensive flyhawk... finished his 8th big-league season in '69 - all with the Mets... played 112 games for the "Miracle Mets' World Champs in '69, hit .250 in 1969 NLCS, going 3-for-12 along with a double, scored twice and had a RBI... in the 1969 World Series he played one game - and lined a solo homer in 4 trips to-the-plate.

* Mike Lum, Atlanta Braves, Outfielder, LH - born in Hawaii, he attended Brigham Young University and joined the Braves late in 1967... a fleet-footed, defensive ball hawk, after hitting .224 in 232 at-bats in his first full year (1968) he batted .268 in 168 at-bats in 1969.

* Dalton Jones, Boston Red Sox, 3B/2B/1B - a fine athlete, the 6ft, 1inch - 180-pounder finished his 6th season in Fenway... he was brought up from the minors by the Red Sox in 1964 and in 118 games batted .230 with 16Ds, 4Ts, 6Hr, and stole 6 bases. James Dolton Jones hit .270 in '65 and a career-best .289 in '67.

* James Ray Hart, San Francisco Giants Third Baseman/OF, RH - one of the top sluggers during the 1960s, Jim Ray Hart set a Giants rookie record in 1964 by whacking 31 home runs... and hit 23, 33, 29, and 23 the next four seasons while playing in 160, 156, 158 and 136 games. He was nagged by injures during the '69 season but still managed to hit .258 in 236 at-bats.

* Tommy Helms, Cincinnati Reds 2B/3B/SS, RH - a compelling infielder, he was voted the National League Rookie of the Year in 1966 - hitting .284 with 72 runs scored... from '66 thru '69, Tommy Helms batted .284, .274, .288 and .269 and lined 23, 27, 28 and 18 doubles. He debuted into organized ball as a 18-year old with Pataka of the Florida State League back in '59.

* Duane B. (Duke) Sims, Cleveland Indians Catcher/1B/OF, Bats LH, T RH he's already played years in the majors, all with Cleveland... Duke Sims had power and was an all-around athlete... in 1968 he whacked 21 doubles and 11 homers... in '69 he blasted 18 home runs, 45 RBIs in 114 games. He broke in pro ball as a 18-year old with North Platte of the Nebraska State League back in '59 as a catcher and hit a fine .279.

* Don Kessinger, Chicago Cubs Shortstop, RH - a National League All-Star, rates as one of the top hustling, defensive shortstops in baseball history... playing in his sixth major league season with the Cubs in '69, the popular Cub batted .273, lined 38 doubles, 6 triples and 4 homers, and scored 109 runs.

* Hal Lanier, San Francisco Giants SS/2B, Switch-hitter, T RH - signed with the Giants in 1961 for a $50,000 bonus as a 19-year old... debuted with San Francisco in 1964 and hit .274, with 16Ds in 98 games. Hal Lanier led all NL shortstops in putouts and in fielding percentage in 1968... son of former major league pitcher Max... he hit over 14 doubles in five straight seasons - 1964-68... Rates 4 Stars in defense.

* Elrod 'Ellie' Hendricks, Baltimore Orioles Catcher/1B, Bats LH, T RH - born in Charlotte Amalie in the Virgin Islands he played seven years in the minors before joining the Orioles in 1968... the likeable, 6ft, 1inch - 175-pound catcher played three games in the '69 ALCS, and collected 2-hits, both doubles, in 8 at-bats. In 109 games during the regular season of 1969, Ellie Hendricks hit .244 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs.