By Dan Hock
FLUSHING, N.Y., April 7, 2024 – This afternoon, Mets Hall of Fame catcher Jerry Grote passed away at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Austin, TX. He was 81.
STATEMENT FROM STEVE & ALEX COHEN ON JERRY GROTE
“We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Jerry Grote. The Mets Hall of Famer was the backbone of a young Mets team who captured the heart of New York City in 1969. Known as the best defensive catcher in franchise history, he was a two-time All-Star who played 12 seasons in Flushing. We are grateful that Jerry was able to reunite with his teammates one last time during the 1969 World Series reunion at Citi Field in 2019. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Cheryl, family and friends.”
REACTION FROM JERRY GROTE’S TEAMMATES
Jerry Koosman: “He was the reason for my success. I have the photo in my home of me jumping into his arms after we won in 1969. I am heartbroken. No one was better behind the plate. He really controlled the game.”
Cleon Jones: “Jerry was a bulldog. He caught one of the greatest pitching staffs in the history of baseball. He was the glue that kept the staff together.”
Ed Kranepool: “He was the best defensive catcher in the NL when he played. Johnny Bench once told me ‘If he was on the Reds, I would be playing third base.’”
Ron Swoboda: “When someone stole a base on him, he took it personally. He was a superb catcher.”
Jon Matlack: “He was the best catcher I ever threw to. I don’t think I ever shook him off once. I had the pleasure of being his roommate on the road for a few years. It’s a sad day.”
Art Shamsky: “Without Jerry, we don’t win in 1969. It’s as simple as that. He was the best.”
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Gerald Wayne Grote (October 6, 1942 – April 7, 2024) was an American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1963 through 1981 for the Houston Colt .45s, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Kansas City Royals.
After playing for Houston from 1963 to 1964, Grote played for the Mets from 1966 to 1977. With the Mets, he was a two-time All-Star player and was a member of the team that became known as the Miracle Mets for their upset victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series. He finished his career with the Dodgers in 1977 and 1978 and the Royals and Dodgers in 1981. Grote was considered to be one of the best defensive catchers of his era.
In the 1969 season, the Chicago Cubs had been in first place since the beginning of the season and had a nine-game lead as late as August 15. However, the Cubs began to falter while the Mets continued to play well. When the two teams met for a two-game series on September 8, the Mets won both games to move just a half game behind the Cubs. Aside from calling Tom Seaver‘s five-hit pitching performance in the second game, Grote drove in the Mets’ seventh and final run of the game. The following day, the Mets swept the Montreal Expos in a doubleheader, with Grote catching all 21 innings. Coupled with a Cubs loss, the Mets moved into first place for the first time in their history. The Mets stayed in the lead for the rest of the season, finishing with a 37–11 record in their final 48 games while the Cubs slumped to a 9–17 record in their final 26 games, and clinched the National League East division title on September 24.
Grote finished the 1969 season with a .252 average and career-highs with six home runs and 40 RBIs, but it was his defensive skills that proved most valuable for the Mets. Grote posted a .991 fielding percentage and his 56.3% caught stealing percentage was second-best among National League catchers. He was also credited with guiding a Mets young pitching staff that led the league in victories and shutouts and finished second in team earned run average.
The Mets swept the Atlanta Braves in the 1969 National League Championship Series, but were considered heavy underdogs heading into the 1969 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. Following a 4–1 loss in the series opener with Cy Young Award winner Seaver on the mound, the Mets bounced back, winning the next four games to capture their first world championship. Besides catching every inning in the postseason, Grote contributed offensively with a single in Game Two to keep a ninth inning rally alive; Al Weis followed with the game-winning hit. With Game Four tied, Grote doubled to start the tenth inning, then pinch runner Rod Gaspar scored the winning run when an errant throw hit J.C. Martin on the wrist. With Grote calling the pitches, the Mets pitching staff held the Orioles hitters to a .146 batting average against during the series.
CAREER STATISTICS
| MLB statistics | |
|---|---|
| Batting average | .252 |
| Home runs | 39 |
| Runs batted in | 404 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
COURTESY NEW YORK METS MEDIA RELATIONS & WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
