The Crane Pool Forum

FLUSHING, N.Y., March 28, 2022 — The New York Mets today announced that the club will hold a pre-game ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of Johan Santana’s historic no-hitter on Tuesday, May 31 prior to the 7:10 pm game vs. Washington.

On June 1, 2012, Santana delivered his signature pitch, a changeup, to strike out St. Louis’ David Freese, to author the first no-hitter in franchise history after 8,019 regular season games.

Santana and his catcher that evening Josh Thole, will be honored for their historic achievement.

“I still remember how I felt that night,” said Santana, who gutted through 134 pitches. “I knew how much it meant to New York Mets fans. I was very proud to be a part of the first no-hitter and I can’t wait to celebrate with the fans on May 31. It holds a special place in my heart.”

In addition, the team announced that Santana and Thole will both participate in Old Timers’ Day on Saturday, August 27 prior to the 7:10 pm game vs. Colorado.
With one out in the seventh inning, Yadier Molina laced a line drive to left. Queens native Mike Baxter raced back and crashed violently into the wall but held onto the baseball to preserve the no-hit bid.

“I was in a zone with Josh all night,” recalled Santana. “I remember I was holding my breath before Baxter’s catch. It was amazing. He really saved me.”

I have a great story about Willie Mays. I had all of that love for Willie Mays as a kid. Years later playing for the Mets, we went into San Francisco to play the Giants. Bobby Bonilla started in right field. I went in in the seventh inning for him and there was a right-handed hitter who tended to drive the ball the other way. I’m in right, so I’m ready. He did exactly what I envisioned and hit it to right. At Candlestick Park, from the foul line to the padded wall is extremely narrow. I was on a dead run, caught the ball and pulled my arm in because I knew I was gonna slam into the wall, which I did. I went down to the ground, held up the ball and jogged in because it was the last out.

The next day, I checked in with the trainers to say hello. I was about to leave when one of them said, “Hey Gally, you got a compliment from a pretty big name.” I thought they were playing with me and trying to put the bait out there. The other trainer said, “Yeah, Willie Mays came in and asked who the right fielder was.” They told him it was Bobby Bonilla. He said he knew who Bonilla was but wanted to know the guy who went in for him. They told him it was Dave Gallagher. He said, “Well tell him he’s a really good outfielder because good outfielders make hard plays look easy.” I’ll never forget that. I can’t understand how a little boy in New Jersey who idolized Willie Mays, so many years later would be complimented by that man. That doesn’t seem possible!

Willets Point wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 2:13 pm I thought Cespedes was still nominally active.

It’s now official. One of the legendary careers in baseball broadcasting — all of sportscasting, for that matter — has ended. Tim McCarver, who was the television analyst for more World Series than anyone — 24 — and a fixture on the air for decades, is retired from the business.

The acknowledgement by McCarver, who spent the final six years of his unparalleled run in the booth covering the Cardinals for what now is Bally Sports Midwest, comes three seasons after he called his last game. In the interim, he had been in limbo during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think I’m happy about it,” he said of putting down the microphone. “I think that’s the best.”

McCarver, now 80, was at his best for decades and worked for all four major American commercial broadcast networks. ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox. You name it and he was on the call for the big games. His final fling on the national stage came in 2013, when he called the Cardinals-Red Sox World Series with Joe Buck — his partner for 18 years.

m8644 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 06, 2022 12:14 am McCarver seems to get a bad rep about being a "know it all".... Also, the amount of times that he would bring up on a Mets broadcast, an outfielder playing too deep on a weak hitting player, only for that player to drop one in front of the fielder, is truly incalcuable.

Edgy MD wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:30 pm I'll double down on my advocacy for his Mets HoF enshrinement.