# The Miracle Mets Complete Their Comeback: April 29, 1969

On April 29, 1969, something remarkable was brewing in New York that would foreshadow one of the greatest underdog stories in baseball history. The New York Mets, a team that had been the laughingstock of Major League Baseball since their inception in 1962, defeated the Montreal Expos 4-2 at Shea Stadium, moving their record to 9-7 and into second place in the National League East.

Now, you might be thinking, "A regular season win in April? What's the big deal?" But this was no ordinary victory for no ordinary team.

The Mets had been *terrible* since entering the league. We're talking historically, epically bad. In their first seven seasons, they'd never finished higher than ninth place (out of ten teams), and had lost 100+ games five times. They were lovable losers, sure, but losers nonetheless. Their inaugural 1962 season saw them stumble to a staggering 40-120 record—still the most losses in modern baseball history. Manager Casey Stengel once famously quipped, "Can't anybody here play this game?"

But something changed in 1969. Under second-year manager Gil Hodges, a former Dodgers star who commanded respect and instilled discipline, the Mets were playing with newfound confidence and competence. Young pitchers like Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Nolan Ryan were dealing heat, while scrappy players like Tommie Agee, Cleon Jones, and Bud Harrelson were playing inspired baseball.

This particular April 29th game showcased what the Mets were becoming. Tom Seaver, their 24-year-old ace who would win the Cy Young Award that year, pitched brilliantly, continuing the dominant pitching that would become the team's calling card. The victory put them above .500 this late in the season for the first time in franchise history—a seemingly small milestone that hinted at the magic to come.

The baseball world wasn't paying much attention yet. The Chicago Cubs, led by Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams, were the heavy favorites in the division. But the Mets kept winning, stayed patient, and by August had caught fire. They would ultimately win 100 games and the division title, then sweep the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS before stunning the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in five games to win the World Series.

The "Miracle Mets" became one of sports' greatest Cinderella stories, proving that hope springs eternal and that the impossible is merely improbable. That April 29th game was just another win in the standings, but it represented something more—a turning point where a perpetual doormat began to believe it could compete with anyone.

For long-suffering Mets fans who had endured seven years of embarrassment, that April day was when they could finally hold their heads high and think, "Maybe, just maybe, this year is different." And boy, were they right.

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Miracle Mets Move Above Five Hundred April 1969