Jerry Koosman came to New York in 1967 as a Minnesota farm boy, scouted while pitching for the Army. As a left-hander, his calm exterior concealed a strong competitive drive. Although he spent much of his time in Flushing behind Tom Seaver, Koosman was a vital second pitcher, forming part of the most formidable one-two combination in the National League.
In 1968, during his first full season, Koosman delivered an outstanding performance, winning 19 games with a 2.08 ERA and narrowly losing Rookie of the Year. He reached a historic peak in the 1969 "Miracle Mets" season, with 17 wins and his second straight All-Star selection. Although Seaver was the star of the rotation, Koosman became the hero of the Fall Classic; he went 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in the 1969 World Series and famously pitched a complete-game victory in Game 5 to clinch the franchise's first championship.
During the early 1970s, Koosman demonstrated resilience by overcoming arm fatigue to stay a key player in the rotation. In late 1973, he set a franchise record with 31 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, fueling the "Ya Gotta Believe" drive toward the NL pennant. This era proved he was a high-leverage starter capable of dominating top hitters, even when his team’s offense struggled.
In 1976, Koosman put together what many consider his finest individual season. He led the rotation with a career-high 21 wins and reached the 200-strikeout mark for the only time in his career. His efficiency that year earned him a second-place finish in the Cy Young voting.
The Mets traded “Kooz” to Minnesota after the 1978 Season. With the Mets, he owned a 140-137 record, a 3.09 ERA, and 1,799 strikeouts. Koosman was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1989. His journey reached its final punctuation in 2021 when the organization retired his No. 36.
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