The 1966 Fantazy Mets: Bud Harrelson/Cleon Jones/Tug McGraw/Ron Swoboda/Wes Westrum/65 High-Light

The 1966 Topps set was okay. The most generic design possible, it doesn't get any simpler. I was surprised they didn't have any special cards, the ones like Buc Bombers and Mets Maulers. And no sideways cards for regular players. A kind of blah set with some great HoF players. I have made it so the player images layer over the border in places to give it a little pizazz. Lil bit.

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Here they come, the new wave of rookies that would become fan favorites. Yea, they all get Topps All Star Rookie trophies. Don't question it. Actually Cleon and Ron did get ASR Trophies on their real Topps cards. Only Buddy didn't. Harrelson didn't get a trophy in '66. Or a baseball card. He appeared in 19 games in 1965, 33 in '66. Yet he didn't get a card until he forced Topps hand by playing in 151 games in 1967. I will not allow the human race to make that mistake twice. In fantazyland he gets a 65 Rookie and a 66 card w/a rookie trophy!





Gordi Richardson was the last player to wear the number 41 ^ before Tom Seaver immortalized it starting in 1967.

Met pitchers Rob Gardner and Dick Selma strike dueling poses at Shea Stadium. Gardner pitched two years for the Mets, starting 21 games and going 4-10. He pitched 3 complete games in 1966. Dick Selma signed with the Mets in 1963. Coming up in 1965, he was primarily used in relief until 1968 when the Mets had him in the rotation for 23 starts. He went 9-10 with a 2.75 ERA. I remember Selma from his years with the Phillies in the early 70s.
_____________________1965 Mets Team Leaders_____________________

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One thing the Mets had never done since their inception was beat the great Sandy Koufax. Sandy had already whipped New York four times this season when he came to Shea on Aug 26,1965. Tug McGraw was starting in those days, before he became a relief specialist.

View the scorecard for the game at The Ultimate Mets Database!
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Wes Westrum managed the Mets in 1966. He has the distinction of being the second manager in Met history. Casey Stengel had broken a hip in a fall in '65 and Wes, who took over as pitching coach when Warren Spahn left town, was named new manager. He didn't do any better as the Mets continued their losing ways. In 1966, however, Westrum became the first manager to bring the club up out of the basement. This was the first time the Mets had not finished in last place since they came on the scene in 1962.