Jerry Koosman, the left-handed pitcher who teamed with Tom Seaver to anchor the 1969 Miracle Mets and delivered the final out of the franchise’s first World Series title, died Sunday at his home in Osceola, Wisconsin. He was 83.
Mets spokesman and longtime team historian Jay Horwitz said Koosman had battled multiple illnesses for about a year before dying of heart failure, surrounded by his children.
Koosman spent 12 seasons with the Mets from 1967 to 1978, posting a 140-137 record with a 3.09 earned-run average. Those totals remain the best among left-handers in franchise history for wins, starts (346), complete games (108), shutouts (26, tied), innings pitched (2,544⅔) and strikeouts (1,799).
His career spanned 19 seasons and four teams, finishing 222-209 with a 3.36 ERA and 2,556 strikeouts. He recorded 140 complete games and 33 shutouts overall.
Born Jerome Martin Koosman on Dec. 23, 1942, in Appleton, Minnesota, he signed with the Mets for $1,600 in 1964 after military service. He made his major-league debut in 1967 before breaking through in 1968 with a 19-12 record, 2.08 ERA and seven shutouts.
That performance earned him an All-Star selection and second place in National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Johnny Bench. He returned to the All-Star Game in 1969.
In 1969, the expansion Mets — a franchise that had finished last or near the bottom in most of its first seven seasons — won 100 games. Koosman went 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA as the No. 2 starter behind Seaver.
After the Orioles took Game 1 of the World Series, Koosman earned the win in Game 2, allowing one run over 8⅔ innings. He returned for Game 5 at Shea Stadium and pitched a complete game in a 5-3 victory that clinched the title.
Koosman recorded the final out when Davey Johnson flied out to left fielder Cleon Jones, then leaped into the arms of catcher Jerry Grote in an image that remains one of the most lasting in Mets history. He finished the 1969 World Series with a 2.04 ERA across two starts.
Former Mets outfielder Ron Swoboda said Sunday, “We don’t have World Series rings without Jerry Koosman. We had Seaver and Koosman, but if we didn’t have both of them, I don’t think we’re wearing World Series rings.”
Koosman also contributed to the 1973 Mets, who returned to the World Series. In 1976 he went 21-10 with a 2.69 ERA and finished second in National League Cy Young Award voting.
The Mets traded him to the Minnesota Twins after the 1978 season. He later pitched for the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies before retiring in 1985.
The Mets inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1989. They retired his No. 36 on Aug. 28, 2021, making him one of the first players in franchise history to receive that honor.
Koosman is survived by his daughter Danielle and sons Shawn and Michael, along with several grandchildren. His marriage to LaVonne Sorum ended in divorce.
