MLB
Published April 7, 2024
Updated April 7, 2024 at 10:34 PM ET
Jerry Groat, the beginning catcher for the Mets’ first World Series championship crew in 1969, died Sunday afternoon of respiratory failure following coronary heart surgical procedure, his spouse Sheryl introduced on Facebook.
He was 81 years previous.
Jerry Groat handed away on Sunday. He was 81 years previous.
“It is with nice unhappiness that I write this submit to all of Jerry’s followers. Today, April 7, 2024 at 4:29 p.m., I misplaced my beloved catcher,” she wrote partly. I wrote it. “He fought onerous to the top, as all of us anticipated. He is now at house with Jesus. Thank you for all of the recollections and help.”
The Mets introduced in their very own assertion that Groat died on the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Austin, Texas.
Groat was a member of each the Mets’ beloved 1969 championship crew and 1973 National League pennant championship crew, and spent most of his 16-year main league profession with the Mets from 1966 till being traded to the Dodgers. Ta. 1977 season.
Jerry Groat (R) hugs Jerry Koosman because the Mets win the World Series in 1969. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Grote was thought-about among the best defensive catchers in baseball on the time.
He was named to the All-Star crew twice throughout his profession as a Met, in 1968 and 1974, and holds the report for many video games performed as a catcher in franchise historical past.
“We are very saddened to listen to of Jerry Groat’s passing. The Mets Hall of Famer was the spine of a younger Mets crew that took management of the guts of New York City in 1969,” stated Mets proprietor Steve. Cohen and Alex Cohen stated in an announcement. “Our ideas and prayers are along with his spouse Cheryl, her household and pals.”
Groat was praised all through his profession for his capability to work with younger pitchers, and was well-known for catching a number of the finest pitchers in Mets historical past.
That checklist included Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw.
“He was a very nice defensive catcher. It was nice to work with him,” Koosman advised The Post’s Steve Serby in 2019.
Grote’s persona could be stated to embody the miraculous 1969 Mets, who shocked the world by defeating the Orioles within the World Series and successful the franchise’s first championship.
The crew achieved 100 wins that season, one yr after their earlier franchise-best 73 wins.
In a 2009 interview with the Post, Grothe stated in spring coaching that season that he believed the ball membership was able to doing the unthinkable.
“I felt like we had the pitching and the protection,” he stated on the time. “All we would have liked was yet one more particular person.”
Grote’s popularity as one among baseball’s prime catchers is so nice that Hall of Famer Johnny Bench as soon as stated that if he was on the identical crew as Grote, he must play third base, and Grote He even stated that he can be behind the bat.
Grote, who debuted with Houston in 1963 on the age of 20 and completed his taking part in days with the Dodgers and Royals in 1981, performed in 1,421 video games, had 1,092 hits and a .252 batting common.
Grote, a San Antonio native, was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
The Mets inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
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