NEW YORK, November 1, 2026 ā Jerry Koosman, the left-handed pitcher who won two games in the 1969 World Series and delivered the championship-clinching performance for the New York Mets, has died at 83.
The Mets announced his death on Sunday, paying tribute to one of the central figures in the franchiseās first championship.
āWe are saddened to share the news that Jerry Koosman has passed away. We send our thoughts and prayers to his family.āā New York Mets
The New York Post reported that Koosman died Sunday morning surrounded by family in Osceola, Wisconsin. Citing Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz, the newspaper said he had been battling multiple illnesses. A specific medical cause was not identified.
The pitcher behind the Miracle Metsā defining moment
Tom Seaver was the most celebrated pitcher on the 1969 Mets, but Koosman delivered two of their most consequential victories. After Baltimore won the World Series opener, Koosman won Game 2 to bring New York level.
He returned for Game 5 at Shea Stadium on October 16, pitching a complete-game five-hitter as the Mets secured their first championship. The final out produced an enduring baseball image: Cleon Jones caught Davey Johnsonās fly ball, and Koosman leapt into catcher Jerry Groteās arms.
That afternoon also included the famous shoe-polish incident. Manager Gil Hodges showed the umpire a marked baseball to support the argument that a pitch had struck Jones. Accounts later differed about how the mark appeared. According to the Society for American Baseball Research, Koosman recalled Hodges telling him to rub the ball against his shoe.
Four years later, Koosman again helped carry New York through October. He pitched a complete game in the Metsā 9ā2 victory over Cincinnati in Game 3 of the 1973 National League Championship Series, the contest remembered for the fight between Pete Rose and Bud Harrelson.
He also earned the win in Game 5 of the 1973 World Series, combining with Tug McGraw to shut out Oakland. The Athletics ultimately won the championship in seven games.
Across 19 major-league seasons with the Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, Koosman finished with 222 victories, a 3.36 earned run average and 2,556 strikeouts. He was an All-Star in 1968 and 1969.
Family background and life beyond baseball
Born Jerome Martin Koosman on December 23, 1942, in Appleton, Minnesota, he grew up in a farming family. His parents were Martin and Lydia, and his siblings were Elton, Orville and Violet.
According to his SABR biography, childhood chores included cleaning barns and repairing fences. Jerry and Orville also found time to practise baseball in the hayloft, taking turns pitching and catching.
Koosman served in the Army before reaching the majors. The Mets signed him in 1964 after he was scouted playing military baseball.
He and his former wife, LaVonne, had three children: Danielle, Shawn and Michael. They divorced in 2003.
His path to the majors nearly ended early. SABR recounts that a small loan following a car accident reportedly delayed his release from the Metsā minor-league system. While the club waited to recover the money, his pitching improved and he kept his place. Several versions of that story have circulated over the years.
Koosman also has a lasting connection to baseball-card history: he shares the 1968 Topps āMets Rookiesā card with Nolan Ryan.
The Mets retired his No. 36 at Citi Field on August 28, 2021, formally recognising the pitcher who had been on the mound when their improbable 1969 championship became reality.
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