April 17, 1964: First Game at Shea Stadium

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Date: April 17, 1964

Mets starter: Jack Fisher

Mets: 3

Pirates: 4

Winning pitcher: Bob Friend

Key player(s): Willie Stargell, Amado Samuel, Bill Mazeroski

Key play: Stargell's home run, Mazeroski's single in ninth

A crowd of 50,312 came out to brand new Shea Stadium for its inaugural game on a sunny Friday afternoon. The opening of the Mets' new home was a spectacular event as it coincided with the New York World's Fair. The game did not end happily for the home team, though, as the Pirates came away with a 4-3 win.

Jack Fisher started on the mound for the Mets. Jack retired the first three Pittsburgh batters in the first inning, but Willie Stargell led off the second with Shea's first hit - a home run - to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, the Mets responded with their first three Shea runs. Ron Hunt started the inning with a double off Pittsburgh's Bob Friend. Jesse Gonder followed with a single to score Hunt and tie the game. Later, Amado Samuel doubled with the bases loaded to score Gonder and Frank Thomas, putting the Mets ahead, 3-1.

Stargell drove in the Pirates' second run with a fifth inning double to score Roberto Clemente from first base. In the seventh, Ed Bauta came in to relieve Fisher and gave up a single to Donn Clendenon that brought home Clemente to tie the game, 3-3.

The Pirates got the tie-breaking run in the ninth inning. Stargell and Clendenon got one-out singles off Bauta before Bob Bailey lined out to third baseman Hunt. Bill Mazeroski then singled to center field to score Stargell and put Pittsburgh ahead. The Mets were retired in order by Friend in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.

Notes

• The first player ever to come to bat at Shea was the Pirates' Dick Schofield, whose son, Dick Jr., would eventually play for the Mets. Schofield popped out to second baseman Larry Burright in that first at bat.
• Tim Harkness was the Mets' first Shea batter. He grounded out to shortstop Schofield to start the bottom of the first inning. In the third, Tim got a single for the Mets' first Shea hit.