The 1962 New York Mets season was the first regular season for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB), as the National League returned to New York City for the first time since 1957. They went 40âÂÂ120 (.250) and finished tenth and last in the National League, games behind the NL Champion San Francisco Giants, who had once called New York home. The Mets were the latest team to be 60+ games behind in a division before the 2018 Baltimore Orioles finished 61 games behind the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. In one of the worst MLB seasons in the modern era and the National League since the 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates, the Mets lost 120 games, setting the record for the most losses in the era. Their losses became the second most when the 2024 Chicago White Sox lost their 121st game; though their winning percentage (.253) is still higher than the Mets' (.250). The Mets' starting pitchers also recorded a new major league low of just 23 wins all season.
The team lost its first game 11âÂÂ4 to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 11 and went on to lose its first nine games. Their first win in franchise history came on April 23 in Pittsburgh in a 9âÂÂ1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, which also resulted in the Pirates' first loss after a 10âÂÂ0 start. Their first win in New York came on April 28 in a 9âÂÂ4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Having repaired their record to 12âÂÂ19 on May 20 after sweeping a doubleheader against the Milwaukee Braves, the Mets lost their next 17 games. They also lost 11 games straight from July 15 to July 26 and 13 games straight from August 9 to August 21. Their longest winning streak of the season was three wins.
The Mets were managed by former New York Yankees manager Casey Stengel and played their home games at the Polo Grounds, which was their temporary home while Shea Stadium was being built in Queens. They remain infamous for their ineptitude and were one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball history. The team's 120 losses were the third most by any MLB team, after the infamous 1899 Cleveland Spiders lost 134. Their team batting average, team earned run average (ERA), and team fielding percentage were all the worst in the major leagues that season.
Despite the team's terrible performance, fans came out in droves. Their 1962 season attendance of 922,530 was good enough for sixth in the National League.
The season was chronicled in Jimmy Breslin's humorous best-selling 1963 book Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? The title came from a remark made by manager Casey Stengel expressing frustration over his team's poor play.
One of the only bright spots was left fielder Frank Thomas, who hit .266 with 152 hits, 34 home runs, and 94 RBIs.
The Mets and Houston Colt .45s were established on October 17, 1960, giving them time to acquire minor league professional players, sign amateur free agents (there was no first-year MLB draft until 1965) and enter into working agreements with minor league affiliates during the 1961 season. New York had formal working agreements with three minor league baseball teams in 1961:
As an expansion team, the Mets were not expected to do well. They finished last in the National League, and they also finished 24 games behind their expansion brethren, the Colt .45s.
The first game in franchise history was played on the road, at Busch Stadium, St. Louis, on Wednesday night, April 11, 1962. The Mets fell behind 2âÂÂ0 and 5âÂÂ2 early, then narrowed the deficit to one run, but ultimately lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 11âÂÂ4. Former Brooklyn Dodgers Gil Hodges and Charlie Neal homered for the Mets, whose home opener at New York's Polo Grounds would wait until their second-ever official game, on Friday, April 13, 1962.
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts