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April 1st

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9 Fact(s) Found
1963 Former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider returns to New York when the Mets purchase him from LA for $40,000. At the end of the season, Buzzi Bavasi will tell the 36-year-old outfielder, who will represent New York in the All-Star Game, that the Yankees had asked for him to back up Mickey Mantle before being dealt to the team across the river.
1982 The Mets send fan-favorite Lee Mazzilli to Texas for rookie starters Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. The deal, not well-received at the time, turns out to be a steal for New York when the two right-handers combine for 118 victories during their tenure with the team, with their departed outfielder playing a total of 58 games with Texas before being traded to the Yankees for Bucky Dent.

NYT MAZZILLI SENT TO RANGERS

1987 Mets phenom pitcher Dwight Gooden avoids suspension for substance abuse by agreeing to enter a drug rehab facility. The talented 22-year-old right-hander will make his first start on June 5, winning 15 games for the team despite missing the season's first two months.
1996 The Mets rally overcome a 6-0 deficit, beating the Cardinals at Shea Stadium, 7-6, in the century's biggest Opening Day comeback. The decisive run scores due to an unusual 9-3-6-3-6 double play when Bernard Gilkey, the baserunner on first, is doubled up on Rico Brogna's short sac fly to right field (RF-1B-SS-1B-SS), allowing Lance Johnson to cross home plate on the play.
1997 Setting a record for the most runs scored in one inning of an Opening Day contest this century, the Padres score 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 12-5 rout of the Mets. Chris Gomez, Rickey Henderson, and Quilvio Veras lead the attack with back-to-back-to-back home runs.

(Ed. Note: The Diamondbacks break the Opening Day mark when the team crosses the plate 14 times in the the third inning of a 16-1 victory over the Rockies at Chase Field. - LP)

2002 With a 6-2 victory over the Bucs at Shea Stadium, the Mets improve their mark for Opening Day victories to 26-15 (.634), a major league record. The New York expansion team didn't win on Opening Day until the ninth year of the franchise's existence.
2008 Robert Andino's first career round-tripper is memorable as his two-out, tenth-inning walk-off homer to deep left off Matt Wise gives the Marlins a 5-4 victory over the Mets at Dolphin Stadium. The post-game celebration is short-lived when the Miami native takes off for home to meet the police after getting a text message from his wife informing him their house may have an intruder.
2015 Auction items featured in Sotheby's "New York Sale" include the 1967 Mets' bullpen cart shaped like a baseball wearing a cap. The electric-powered vehicle, valued between $20,000 and $30,000, fetches a surprisingly high bid of $125,000.

2021 Nationalpastime.com celebrates the 25th Anniversary of its debut on the internet. The popular almanac-styled baseball history website, the first to display facts for every day of the year, features 12,000 easily searchable entries, many enhanced with videos, photos, text, and quotations.

(Ed. Note: Where does the time go? -LP)


9 Fact(s) Found