Game Rewind: 05.10.1973
Mets crush Yankees, 8-4, at Shea Stadium to take Mayor's Trophy series lead
The New York Mets and New York Yankees played the 11th annual Mayor's Trophy on Thursday, May 10, 1973, at Shea Stadium.
Five runs in the second were all they needed to send their faithful fans home happy. George Stone, who had spent five weeks in the bullpen, pitched seven innings, allowing four hits including a grand slam by Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles.
With the Mets leading 8-0 in the seventh inning, the Yankees loaded the bases against Stone. That’s when Nettles drilled Stone’s first pitch over the 396-foot sign to cut the Mets lead in half. But the Mets held the lead and won the game, 8-4.
Casey returns to the Bronx in Wild first game
The first Mayor’s Trophy Game between the Mets and Yankees was played on June 20, 1963.
The Mayor’s Trophy Game, designed to be a local charity fundraiser for youth baseball, behaved more like wild concertgoers than baseball fans. A near sold out crowd of 52,430 — mostly Mets fans — filled Yankee Stadium and, according to media reports, the Yankees hired 260 extra security personnel and ushers to keep the raucous crowd under control.
“The ‘New Breed’ came out in full force, with banners, bugles, firecrackers and even cherry bombs,” reported The Sporting News.
New York media reported hearing firecrackers popping throughout the game. Security confiscated banners and signs in every corner of Yankee Stadium. Fights broke out in the stands resulting in 15 fans being kicked out of the Stadium. But no one was arrested.
Mets infielder Tim Harkness played the hero when he delivered a two-run single to highlight a five-run third inning as Casey Stengel and the Mets rolled to a 6-2 Mets win. “It was pure World Series,” wrote New York Times sports reporter Leonard Koppett, describing the scene.
After the final out, more than 5,000 fans “mobbed centerfield” and attempted to pull down the Yankees 1962 World Series title flag.
Interest Wanes
“The Mayor's Trophy Game was - in the early years - great fun,” said longtime New York sportswriter Steve Jacobson. “But the scheduling became so difficult that they couldn't get the two teams together on an off day.”
But after two decades, that new car smell had worn off. Management, players and fans became disinterested. Attendance plummeted. Starters were given the day off and management often used the opportunity to give prospects a look-see.
"It died of natural causes," said author and baseball historian Marty Appel. "The teams finally decided to just donate the money to the charities and skip the game."
"It was a pain in the butt," said former Yankees ace Ron Guidry. "It was supposed to be an off day and they made us play another game. It didn't mean anything, except to George. Bragging rights? Who cared? A couple of times guys got hurt and we just said, forget it."
The Origins
The origins of the Mayor's Trophy Game date back to 1946 when the two teams played in a best-of-three series for charity and “bragging rights,” but the exhibition went on hiatus after the 1957 season, when the Giants and Dodgers left New York for California.
Over two decades, more than $2 million was generated in support of New York’s Amateur Baseball Federation.
