Jerry Koosman, a starting pitcher and key member of the New York Mets‘ first World Series title, has died at 83.
The team revealed his death Sunday, explaining that the famed southpaw had been battling multiple illnesses. Koosman was surrounded by family in Osceola, Wisconsin, at the time of his death.
‘The 1969 Mets had a multitude of heroes, but no one was bigger than Jerry Koosman, who passed away this morning after battling multiple illnesses,’ read a statement from Mets public relations director and team historian Jay Horwitz.
Although he enjoyed a lengthy career across stints with four different teams, it was his 1969 season with the ‘Miracle’ Mets that will be best remembered by baseball fans.
From the team’s inception in 1962 until Koosman’s arrival in 1967, the Mets had been more or less entrenched in last place in the National League standings. But with the additions of young pitchers like Koosman, Tom Seaver and a budding Nolan Ryan, the Mets suddenly had one of the best rotations in baseball.
Koosman would earn his second consecutive All-Star nod in 1969 while posting a 2.28 earned-run average (ERA) as the Mets held opponents to an NL-low 541 runs that season. Gil Hodges’s team then swept the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series before stunning the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.
Jerry Koosman, a starting pitcher and key member of the 1969 Mets, has died at 83
Tom Seaver, (L) and Jerry Koosman, mainstays of the Mets pitching staff, pose happily after their teams’ clinching of the Eastern Division title of the National League in 1969
The famed Mets trio or Tom Seaver (left), Jerry Koosman (center) and Nolan Ryan in 2009
Although first baseman Donn Clendenon was named series MVP, Koosman proved instrumental in the five-game victory by earning the victories in Games 2 and 5. For the series, Koosman finished at 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA.
Due to some nagging injuries, Koosman would never enjoy that level of success agai. Still, he remained a solid starting pitcher with the Mets until he was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1978 for reliever Jesse Orosco. Koosman would also have brief stints with the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.
He retired with a 3.35 career ERA and a record of 222-209.
‘This is a tough one to process,’ long-time Mets radio announcer Howie Rose wrote on X. ‘He had been in and out of the hospital during the summer, but it still hurts to realize that the winningest left handed pitcher in the history of the New York Mets, their greatest “money pitcher,” the man who won two games in the 1969 World Series including the clinching game five, and always the life of the party is gone.
‘What an honor to have known him and called him a friend. He was as tough as they come. Rest easy, number 36. You will be missed, but lovingly remembered. RIP.’
In retirement, Koosman did briefly coach in the Mets minor league system, but primarily ran Mesa Technology, Inc., a machine-design firm, in Osceola.
Koosman smiles at reporters after winning Game 5 to clinch the 1969 World Series for the Mets
The Mets retired Koosman’s No. 36 in 2021. He passed away Sunday at the age of 83
Koosman faced some trouble in retirement when he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor federal tax evasion over $90,000 in unpaid taxes. He began a prison sentence in Duluth, Minnesota, in September of 2009 and was later released in June of 2010.
‘I guess it’s a combination of being naïve and not being able to understand law as I read it or was told,’ Koosman told a United States District Judge in 2009.
He is survived by his wife, Sandra Kosowski, and his children Danielle, Shawn and Michael from a previous marriage.
Koosman was preceded in death by Hodges, the Mets manager who passed at 47 in 1972, as well as teammates Tommie Agee (2001), Tug McGraw (59), Clendenon (2005), Seaver (2020), Bud Harrelson (2024) and Ed Kranepool (2024).
‘Sad news today as Jerry Koosman has passed at age 83,’ MLB.com’s Mets correspondent Anthony DiComo wrote on X. ‘For years, Koosman played Robin to Tom Seaver’s Batman. Those two, Dwight Gooden and Jacob deGrom are the Mets’ pitching Mount Rushmore. RIP to one of the greatest in franchise history.’
Many fans were quick to recall that Koosman was scouted by one of the ushers at Shea Stadium. That staffer’s son had previously caught Koosman when the two were in the Army together.
‘The Mets found him through one of their ushers,’ one fan wrote on X, correctly recalling Koosman’s path to the team. ‘His catcher on an Army team at Fort Bliss told his dad, who ushered Mets games, and the scout they sent lowered his offer every time Koosman said no. He signed in 1964, joking he’d better before he owed them money.’
