Throneberry Misses the Base

The Mets of 1962 lost 120 games, and Marvelous Marv Throneberry became their emblem. The clearest single play came on June 17 at the Polo Grounds, the first game of a doubleheader against the Cubs. New York trailed 4–1 in the first inning when Throneberry drove a ball into the right-center gap. Two runs scored, and he pulled into third.

Ernie Banks appealed. Umpire Dusty Boggess called Throneberry out for missing first base. The story that Casey Stengel came out to argue, and was told not to bother because Throneberry had missed second as well, has been told as an umpire's quip. The better-sourced version is that first-base coach Cookie Lavagetto was the one who stopped Stengel. The next day's New York Times mentioned only the miss at first. Retrosheet notes that Throneberry admitted he had missed second, too.

The Cubs won, 8–7. Throneberry struck out in the ninth with the tying run on base. The legend grew a few extra punch lines. The missed base did not need them.