My teaching license is about to be revoked because I can't construct a test true to its mission.
Each question on the Mets Final Exam is supposed to correspond to one year and one year only in Mets history. HOWEVER, in my desire to offer answers that would be fun and enlightening, I didn't realize that my player for a particular year wasn't playing his final Met game in that particular year. The reason? He was a Recidivist Met. That is he left the Mets in the middle of one year (which I thought was it for him) but he came back in another year.
I'm annoyed with myself for the sloppiness but also sorry because he was one of my favorite answers. I'll reveal him on Tuesday as a bonus player with everything else (because he has one of the greatest nicknames ever in baseball), but for now, I have to give you another No. 10 for that year, so here goes.
10. The last pitch I threw as a Met was whacked for a double that scored two runs. Both the batter and one of the runners who scored were players who would go on to manage against the Mets. I'm most famous for a home run I gave up to another player in New York, one who never managed.
• As many of you have been doing since we posted Extra Help, decide what's most the important piece of information in the question and work from there.
And while we're at it, I've clarified Questions No. 29 and 31 based on readers' keen observation:
29. I gave up a very important run in a very important game versus the Braves. That was the last inning I pitched for the Mets. I was pitching elsewhere when the next season began after a trade.
31. I'd save my best for later, but I'd never win a bigger game than I once did for the Mets. As for my farewell to them, I walked off the mound having paved the way for my successor to surrender a game-losing homer in Chicago (I took the loss) and never looked back.
Sorry for the foul-ups. Must be all this damn football on television that's screwing with my reception. Or perception.
Well, I guess that leaves out Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson…
Not that he was ever a Met but, man, that's the all time greatest nickname. Of course, there was also “Dr. Strangeglove” Dick Stuart who, as far as I know, might be the answer to 1966. There you go…can I just shout out answers to years without even specifying the question number?
Dr. Strangeglove did play for the Mets in 1966. How on earth would he have not played for us?
Shout, shout…let it all out.