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Donn Clendenon
1935-2005

1B 1961-72 Pirates, Expos, Mets, Cardinals

Donn Clendenon's Teammates

GamesAverageHRRBI
Career 1362.274159682
World Series 4.35734


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» Donn Clendenon, 70, M.V.P. for the 1969 'Miracle Mets,' Dies from nytimes.com (9/19/05)
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» Donn Clendenon, 70, M.V.P. for the 1969 'Miracle Mets,' Dies from nytimes.com (9/19/05)

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Football's Cleveland Browns, basketball's Harlem Globetrotters, and baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates all offered contracts to the 6'4" Donn Clendenon. He chose the Pirates, and batted .302 for them in 80 games his rookie season (1962). In 1966 he hit 28 homers and drove in 98 runs, both career highs, while hitting .299. Clendenon twice topped NL batters in strikeouts. He led NL first basemen in errors three times, but he also paced them in double plays five times, and three times each in putouts and assists.

The Expos took Clendenon in the October 1968 NL expansion draft, but dealt him to the Mets in June of 1969. Platooned with Ed Kranepool, Clendenon provided power that was critical to the team's surprising surge to the pennant. His home runs in Games Two, Four and Five of the 1969 World Series meant the difference in each contest, and earned Clendenon the Series MVP award. He might never have played for the Mets had he not vetoed his trade from Montreal to Houston the previous January. (TJ)


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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
» August 20, 1963: Mets 22-year-old rookie Grover Powell beats the Phils with a 4–0 shutout in his first ML start. In his next start he'll be hit on the cheek by a line drive off the bat of Pittsburgh's Donn Clendenon and never win another game.

» October 14, 1968: In the National League expansion draft, the Expos choose 30 players, including Maury Wills, Jim Grant, Donn Clendenon, and Manny Mota. San Diego's 30 selections include Dave Giusti, Nate Colbert, Zoilo Versalles, Al McBean, and Clarence Gaston.

» January 22, 1969: The Expos trade 1B Donn Clendenon and OF Jesus Alou to Houston for OF/1B Rusty Staub. Clendenon, however, refuses to report to Houston and announces that he is retiring instead. A few days later, Clendenon will decide that he would be willing to go to one of several other teams, a move which outrages the Astros. It will be April before the issues are resolved.

» February 28, 1969: 1B Donn Clendenon announces his retirement.

» March 8, 1969: National League President Warren Giles and Commissioner Bowie Kuhn say the Rusty Staub deal stands, that Donn Clendenon belongs to the Expos, and that Montreal and Houston will have to come to agreement on further compensation.

» April 3, 1969: Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and joins the Expos, signing for $50,000 per year.

» April 8, 1969: In a move to resolve the aborted Rusty StaubDonn Clendenon trade, Montreal keeps Clendenon and completes the deal by sending pitchers Jack Billingham and Skip Guinn, and an estimated $100,000 to compensate the Astros. Montreal will finally peddle Clendenon on the trade deadline date.

» June 15, 1969: The Mets help their power needs by adding 1B Donn Clendenon. The 33-year-old had refused a January trade that would send him from Montreal to Houston, but agrees to go to New York. The Expos receive Steve Renko, Kevin Collins, and two minor leaguers. The Expos also purchase P Dick Radatz from the Tigers.

» September 3, 1969: Collared his first four times up, Tommy Davis hits a double in the 9th inning to stretch his hit streak to 31 games. The double drives in the winning run as LA tops the Mets 5–4. The Mets had tied in the 8th when Tommie Agee and Donn Clendenon each homered with a man on.

» September 24, 1969: Home runs by Donn Clendenon and Ed Charles, and Gary Gentry's 4-hitter, clinch the National League East pennant for the Mets 6–0 against Steve Carlton and the Cards. As the game ends, a large number of the 54, 928 fans pour onto the field ripping up huge chunks of sod. Seven fans suffer fractures in the celebration.

» October 16, 1969: In game five Cleon Jones, awarded 1B when shoe polish on the ball proves he was hit by a pitch, scores on Donn Clendenon's home run. Al Weis's home run an inning later ties the game. Ron Swoboda's double and two Baltimore errors in the 8th give New York a 5–3 win and the Series. Jerry Koosman completes the Mets amazin' achievement with a 5-hitter.

» July 28, 1970: Donn Clendenon sets a club record by driving in seven runs as the Mets beat the Giants, 12–2. A sac fly and a pair of 3-run homers does it. Jim McAndrew is the winner.