Books and articles about Jon Matlack

Matlack, another in the long line of good pitchers developed by the Mets, won the Rookie of the Year award in 1972 by going 15-10 with a 2.32 ERA (fourth in the NL). He had been their number-one selection in the June 1967 draft. The offense-deficient Mets won the NL pennant in 1973, but Matlack had a 14-16 record despite 205 strikeouts (third in the league) and a 3.20 ERA. A Marty Perez line drive fractured Matlack's skull that year, but he was back in the rotation in 11 days. Matlack threw a two-hit, nine-strikeout shutout in Game Two of the LCS; it matched the LCS record for fewest hits allowed in a game. In Game One of the World Series he gave up only two unearned runs (on third-inning errors by Felix Millan and Willie Mays), but lost 2-1. He won Game Four 6-1, giving up three hits in eight innings, but was knocked out in the third inning of Game Seven, taking the loss.

RELATED LINKS » 1972: "[Clemente] collected his three thousandth hit, a double off Jon Matlack of the Mets": John Kuenster » 1973: O, Charlie O. Ask The Experts » How many one-hitters do the Mets have? Around the Web » Jon Matlack from mlb.com (02/17/02) Jump directly to Library content from any website!

In 1974, his support was even worse: he led the NL with seven shutouts and his 2.41 ERA was third, but he went 13-15. He went 16-12 in 1975 and won the All-Star Game with four strikeouts in two innings. His finest season was 1976, when he went 17-10 with a 2.94 ERA, tied for the NL lead with six shutouts, and finished third with 16 complete games. His effectiveness dropped drastically the next year, as he went 7-15 with a 4.21 ERA and was traded to the Rangers after the season in a four-team deal. He rebounded to finish second in the AL with a 2.27 ERA and went 15-13. He missed two-thirds of 1979 with elbow surgery and never matched his earlier success. Plagued through much of his career by shoulder problems, he was so protective of his pitching arm that he wouldn't draw blinds with his left hand during the season. (SH)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 7, 1967: The last-place Yankees have the first pick in the free-agent draft and use it to take Ron Blomberg. With the next pick, the Cubs tap SS Terry Hughes, who will have just 86 ML at bats. All 20 first-round picks are high school players, and only 11 will eventually reach the major leagues, including John Mayberry (#6, Astros), Jon Matlack (Mets), Wayne Simpson (#8, Reds), Ted Simmons (#10, Cards), and Bobby Grich (#20, Orioles). The O's take Don Baylor with their 2nd pick, then in the secondary phase, select P Mike Adamson. Adamson will leap directly to the O's, debuting July 1, the first player in draft history to bypass the minors. Other selections today include Dusty Baker (26th round, Braves), Matlack (1st round, Mets), Steve Yeager (3rd round, Dodgers) and Richie Zisk (3rd round, Pirates), The Phils strike out as none of their picks will reach the majors. » September 30, 1972: During a 5–0 win over the Mets, the Pirates' Roberto Clemente doubles off Jon Matlack in the 4th inning for his 3,000th—and final—career hit in regular-season play. » November 21, 1972: Boston's Carlton Fisk is the unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year, the first time this has happened. The catcher hit 22 home runs and led the AL East with a .293 average. Jon Matlack of the Mets is named the National League Rookie of the Year. » June 9, 1973: After the old timer's game at Shea, Willie Mays puts on his own show with a homer and circus catch and the Mets top the Dodgers, 4–2. Willie, older than a half dozen of the old Mets, hits #655 of his career. Rusty Staub drives in two runs to back Jon Matlack. In the old timers game, the Brooklyn Dodgers/Yankees lose to the Mets, 1–0, in two innings. » June 30, 1973: The Cubs, leading by seven games, lose to the Mets and Jon Matlack, 2–1. » October 7, 1973: Jon Matlack gives up two hits to Andy Kosco, but none to the rest of the Reds, as the Mets even the series with a 5–0 win. » May 29, 1974: The visiting Mets lose to the Reds, 3–2, when Tony Perez clubs a 10th inning homer off John Matlack. » July 15, 1975: The National League rallies for three runs in the 9th inning to win the All-Star Game at Milwaukee 6–3. The Cubs Bill Madlock and the Mets Jon Matlack share the game's MVP award. » June 25, 1976: In the Mets 7–4 win over the Cubs, Mike Phillips hits for the cycle to back Jon Matlack's pitching. » July 6, 1976: Houston's J.R. Richard allows 10 walks but no runs in shutting out the Mets, 1–0, in 10 innings. Starter Jon Matlack is the losing pitcher. » April 8, 1978: At the Opener in Arlington, the Rangers edge the Yankees 2–1 behind newcomers Richie Zisk and Jon Matlack. Matlack scatters eight hits in winning, while Richie Zisk belts a 9th inning solo shot off Goose Gossage to break a tie. Guidry goes seven innings for New York allowing six singles and after this no-decision, he will win 13 straight games. » April 10, 1980: At Arlington Stadium, Jon Matlack and the Yankees Ron Guidry both pitch shutout ball for nine innings before being lifted. In the 12th, Goose Gossage relieves with Mickey Rivers on 3rd and Richie Zisk at the plate. His first pitch is wild allowing Rivers to score the games on run. Gossage also lost the '78 Opener when Zisk took him deep in the 9th. Each team manages just four hits in the contest with Bob Watson and Jim Sundberg each collecting three of them. » August 19, 1980: Jon Matlack holds George Brett hitless, snapping his hitting streak at 30 consecutive games, but Kansas City rallies for three runs in the 9th to beat Texas 4–3. Brett batted .467 during the streak and knocked in 42 runs. » April 9, 1981: Before 55,123 at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees gun down the Rangers, 10–3. Bucky Dent and Bobby Murcer hit homers, with Willie Randolph following Murcer's blow with a triple. Dave Winfield, in his New York debut, has two hits and two walks, and Tommy John scatters seven hits in eight innings to win over Jon Matlack.