1972 New York Mets season

The 1972 New York Mets season was the 11th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Yogi Berra, the team had an 83–73 record and finished in third place in the National League East division.

Death of Gil Hodges
On April 2, 1972, manager Gil Hodges and coaches Rube Walker, Joe Pignatano and Eddie Yost, were returning to their motel in West Palm Beach, Florida after a round of golf when Hodges suddenly collapsed, falling backward and cracking his head open. Hodges had died from a heart attack, two days short of his forty-eighth birthday. The Mets wore a black armband on the left sleeves of their uniform jerseys during the 1972 season in honor of Hodges.

Appointment of Yogi Berra
On April 6, Yogi Berra was introduced as the Mets' new manager. The news of Berra's appointment was accompanied by the announcement that the Mets had traded outfielder Ken Singleton, infielder Tim Foli, and first baseman/outfielder Mike Jorgensen to the Montreal Expos. In return they received star outfielder Rusty Staub, who had hit a .311 batting average with 97 RBI the previous season. Also joining the club that year was John Milner, a left-handed, power-hitting, first baseman/outfielder.

Notable transactions

 * December 10, 1971: Nolan Ryan, Frank Estrada, Don Rose, and Leroy Stanton were traded by the Mets to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi.

Season summary
On May 11, the Mets acquired Willie Mays from the San Francisco Giants for minor league pitcher Charlie Williams and cash. The acquisition of Mays had been a longtime dream of Joan Payson, who had been a New York Giants fan in her youth. With Mays no longer pulling the weight of his large contract, Giants owner Horace Stoneham made him available, and Payson could not resist.

The club got off to a sizzling start in 1972, playing better than .700 ball through early June and peaking at .780 on May 21, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates by six games. However, a series of disabling injuries to Rusty Staub, Bud Harrelson, Jerry Grote, and Cleon Jones brought the team up short and dropped them into their third consecutive third-place finish, 13.5 games behind Pittsburgh.

Despite a promising start, the season ending on a highly disappointing note. Jim Fregosi suffered a broken thumb in spring training and never got on track, posting a .232 batting average. Second baseman Ken Boswell hit just a .211 batting average on the year. John Milner flashed some power with 17 home runs but batted only a .238 batting average. Tommie Agee, unhappy at intermittently being displaced in center by Mays, batted a .227 batting average. Rusty Staub batted a .293 batting average, but was limited to just 66 games because of a broken hand. Mays batted a respectable .267 batting average, but his fielding ability significantly declined.

Among pitchers, Tom Seaver went 21–12, Jim McAndrew 11–8, Jerry Koosman 11–12, and Rookie of the Year Jon Matlack was 15–10. Gary Gentry slumped to 7–10. Tug McGraw continued as the bullpen ace, with 8 wins and 27 saves.

On September 30, Jon Matlack gave up a double to Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. It was Clemente's 3,000th and final big-league hit prior to his death in a plane crash on New Year's Eve.

Opening Day starters

 * Tommie Agee
 * Ken Boswell
 * Jim Fregosi
 * Jerry Grote
 * Bud Harrelson
 * Cleon Jones
 * Ed Kranepool
 * Tom Seaver
 * Rusty Staub

Notable transactions

 * April 5: Ken Singleton, Mike Jorgensen, and Tim Foli were traded to the Montreal Expos for Rusty Staub.
 * May 11: Charlie Williams and $50,000 were traded to the San Francisco Giants for Willie Mays.

Starters by position
''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Other batters
''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

All-Stars
1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
 * Willie Mays, starting center fielder
 * Tug McGraw, reserve
 * Tom Seaver, reserve

Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Tidewater