Afternoon Delight

Ron Swoboda (far right -- seen here with fellow Mets alumni Jon Matlack and Felix Millan at the 2003 BAT Dinner) provided all the offense his team needed on this date in 1968. A 2nd inning home run off the Phillies' Chris Short powered New York's 1 - 0 victory. Don Cardwell kept the Philies in check, with a complete game five-hit shutout. For those of us who wonder why ballclubs here in the northeast play mostly night games even early in the season, the reason might be in the attendance for this game. On a day when schools (and colleges) were in session, the Mets drew less than 4000 to this afternoon contest in Shea Stadium.

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