Remembering Jerry Grote


Jerry Grote, the standout defensive catcher who worked so brilliantly with the Mets gifted pitching staff of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, died over the weekend.  He was 81. 

Unlike much of what we see today, the ‘69 Mets were built on great pitching, strong defense and stressing fundamentals. Not so much small ball, but smart ball.  A club that shocked the baseball world just months after man first landed on the moon. 

He’s third from the left in this photo from a 2009 Citi Field reunion honoring the iconic 1969 champs.

(Left to right: cosch Yogi Berra, Nolan Ryan, Grote, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and Duffy Dyer)




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