This Date in Mets History: August 6 — The Mets Bid Farewell to Berra, Balks, Balks, Balks

Yogi Berra's tenure as skipper of the Mets dashed upon the rocks on this date in 1975. Berra initially took the helm in the wake of Gil Hodges's untimely death and steered the team to winning records in three of his four seasons, peaking with a National League pennant in 1973. However, a clubhouse feud with outfielder Cleon Jones just two years after that charmed run led Berra to ask the front office to give just one man continued employment. The Mets obliged, but ten days after releasing Jones, they opted to cut ties with their malaproppriate manager as well.

Birthdays

Two dearly departed members of the original 1962 Mets had birthdays on August 6: Clem Labine and Herb Moford. A longtime fixture of the Dodgers' bullpen, Labine closed out his lifetime pitching ledger with four frames of relief work in the orange and blue uniform of the new New York franchise. Moford tossed eleven more innings than Labine, but ultimately decided to call it a day after the 1962 season as well. The righty went on to manage, though not in the traditional sense. In 1983, Moford served as the campaign manager of his former Detroit teammate Jim Bunning's unsuccessful run for the governorship of Kentucky.

Oh, and Victor Zambrano (2004-2006) is 37. His last appearance in professional baseball came two years ago, when he posted a sub-2.00 WHIP in eight games for Dorados de Chihuahua of the Mexican League.

Transactions
Armando Benitez left the five boroughs for good on this date in 2003. Three weeks after the Mets shipped him to their crosstown rivals, the Yankees him shipped across the country, sending the combustible reliever to the Seattle Mariners for Jeff Nelson.

Seventeen years earlier, the Mets rid themselves of another fan un-favorite by releasing outfielder George Foster. At the time, Foster alleged the transaction was racially motivated, though that claim would probably have carried more weight if his OBP hadn't been a number so close to his actual weight.

Game of Note
On August 6, 1988, the Mets picked up one of the weirder wins of their 100-victory campaign. Trailing the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 in the eighth inning, pinch hitter Tim Tefuel drew a lead off walk. In what would become a leitmotif of his appearance, pitcher Jim Gott then balked him to second base. Teufel would score the tying run on a Darryl Strawberry fielder's choice, but the Mets would plate the go-ahead and an insurance run when Gott balked two more times. Final score: Mets 5, Pirates 3.

Amazin'-ly Tenuous Connection
The world's first ever website was put online on this date in 1991. The brainchild of pioneering computer engineer Tim Berners-Lee, this page eventually spawned over half a billion others, most of which are seemingly dedicated to complaining about the LOLMets.