OT: RIP Jerry Grote

[MadRU]

Passed away at age 81. One of the Mets greats. Great defensive catcher.

 

[Kbee3]

Passed away at age 81. One of the Mets greats. Great defensive catcher.

Isn't it Jerry Grote ?

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[RUhasarrived]

His passing is the 12th from the 1969 team.
That is out of 35 players.
The 1962 team has only 10 players remaining out of 45,largely due to the ages of that expansion team.The '69 team had much younger ones.

 

[MADHAT1]

RIP to one great defensive catcher

 

[newwavedave1]

He was one of my favorite players on the 69 team.

 

[rudad02]

He was one of my favorite players on the 69 team.

Mine too. As MadRU said a great defensive back stop. RIP Jerry.

 

[NewJerseyGuy]

While I never knowingly heard a firehouse song (would have turned it off if I had), Jerry Grote was an important part of this Mets fan’s baseball upbringing.

He deserves this thread.

 

[e5fdny]

While I never knowingly heard a firehouse song (would have turned it off if I had), Jerry Grote was an important part of this Mets fan’s baseball upbringing.

He deserves this thread.

He does.

But to be honest, I thought he passed. Must have had him confused with another old Met.

 

[NewJerseyGuy]

He does.

But to be honest, I thought he passed. Must have had him confused with another old Met.

John Stearns died in 2022 and Ron Hodges died last year.

Maybe one of them?

 

[e5fdny]

John Stearns died in 2022 and Ron Hodges died last year.

Maybe one of them?

Could be.

I do remember reading about his failing health. It’s possible I just assumed it already happened.

Nice tribute during the game tonight.

 

[RU#1fan]

He was one of my favorite players on the 69 team.

Mine too. Went to many games at Shea watching childhood heroes Tom Seaver, Agee, Grote, etc.

 

[zappaa]

Best receiver in the National League during his era

 

[MadRU]

Lou Brock considered Jerry Grote the toughest catcher he ever tried to steal off of, and Johnny Bench himself once remarked that if he’d been on the same team as Grote, he (Bench) would have been relegated to third base with Grote being the regular catcher.

 

[LeapinLou]

I was only four years old in the summer of '69 and don't remember much about the Mets, Man on the Moon, etc.

I remember the 1973 WS very well. He was the battery mate of many a fine pitcher from those days. And I feel like taken into context of when he played, his offense for a catcher was more than adequate.

 

[zappaa]

I grew up with Jerry, I was the bat boy for numerous games in spring training and in the clubhouse all summer long in the late 60s.
When I was called up in 1977 at 20 years old he was behind the plate in Dodger Stadium for my first big league hit off of Tommy John.

What a thrill it was to play against those Met players I idolized growing up,.

 

[rudad02]

I grew up with Jerry, I was the bat boy for numerous games in spring training and in the clubhouse all summer long in the late 60s.
When I was called up in 1977 at 20 years old he was behind the plate in Dodger Stadium for my first big league hit off of Tommy John.

What a thrill it was to play against those Met players I idolized growing up.

Pretty neat.

 

[LeapinLou]

I grew up with Jerry, I was the bat boy for numerous games in spring training and in the clubhouse all summer long in the late 60s.
When I was called up in 1977 at 20 years old he was behind the plate in Dodger Stadium for my first big league hit off of Tommy John.

What a thrill it was to play against those Met players I idolized growing up,.

Do you still have the ball from your first hit? If yes, is it in your house or the YB museum?

 

[willisneverrana43]

Here's a fun story from Jerry.

 

[Retired711]

Passed away at age 81. One of the Mets greats. Great defensive catcher.

Apologies for being compulsive, but could you please edit the title to "Jerry" Grote? Thanks!