Met Legend Grote Shined As An 89er

Considered one of the best defensive catchers of his era, Jerry Grote made his mark as an Oklahoma City 89er before achieving a lengthy Major League career that included a prominent role in the New York Mets improbable run to a 1969 World Series title.   

A native of San Antonio, Grote was signed by the Houston Colt .45’s (now known as the Astros) as an amateur free agent in 1962. He made his Major League debut at the end of the 1963 season after playing a full season with the double A San Antonio Bullets. Grote split time as Houston’s starting catcher in 1964 but was demoted to Oklahoma City for the 1965 season after struggling at the plate in his first full season at the Major League level.  

Grote made the most of his opportunity in Oklahoma City. Splitting time between catching and third base, he finished with 11 home runs, 47 RBI and a .265 batting average in 118 games played for the 89ers. 

With a crowded situation at catcher in Houston, the Colt 45’s traded Grote to the New York Mets on October 19, 1965, for a player to be named later (that player wound up being pitcher Tom Parsons). This transaction would change Grote’s fortunes forever and turn out to be one of the wisest trades in Mets history. 

Grote would be a fan favorite in his 12-year run with the Mets. He quickly established himself as the starting catcher and achieved a breakout season in 1968 when he finished with a career-high .282 batting average and made the first of his two All-Star game appearances (the other would be in 1974). 

The following year, Grote would etch his name in Met lore by playing a starring role in leading the traditionally woeful Mets to an unexpected 1969 World Series title over the Baltimore Orioles. The “Miracle Mets” achievement was stunning considering the team had never finished higher than ninth place in a 10-team National League in its first seven years as franchise (1969 was the first year of divisional play). The Mets swept the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series before beating the Orioles in four games to win the World Series. 

Catcher Jerry Grote embraces pitcher Jerry Koosman after the New York Mets clinched the 1969 World Series title with a game five win over the Baltimore Orioles (photo courtesy of the New York Mets).

Mets vice president of media relations Jay Horwitz says Grote’s legacy of excellence is as strong today as it was during his playing days in Flushing. 

“We had a great pitching staff back in 1969. Seaver, Koosman, Ryan and McGraw. Jerry Grote was the glue that held the staff together,” Horwitz said. 

“There would not have been a World Series title in 1969 without Jerry. Clearly the best defensive catcher to ever put on a Mets uniform.” 

Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, who pitched for the Mets from 1966-71, is succinct on his thoughts on Grote’s defensive prowess.

“During his years with the New York Mets, Jerry Grote was the best defensive catcher in all of baseball,” Ryan said.

After 12 seasons with the Mets, Grote was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers towards the end of the 1977 season. He played for four teams in his 16-year Major League career, finishing with 1,092 hits in 1,421 games played. Grote recorded an outstanding .991 career fielding percentage as a catcher and if not for the fact that he played at the same time as Johnny Bench, would have certainly won a couple of Gold Glove awards.  

After retiring after the 1981 season, Grote spent time as a minor league manager and broadcaster before becoming a rancher in his native Texas. 

Grote is one of 24 players inducted into the Oklahoma City 89ers Hall of Fame and is a 1992 inductee into the New York Mets Hall of Fame and 1998 inductee into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame. 

Mr. Grote passed away on April 7, 2024, in Austin, Texas at the age of 81.