Former New York Mets Pitcher Jerry Koosman Dies Aged 83

Former New York Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman has died on Sunday morning, the team announced. While UPI initially reported his age as 86 before also citing 83, the Daily Mail, Fox News, CBS Sports, and the New York Post all report that he was 83 years old. According to the Daily Mail, he died in Osceola, Wisconsin, while surrounded by his family. [1][3][4][5][6][7]

The Daily Mail and Fox News both report that the left-handed pitcher died after battling multiple illnesses. UPI reports that Koosman pitched a 2-1 victory in Game 2 of the 1969 World Series against Baltimore, while Fox News reports that he won the decisive Game 5 that secured the franchise its first championship. [1][3][4]

Koosman pitched in Major League Baseball from 1967 to 1985, spending 12 seasons with the Mets in Queens before playing for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1989 and the team retired his number 36 in 2021, as reported by CBS Sports. [4][7][12][14]

The Mets were founded in 1962 to replace the departed Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. Koosman formed a rotation with Tom Seaver during his tenure in New York and later earned another World Series appearance in 1973. [11][14]