Jerry Koosman, Pitcher Who Recorded Final Out of 1969 World Series, Dies at 83

Jerry Koosman, the two-time 20-game winner who led the New York Mets to a 1969 World Series title, died Sunday in Wisconsin at age 83.

Jerry Koosman, the All-Star left-hander who secured the final out of the New York Mets' 1969 World Series victory, died Sunday at age 83. Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz reported that Koosman passed away from multiple illnesses in Osceola, Wisconsin. During the decisive Game 5 against the Baltimore Orioles, Koosman pitched a complete-game five-hitter, retiring Davey Johnson on a flyout to left field to seal a 5-3 win and a 4-1 series triumph.

In the 1969 championship season, Koosman served as the team's No. 2 starter, posting a 17-9 record with a 2.28 ERA across 32 starts. He earned two wins during the World Series, including a Game 2 performance where he allowed just one run over 8⅔ innings in a 2-1 victory. Over 19 major league seasons, he compiled a 222-209 record with a 3.36 ERA and 140 complete games, including 33 shutouts.

Koosman spent the bulk of his career in New York from 1967 to 1978, recording a 3.09 ERA with the franchise before stints with the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. He finished second in the 1968 NL Rookie of the Year voting after going 19-12 with a 2.08 ERA. The Mets retired his No. 36 jersey in 2021, honoring a career that included two All-Star selections and two 20-win seasons.