How 1966 actually went.
For the first time, the Mets escaped last place. Sixty-six wins would not excite most teams, but for a franchise that had lost at least 109 games in every previous season, it felt like proof that the climb had started. Wes Westrum brought a calmer style, and the roster included more young players capable of improving instead of veterans simply finishing their careers.
Cleon Jones began to establish himself as a real major-league hitter, while Ron Hunt and Jack Fisher supplied steady work. Jerry Grote arrived to take over behind the plate, beginning the relationship with a young pitching staff that would soon become the strength of the franchise. The offense remained light and the club was still outscored badly, but games no longer felt hopeless before they started.
Finishing ninth is not a banner achievement. In Mets history, though, 1966 is the season the floor finally moved upward. The club had a permanent home, a growing group of useful young players, and a front office beginning to develop pitching. One more terrible year remained, but the difference between an endless joke and a real rebuild was becoming visible.
Ninth place never felt so encouraging—the Mets had finally left somebody else behind.