How 1979 actually went.
The Mets slipped to 63 wins and drew fewer fans than any other National League club. Shea Stadium, once the loud home of a miracle, became a symbol of how far the franchise had fallen. The roster had useful players but not enough depth, and the organization still lacked a believable plan for returning to contention.
Lee Mazzilli gave the season its joy. The Brooklyn-born switch hitter made the All-Star team, hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning, and drew the walk that forced in the winning run. For one summer night in Seattle, the face of a last-place club became the star of the entire league.
John Stearns and Craig Swan remained dependable, and young reliever Jesse Orosco received his first major-league appearance. Those pieces would matter in different ways, but the immediate picture was bleak. The season ended at 63–99, and ownership was moving toward a sale. The most hopeful event was not on the field yet; it was the approaching end of the group that had allowed the franchise to decay.
Mazzilli’s All-Star night gave a nearly empty Shea summer one memory that still shines.