What we know
What we know: Jerry Koosman, who got final out in the 1969 Miracle Mets' World Series victory, dies at 83
Compiled Nov 2
What we know
- Jerry Koosman, an All-Star left-hander who got the final out of the 1969 World Series, died Sunday at 83
- He died of multiple illnesses in Osceola, Wisconsin, surrounded by his children, after being sick for about a year
- Koosman went 222-209 with a 3.36 ERA over 19 major league seasons, with 140 complete games including 33 shutouts
- He pitched for the Mets (1967-78), Minnesota Twins (1979-81), Chicago White Sox (1981-83) and Philadelphia Phillies (1984-85)
- In 1969 he went 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA and won two games in the World Series as the Mets beat Baltimore
- He signed with the Mets on Aug. 27, 1964, for $1,600 after his Army catcher's connection reached the team's front office
What we don’t know yet
- Koosman himself was unsure whether the substance on the ball that hit Cleon Jones in Game 5 was shoe polish, saying 'Maybe it wasn't mine. Maybe it was Cleon's show polish'
Open questions
- What specific illnesses did Koosman have in his final year?
- Was the substance on the ball in the 1969 Game 5 incident actually shoe polish?
- What was Koosman's life like after retiring from baseball in 1985?
- How did his family describe his final days in Osceola, Wisconsin?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.