After the Miracle

The Lasting Brotherhood of the '69 Mets

By: Art Shamsky, Erik Sherman, Art Shamsky - introduction

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

“A great and insightful” (Keith Hernandez, New York Mets legend and broadcaster) New York Times bestselling account of an iconic team in baseball history: the 1969 New York Mets—a last-place team that turned it all around in just one season—told by ’69 Mets outfielder Art Shamsky, Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, and other teammates who reminisce about that legendary season and their enduring bonds decades later.

The New York Mets franchise began in 1962 and the team finished in last place nearly every year. When the 1969 season began, fans weren’t expecting much from “the Lovable Losers.” But as the season progressed, the Mets inched closer to first place and then eventually clinched the National League pennant. They were underdogs against the formidable Baltimore Orioles, but beat them in five games to become world champions. No one had predicted it. In fact, fans could hardly believe it happened. Suddenly they were “the Miracle Mets.”

Playing right field for the ’69 Mets was Art Shamsky, who had stayed in touch with his former teammates over the years. He hoped to get together with star pitcher Tom Seaver (who would win the Cy Young award as the best pitcher in the league in 1969 and go on to become the first Met elected to the Hall of Fame), but Seaver was ailing and could not travel. So, Shamsky organized a visit to “Tom Terrific” in California, accompanied by the #2 pitcher, Jerry Koosman, outfielder Ron Swoboda, and shortstop Bud Harrelson. Together they recalled the highlights of that amazing season as they reminisced about what changed the Mets’ fortunes in 1969.

In this “enjoyable tale of a storybook season” (Kirkus Reviews), and with the help of sportswriter Erik Sherman, Shamsky has written the “revealing” (New York Newsday) After the Miracle for the 1969 Mets. “This heartfelt, nostalgic memoir will delight baseball fans of all ages and allegiances” (Publishers Weekly). It’s a book that every Mets fan must own.

Deeper than the usual 69 Met books.

I was eleven when the miracle took place, having seen a Mets fan since 1964. The 69 Mets are the single team, in my mind, that I compare other teams and players to. My Team.

That said, the first 3/4 of this book are a deeper look at that team than I have ever read. Shamsky shares some of the inside dope and player personalities that I have often thought about and imagined. His depiction of that team as an all contributing family makes me love that team more.

The last chapter brings the reality that time waits for no one. People age, change, and drift and we cannot change that.
I have seen Shamsky, Swoboda, Koosman on TV now and again and am shocked that they are not the same people they were in 1969. I see Bud Harrelson often at LI Ducks games and events, so there was less shock there—-we have grown old together. The last chapters of this book touched me deeply.

Art Shamsky has literally changed my life twice.
As part of the 1969 Mets when I learned that anything is possible and then with this book, where I have learned that nothing is forever, nothing is unchanged by time and we must take full advantage of the time we are given.

A beautiful, beautiful book that will become a member of my “read again and again” rotation.

AMAZIN

absolutely loved this telling of the boys of my summer.
only thing better would to have the audio of the actual conversations between the guys.
oh and so missing the pictures that are in the hardback of the book

Great story, narration lacking

The story was excellent. The narrator had a great voice, but did not have a proper pronunciation guide. Hearing him call Jerry Grote (Groa-tee), Jerry GROAT was a nails on the chalkboard experience. I find this happening on many sports books on Audible and I'm disappointed this issue continues to come up.

Great book, narrator has no clue.

Great story by one of my favorite players on a team I used to follow daily as a youth. Narrator sucked. Mis pronunciation of Grote’s name though out book drove me crazy. Also failed on other contemporary sport figures including Dave DeBusschere. Didn’t anyone listen to this before it was released?

The Imperfect Memory

This book was part of my life and that made it easy to love. And I did! Regrettably, it wasn’t read by a baseball fan of that era. Jerry Grote was not pronounced Groat. Mark Belanger was not pronounced Bellinger. Unfortunate distractions. I listened to the Mets radio broadcasts every night so I feel confident about the pronunciations.
The perfect complement is Roger Angell’s The Summer Game.