1969 New York Mets NLCS Program (w/Game 3 Ticket Stubs – Nolan Ryan’s First Post-Season Appearance)

With the expansion of Major League franchises (yet again) in 1969, there emerged a need to structure each circuit into two divisions. This would stimulate fan enthusiasm later into the regular season while generating a post-season series that would lead to the finale World Series. Introduced, therefore, in 1969 were the league championship series to determine the pennant winners in each league.

From the first-ever such National League Championship Series is this official program – the only one dispensed in Shea Stadium in 1969. As a best-of-five series, the Mets had already claimed two victories in Atlanta, so Game 3 promised to become (and, in fact, did become) the clincher as New York marched to a 7-4 victory. The program is qualified by an erasure on the cover – it’s virtually invisible, yet compulsory to report. As well, there appears a fashionably handwritten notation on the cover declaring "Pennant Winners 10/6/69." (This notation, though unnatural, is neat, and very artistic). Thereafter, this publication is characterized by sharp corners, no creases, firmly bound pages, strong spine, and (aside from the aforementioned qualifications) an acceptably clean cover to yield an overall condition of "apparent" EX/MT. Stapled to page three are two ticket stubs to that Game 3. The piece has been neatly scored in pencil through eight innings.

Not only is this historic program directly pertinent to the Mets’ first post-season competition, but that contest is meaningful at a higher level in that a very young Nolan Ryan took the mound in the third inning, and proceeded to the game’s conclusion, sealing the pennant victory for the Mets. It marked Ryan’s first ever post-season appearance – a victory.    

100% Authentic Team

1969,Championship,Major League,National League,New York Mets,Pennant,Program,Stadium,Ticket  Nolan Ryan,Shea Stadium

Auction End: 21-Feb-09  Post Views: 2506

100  Price; $0.00 – $0.00