Tombstone
Born: December 4, 1967 – California League expansion franchise1UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL. “Visalia Gets Met Team”. The Sentinel (Hanford, CA). December 1, 1967
Folded: September 1975
First Game: April 19, 1968 (L 5-3 @ Bakersfield Dodgers)
Last Games: August 31, 1975 (W 13-0 & W 3-2 @ Bakersfield Dodgers)
California League Champions: 1971
Stadia
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner: New York Mets (Joan Whitney Payson)
Major League Affiliation: New York Mets
Attendance
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Source: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (3rd ed.), Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, 2007
Trophy Case
California League Most Valuable Player
- 1971: George Theodore
Background
The Visalia Mets were a Class A farm club of the National League’s New York Mets for eight summers between 1968 and 1975. The Mets’ arrival in 1968 marked the return of professional baseball to Visalia’s Recreation Park for the first time in five seasons, following the departure of the Visalia White Sox at the end of the 1962 season.
In their finest season as a Mets’ affiliate, Visalia the 1971 California League championship, sweeping the Fresno Giants in two games. First baseman George Theodore tore up the league that summer (.329, 30 homers, 114 RBI) and took home California League Most Valuable Player honors.
Notable Names
Visalia was part of the Mets organization during an era when New York won one World Series (1969) and appeared in another (1973). Visalia came online too late to have much impact on the 1969 “Miracle Mets” team and the 1973 squad was a veteran crew with relatively few young, homegrown players of impact. Visalia’s main contribution to the 1973 Mets’ line-up was 23-year old starting first baseman John Milner. Milner, who belted a career-high 23 homers for ’73 Mets. Milner his .326 with 15 homers for Visalia in 1969 as a 19-year old.
Outfielder Ken Singleton (Visalia ’68) developed into a star for the Baltimore Orioles. Singleton represented the Orioles in three Major League All-Star Games, won a World Championship with the Birds in 1983 and is a member of the Orioles Hall of Fame.
Outfielder-first baseman Lee Mazzilli (Visalia ’75) was the last Visalia Met active in professional baseball when he played his final Major League game in September 1989.
The End
By 1975, Visalia was the only New York Mets farm club located west of the Mississippi River. In late August, with the California League season heading into its final week, New York officials announced they would leave Visalia after eight seasons. The Mets would end up shifting their High-A operation to Lynchburg, Virginia of the Carolina League in 1976. Unable to attract a new Player Development Contract with another Major League organization, the Visalia club folded in the fall of 1975.
After a one-year absence the California League returned to Recreation Park with the debut of the Visalia Oaks in 1977. Visalia has remained a steady presence on the California League schedule ever since, with the exception of a two-year hiatus in 1993-1994.
Visalia Mets Shop
Links
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4 Responses
I am trying to find Joe A Wall. In 1966 before being drafted he was a catcher with the mets farm system.
We were in basic training together and I have not seen him since.
His baseball career ended with the 1969 Visalia Mets.
Any assistance would be helpful
Thank you
I see a 1973 Visalia Mets program. Do you still have it? I am also looking for other Mets minor league programs if you have more. Let me know
Hi John,
Unfortunately, we don’t have that ’73 Visalia Mets program any longer. We sold it a couple of years ago.
You can sign up for our First Look Service and, for a one-time donation of $10 per team, reserve a first right of refusal to see and purchase memorabilia that we acquire from any team before it’s make available for sale to the public.
Drew
I have, what I believe to be, the only Official California League baseball ever signed by Willie Mays. I was at a summer game in Visalia 1973 with my neighbor. Willie was playing for the NY Mets that year. I was 14 years old at the time. Willie Mays was visiting the Visalia Mets farm team for the day and after catching a foul ball I was able to get him to sign it. Willie was not playing and did not foul off the ball. I happen to catch Willie talking with the team manager on the field off 3rd base and he signed the ball for me. Still have it to this day.