Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On July 21, 1968, Lost Nation’s Jim McAndrew made his MLB debut for the New York Mets. The hard-throwing right-hander dominated on the mound for the Iowa Hawkeyes before helping the Miracle Mets win the World Series in 1969.
Growing up on a 750-acre farm in Clinton County, McAndrew quickly proved a multi-sport star while donning the Purple and Old Gold for the Lost Nation High School Bobcats. Following high school, he headed to Iowa City to play baseball and basketball for the Hawkeyes. After a sophomore-year knee injury ended his basketball career, McAndrew focused solely on baseball. Despite an arm injury during his junior year, he tossed his way to a 4-4 record as a senior.
Selected 209th overall by the New York Mets during the 11th round of the 1965 MLB draft, McAndrew spent the next three years making his way through the minors. Called up to replace the injured Nolan Ryan in late July 1968, McAndrew started twelve games and posted a 2.28 earned run average over the rest of the 1968 season. McAndrew found himself on the bump for eleven innings in a September start against the Montreal Expos. He won the game, and the Mets moved into first place for the first time in franchise history.
McAndrew ended up pitching for the Mets through 1973. A member of two teams that played in the World Series, McAndrew appeared in 161 major league games. He registered 20 complete games, six shutouts, and a 3.65 career ERA. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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