Synchronicity with Marv

Marv Eugene Thorneberry. First player chosen by the expansion N.Y. Mets in 1961. His named spelled M.E.T. You got to love the synchronicity. One of the worst players in history on one of the worst teams in baseball. Marv was also one of the first Miller Beer celebrity spokesmen. "Taste Great; Less Filling." Remember, eh? From back in the day.P.S. With the Mets, Throneberry got his first chance as a big-league regular, and he responded by hitting .244 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI. However, he committed 17 errors at first base and his fielding percentage of .981 would not be equaled by a major-league regular first baseman until Cesar Cedeno fielded .981 in 1979 for the Houston Astros .
Throneberry's baserunning was also suspect. On June 17 , Throneberry hit a triple against the Chicago Cubs but was called out for not touching first base. In a famous story, manager Casey Stengel came out to argue the call, but was told by the umpire that Throneberry missed second base as well. (In another version of the story, Stengel was told by his first-base coach.) The next batter hit a home run, prompting Stengel to come out of the dugout and point at all four bases. Throneberry's mistake proved costly, as the Cubs won the game 8-7.
Throneberry, who facetiously came to be known as Marvelous Marv, maintained a sense of humor about his play and became a favorite with fans and the media. However, a disagreement the following year over his 1963 salary led to his abrupt retirement at age 29.