Jerry Buchek
Quick Facts
Biography
Gerald Peter "Jerry" Buchek (born May 9, 1942 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a former professional baseball player. He was an infielder over parts of 7 seasons (1961, 1963–1968) with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. Buchek was a member of the 1964 World Series champion Cardinals. For his career he hit .220 with 22 home run and 108 runs batted in in 421 games played.
On April 12, 1966 he hit the first ever home run at Busch Memorial Stadium.
Among Mets fans he was known for starting an improbable comeback victory against the Atlanta Braves on July 9, 1967. Down 4–3 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and nobody on base, Buchek, batting .230, was sent in to pinch hit for Bud Harrelson, who already had four hits, including a double, that game. Buchek hit a home run to tie the game, and the Mets went on to score another, to win 5–4.[1]