Cal Koonce

Calvin Lee Koonce

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 185 lb.
• School Campbell College
• High School Hope Mills High School
• Debut April 14, 1962
• Final Game August 8, 1971
• Born November 18, 1940 in Fayetteville, NC USA
• Died October 28, 1993 in Winston-Salem, NC USA

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Biographical Information

Cal Koonce pitched 10 seasons in the majors. He was a starter in his early years and then for most of his major league career he was a reliever. He was the brother of Don Koonce.

He was the losing pitcher for the New York Mets in the first game ever played by the Montreal Expos, on April 8, 1969 at Shea Stadium (Boxscore). He came on in relief of starter Tom Seaver in the 6th inning and gave up two runs that inning, to tie the score at 6, then one more in the 7th to give the Expos the lead they would not relinquish. Koonce went 6-3 with 7 saves as a reliever that season as the Mets won the World Series, but was not used in the postseason because of his high 4.99 ERA.

Koonce also a high school teacher at South View Senior High School in Hope Mills, NC from 1974 to 1979, then returned to his alma mater as head coach from 1980 to 1986. In 1987 he became General manager of the Fayetteville Generals, staying on for two years. He then coached at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, NC and served as a scout with the Texas Rangers. From 1987 to 1992, he was concurrently a town commissioner in Hope Mills before illness forced him to resign. He died of lymphoma a year later.

Notable Achievement

• Won a World Series with the New York Mets in 1969 (he did not play in the World Series)

Related Sites

• Cal Koonce at the SABR Bio Project