This day in NY sports history: Aug. 9, 1963

THIS DAY IN NY SPORTS HISTORY

Friday, Aug. 9, 1963

Hickman delivers in the clutch

Roger Craig avoided tying the major-league record of 19 straight defeats, thanks to Jim Hickman's walk-off grand slam that lifted the Mets over the Cubs, 7-3. Craig, 2-20 before the start, switched his jersey number from 38 to 13 in hopes of changing his luck. It did, for a day, as he allowed three runs and struck out eight in a complete game. The Mets had led 3-2, but Ron Santo's sacrifice fly tied it in the eighth. With Joe Hicks, Al Moran and Tim Harkness on base in the bottom of the ninth and two outs, Hickman (1-for-5) hit a fly ball to left that nicked the upper-deck overhang at the Polo Grounds. The win improved the Mets' record to 37-77 in the franchise's second season. Despite a respectable 3.78 ERA, Craig finished the season 5-22 and led the league in losses for the second straight year.