Mets’ 15 Hits Rip Chi, 10-5

June 1, 1965 - Perhaps it was just as well that the played today at Wrigley Field before their smallest audience of the season. Otherwise, a mistaken impression that the Mets are a team to be feared might have got wide circulation.

The 2,270 fans at Wrigley could have got the wrong idea while watching Jim Hickman contribute his power batting: he slammed two homers for four runs as the Mets whipped the Cubs, 10-5.

Some fans might even have left the park saying Chuck Hiller is one of the strong Mets. After all, they saw the second baseman make three good fielding plays, contribute two singles and a triple, and commit just one harmless error.

These things, plus Roy McMillan’s three hits and two runs, could destroy the image of the Mets in an afternoon.

Hickman’s exploits today left manager Casey Stengel talking of him as “the best center fielder we ever had.”In fact, the Mets have had Hickman forever — he came with the building. He was a prime prospect his first season, disappointed Stengel every other day, and disappeared into oblivion last season. 

“The fans in New York have been booing him, and that’s made me mad,” Stengel said. “Didn’t he lead the club in slugging one year and home runs another year?”“Well, that’s nice of him to say,” Hickman drawled. “I guess they were booing me because I wasn’t going good. Yogi [Berra] told me to stand up straight at bat, and that seemed to help.”

Hiller’s comeback was an overnight matter. He went 0-for-7 in yesterday’s doubleheader and made a costly error in both games.

“Damn, I felt bad,” he said. “I wanted to help the team, and look what happened.”

The second baseman was smothering everything today, then let another grounder roll under his glove in the fifth — the same kind he’d fouled up twice yesterday.

“I went into that dugout after that error, and I told [Jack] Fisher that the next ground ball that came to me I was gonna jump on with both feet,” Hiller said. “I jumped three times, up and down, and my spikes caught in the wooden floor, and I damn near fell down.” So, did the rest of the Mets — from laughter.

Stengel replaced Hiller in the last two innings. “Why take any chances?” he said.

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