July 24, 1963 - The New York Mets, who are still accentuating the negative, today not only kicked away another game but booted themselves right into the National League record book. When the San Francisco Giants came up with 3 ninth-inning runs and won, 4-3, it marked the New Yorkers’ 18th consecutive loss on the road. In turning what should have been Al Jackson’s finest bit of pitching in ’63 into another defeat, the Mets passed the ’61 Phillies as the N.L. club with the longest string of red ink away from home. One more beating at Candlestick tomorrow afternoon and they’ll catch the 1916 Athletics, holders of the major league mark. It took a horrible day by Larry Burright, the Met shortstop, to beat the plucky but unlucky Jackson. Burright struck out twice, bunted into force-outs twice, and committed two costly errors. His second error, on Orlando Cepeda’s bouncer in the ninth, came just before Jim Davenport belted his game-winning double to right center. “Sure, we got a break or two,” said Giant manager Alvin Dark. “But it’s time. We lost a game to the Mets in New York last week by failing to make a double play. Now they lost one to us the same way.” As for Jackson, he was the picture of dejection in the Met dressing room. “That’s the first time I’ve pitched that well in a month,” mourned Al. “I needed that win to convince me I was back in the groove. I’m light at 157 pounds. It isn’t often I feel so strong. But it’s cool here. I like this weather and park. Man, I sure hated to lose that game.” Casey Stengel flared up when asked to comment on the fact that his Mets have now broken the National League record for consecutive road losses. “Sure, I know about it,” Stengel snapped. “You don’t think I know about it? I’m a part of this organization, so why wouldn’t I know about it? We broke the record — right. Now, what kind of a comment do you want me to make? That it’s terrible? Okay. It’s terrible.”
