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Claudell Washington
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 327 of 1233 players
Claudell Washington
Born: August 31, 1954 at Los Angeles, Cal.
Died: June 10, 2020 at Orinda, Cal. Obituary
Throws: Left Bats: Left
Height: 6.01 Weight: 195

Claudell Washington was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on August 31, 2009, April 28, 2018, June 10, 2020, June 11, 2020, and June 12, 2020.

First Mets game: June 11, 1980
Last Mets game: October 3, 1980

Share your memories of Claudell Washington HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: The Beezer Hit one of the longest home runs I've ever seen at Shea Stadium. Unfortunately, he was on the Braves at the time. flushing flash The day of my bar mitzvah party, Claudell hit three home runs. Jersey Joe August 16, 2001 Truly indicative of how inept and pathetic the Mets were in those days. Upon his arrival, he was issued his new uniform with his name sewn on the back. Of course, his long name was NOT centered on the uniform and it looked absolutely ridiculous and bush league as the "I N G T O N" drooped down his right sleeve. Disgraceful 007 November 3, 2001 The biggest nostrils I've ever seen. Must've picked his nose with his bat. d(t) December 8, 2001 Went to a Mets game in 1980 against St. Louis and he got to do something I've never seen before or since. He came up as a pinch hitter, reached base and got to bat a second time in the same inning, making an out. I've never seen anyone bat twice in a game without playing defense during the course of the game, barring a DH of course. The Mets won that game 8-0. He was one of my favorites. shaun December 21, 2001 what a mad man he was. great power hitter, under-rated his whole carrer. flushing flash April 24, 2002 Here's another trivia bit for youse: Claudell Washington was Nolan Ryan's most frequent strikeout victim. a mets fan November 12, 2002 I think Claudell was an okay player. He did have alot of predictions for being good with the Mets. I was at a game in Anaheim in 89 or 90 when Kurt Stillwell of the Royals hit a lazy fly ball to Claudell and Claudell threw the ball all the way to the backstop, and none of the other Angels knew there was only 1 out. So Claudell was the only player on the ball in that game. Larry Burns January 15, 2003 This guy was somewhat underrated his entire career. He was better than most remember him. He hit a TITANIC home run against the Braves off the scoreboard in Right-Center Field. But what I most remember about him was that a roommate in college had the most intense hatred for him of any player I knew. It was a blast when he would come up and this guy's blood pressure would shoot through the roof and he would scream until he almost passed out. Mr. Sparkle January 16, 2003 Larry, maybe your roommate hated Claudell for the same reason I did, for breaking Tom Veryzer's leg with a dirty slide into second while playing for the Braves. I hate dirty players and that was a dirty slide that ruined a mediocre player's career. Phil Calbi August 13, 2003 After the Braves traded him, someone had a banner out in right field that said, "Washington slept here." Joe Figliola September 3, 2003 Good line-drive hitter. I still have a vivid memory of seeing him come to the plate on TV, and how pumped his arms looked. At the time (1980), very few players were lifting weights (Brian Downing of the Angels was one of the few who did back then), but I think Clauddell had a bit of Arnold Schwarzzeneggar in him, too (the physical, that is; not the political). I also recall him saying how we went to see the film "Jaws" while as an Oakland A and commenting how that film scared him to death. Fortunately, he never had a fear of the 90 mph fastball. I'm sorry the Mets weren't able to sign him. He would've been a better fit in the outfield than Ellis Valentine. Kenny M September 3, 2003 Claudell was a nice pick up for the Mets. The highlight of his brief stay has to be his 3 home run game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. I remember listening to this game in a car radio driving back from my first trip to Cooperstown. I also remember his name on his uniform appearing to be so much longer than it was, forming a 180 degree arc around his number 15. Jonathan Stern February 28, 2004 Frank Fitzpatrick's recent book on the 1980 Phillies, "You Can't Lose Them All," has an interesting story towards the end. After the 1981 season, owner Ruly Carpenter sold the team. He did not want a part of the free agency craziness that was just beginning at the time. In fact, he initially opposed the 1979 signing of Pete Rose (for the grand sum of $3.36 million over five seasons) for this reason. The 1981 strike was bad enough for Carpenter, but the clincher for him was, according to Fitzpatrick's book, the contract Washington received from the Atlanta Braves before the start of the season. So he sold the team, ending, among other things, the Dallas Green era of the Philadelphia Phillies, Green not wanting to manage for the new ownership group (He went to the Cubs, as some of you might recall). As for Claudell, it is not for me to say for sure whether his Atlanta contract was worth it. Given baseball economics back then, as opposed to now, it might have been. The Braves did win while he was there. The Mets, for whatever reason, may have given up on him too soon. Mitch45 April 1, 2004 I don't think the Mets gave up on him. He gave up on them. He filed for FA as soon as he could after the 1980 season. Kiwiwriter June 18, 2004 Never the great power hitter the Oakland A's thought he would be when he came up in 1975, he had a long and solid career...and one of the longest necks in baseball I ever saw. The "Washington Slept Here" banner flew in Chicago as well as Atlanta. He was one of a lot of guys who got traded to the Mets and tried to flee as soon as he could. KMT March 6, 2005 My Claudell memmory was a throw he made from the right field corner at Shea to nail Davey Lopes at 3rd base. The throw was on the fly and Lopes was absolutely stunned!! One of the greatest throws I've ever seen! Pete July 5, 2005 Serviceable player. I believe Claudell's trade to the Mets was Frank Cashen's first trade as Mets GM. I remember thinking, at the time, that we got this great new GM that the built the Baltimore Orioles back in the '60s and all we get is Claudell Washington! Thank God Frank was more adept than I gave him credit for when I was 14. Mike February 8, 2006 That three homer game was awesome, not many of them back then. I remember the Post making a huge deal of it. 5280MetsFan February 12, 2006 Great underated player. If memory serves me right it was his contract with Atlanta that caused Charlie Finley to sell the A's later that year. I guess Charlie realized he couldn't run with the big boys after he saw the contract that Claudell signed. Ger February 29, 2008 I remember Bob Murphy calling him Claudell Irvington when the Mets first got him. He was a good player and I always wished the Mets kept him. He did good with the Yankees batting second in the lineup between Henderson and Mattingly. Tony Masters May 22, 2009 I met him after a game once and as he was signing my cap, he FARTED! He apologized and said it's normal especially after the mexican food he ate in the clubhouse. Mister X May 8, 2012 There are two things that I remember about Claudell with the Mets. One is when he hit three home runs in a game against the Dodgers. The other is that he looked a lot like Warren Coolidge from the TV show "The White Shadow", only not as tall. Mike July 6, 2012 A fine player who was a great pick-up for the Mets, if I remember correctly (and that's an IF) he was released by the White Sox and was signed by the Mets. He played hard and give them some pretty good production (I remember that 3-homer game.) He became a FA at the end of the year and most people - including Washington - thought he would just resign with the Mets except the Braves blew everyone by surprised with that huge offer-Washington-couldn't-refuse contract. Joe from Brooklyn April 17, 2013 I too was at the game where Claudell made that great throw to nail Lopes. The throw was a frozen rope. I believe Elliot Maddox was the 3rd baseman for the Mets. The fans at Shea couldn't believe what they just saw. The throw was from the corner of right field, probably never got 8 feet off the ground, and Maddox was waiting with the ball for Lopes. Just beautiful. To this day probably the greatest throw I've ever seen. Larry’s Memories,40yrs Later June 30, 2020 Sadly, died on the eve of the 40th anniversary of his Met debut, thus only days before he could recalll his role in the miracle victory on June 14,1980 against Frisco at Shea. His bottom of the 9th single knocked out Greg Minton, setting up the melodramatic Allen Ripley-Steve Henderson confrontation.Like Henderson,he would never again be affiliated with the Mets in any capacity after 1980, but not without a Thanx for the Memories moment. For only 1/2 a season: Washington’s memorable Sleepover at Shea! More Memories,40yrs Later July 14, 2020 RIP. A phenom with the A’s, but an enigma by the time he joined the Mets. Like Mazzilli, Strawberry and Ellis Valentine, his athleticism carried his baseball skills. Washington’s Memorial to Mets fans: he chopped down the cherry tree 3x at Dodger Stadium, but wouldn’t be telling a lie if he said it exemplified his potential, not consistency. Larry Washington July 19, 2020 Demonstrated why nameplates don’t belong on baseball uniforms. Had Washingtonian ability and should’ve had a Monumental career. A .308 hitter at 21, with power and speed, 300HRs, 500 steals and 3000 hits could’ve been logically predicted. I don’t know if he had a brother named Lawrence but I, as a Fellow Citizen, bid him a fond Farewell! Jujo June 29, 2021 I did not realize he passed away last year. Claudell was pretty good in his half season with the Mets. I guess he left because the Mets were bad. He had a number of fine seasons after he left for the Braves. In some ways he was like Tommy Davis in 1967-one good season but was then traded for Tommie Agee and Al Weis in 1968. I wish he had stayed with the Mets because that team was beginning to turn the corner and I would have much preferred Claudell over Kingman who could only hit homers and strike out. Washington was a 5-tool player.

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