Bob Myrick
A New York Mets left-handed reliever who delivered crucial innings during their unexpected 1973 pennant-winning season.
1952–2012 (age 60)·American baseball player·Birthday: October 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bob Myrick's major league career was brief but etched into a memorable chapter of New York Mets history. A tall left-hander from Mississippi, he was drafted by the Mets and made his debut in 1976. His most significant contribution came the following year. On a team known for its gritty, 'You Gotta Believe' mentality, Myrick emerged as a reliable arm out of the bullpen, appearing in 40 games during the 1977 season. While not a star, his ability to get outs, particularly against left-handed hitters, made him a valuable piece for manager Joe Torre. Arm troubles, however, curtailed his time at the top; he pitched his final major league game in 1978 at just 26 years old. Myrick's story is that of the unsung role player, the kind who fills out a roster and contributes to the long grind of a season, remembered by dedicated fans of an era when the Mets were defined by resilience more than glamour.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bob was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Pitched in 40 games for the New York Mets during the 1977 season, posting a 3.61 ERA.
- Recorded his only major league save on September 24, 1977, against the Montreal Expos.
- Finished his MLB career with a 3.64 ERA over 66 total appearances.
Did You Know?
He was the great-nephew of Buddy Myer, a two-time American League All-Star and 1935 batting champion.
In his major league debut on September 4, 1976, he pitched two scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.
He attended the University of Southern Mississippi.
After baseball, he returned to Mississippi and worked as a salesman.
“A slider low and away is a universal language.”
