On Sunday August 5 five-time 20-game winner and two-time Cy Young Award winner; Tom Glavine, became the 23rd pitcher, the fifth left-hander, in history to win 300 games, as the Mets triumphed over the Chicago Cubs 8-3.
Glavine turned in a performance that reinforced his reputation as a brilliant pitcher, an intense competitor and a competent batsman; being 1 for 2 with an RBI and a walk at the end of the game.
At the end of the game he was greeted with countless hugs and congratulations from friends, family and supporters as well as telephone calls from Bud Selig and Fred Wilpon.
"I was so happy to be getting this." Said Glavine. "It is a relief. At some point, I'm not sure when, the accomplishment part of it will take over. But right now, it's mostly relief."
With a reputation for dedication and determination, the left handed pitcher has fought his way through several injuries; including a torn rotator cuff, broken ribs, an accident that cost him his two front teeth and a blood clot scare, even wining 22 games in 1993 despite his torn rotator cuff; there is no doubt that he thoroughly deserves his 300 wins.
The Mets had trouble in Milwaukee on Tuesday; failing to win Glavine his milestone victory despite the effort he put in, but the players all pulled together for their team mate on Sunday to win the game for him.
"This one wasn't getting away," said Lo Duca. "He knew that we let him down in Milwaukee. But we just played better tonight to make sure that wouldn't happen again."
When the game was over the players all put on blue Mets T-shirts with an orange "300" on the chest and a silhouette of Glavine pitching, that clubhouse manager Charlie Samuels had ordered for the occasion.
Whether Glavine will play again next season remains to be seen; he commented that reaching the 300 win milestone will certainly make it less likely that he will pitch beyond 2007, "But I'd like to keep pitching for a long time this year," he said.
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