Taryn “Coop” Cooper Supports The Tug McGraw Foundation

Raising funds to combat the scourge of cancer is a cause that resonates deeply in the hearts of many saddened souls, including ours. That’s just one of the many reasons we are offering our support to Taryn “Coop” Cooper, a sportswoman, humanitarian and New York Mets fan, who is training to run the New York City Marathon in an effort to raise funds for the Tug McGraw Fund. Just hearing the name Tug brings back countless memories, most of them happy ones, but a few of them sad. 

For many Mets fans the 1965 season stands as a sort of crossroad between the inept and at times laughable, veteran-driven squads that preceded it and the younger, although at times still frustrating squads that followed. It was the first year that promising, quality players, began to arrive at Shea Stadium after rising through the Mets minor-league system. One such glimmer of hope was Tug McGraw, a hard-throwing left hander, and an immediate fan favorite.

This is how the young pitcher looked when he first came up to the show. On this 1966 Topps card we see the handsome, young man, a shiny, almost-new Shea Stadium, a 1964 – 1965 New York World’s Fair patch, and a bright blue sky. It was an eye-pleasing combination, and a welcome sight for Mets fans.

One game early during his years with the Mets stands out. We remember the game as if it was played yesterday. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the opponent on Thursday, August 25, 1965, when in front of 45,950 fans, Tug defeated Sandy Koufax in what was a close contest until the bottom of the eighth when the Mets pushed a couple of insurance runs across the plate. We don’t quite remember the headline, but we think the win made the front page of the New York Daily News. “Rookie Beats Koufax” is what we recall. Whether the story was given this treatment in the papers or not, it remains a happy recollection, one that makes us smile to this very day.

Tug became a favored Mets pitcher. He was spirited and exceedingly likable. He didn’t win a lot of games that year, but we liked the glint in his eye. As the years unfolded, the wins came. He was a part of the “Miracle Mets” and some years later coined the phrase  “Ya Gotta Believe” which inspired the Mets all the way into a World Series appearance against the might Oakland A’s. He spent the last part of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, helping them win the 1980 World Series. After baseball, the years unfolded for Tug. He was living a full life when in the spring of 2003 while working for the Phillies as an instructor, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Treatment proved unsuccessful and after a nine-month battle Tug succumbed. 

This brings us to the matter at hand, the effort by  Taryn “Coop” Cooper, a young woman who we’re certain never saw Tug McGraw play. That’s her on the left with Nicky the Running  Bear. She’s currently undergoing a rigorous training program that will enable her to complete the New York City Marathon. She will be running to raise funds for the Tug McGraw Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 2003. Its mission is to provide resources and hands-on support, foster understanding, promote awareness, and stimulate research and scientific collaboration to improve quality of life for people with brain-related trauma and tumors. It’s a worthy cause. Sooner or later, every life gets touched by cancer.

Which bring us to another part of this story. Gary “Kid” Carter, Hall of Fame catcher who was one of Coop’s favorite players, died of brain cancer earlier this year. Carter was a key player on the Mets 1986 World Series Championship team. Both he and Tug died at relatively young ages. Coop will be thinking of them while she runs the marathon, and will acknowledge both Tug and the Kid when she crosses the finish line.

Here’s another interesting twist to this tale. An opportunity to rally both Mets and Phillies fans to the same cause presents itself but rarely and should not be missed. Frequently at odds over the National League East Championship, here is a chance for both fan groups to embrace a mutual cause that transcend team affiliation. So many baseball fans cheered for and appreciated Tug McGraw, but only Phillies and Mets fans were given the privilege of calling him their own. This is another one of those reasons why we support this the Tug McGraw Foundation and Coop’s effort to raise funds for it. The impact that these two passionate, motivated and caring fan groups bring to whatever cause they embrace is unequaled. If there was ever a time for these fan groups to drop their attachment to their teams, and join forces, even just once, this is it.

It’s our hope here at Grubby Glove that many of our teammates support Coop in this meaningful endeavor. The link to her fundraising page is immediately below. Thank you, Coop, for your commitment and effort, which deserves and demands our respect. We support you, respect you and are rooting for you. Run Coop, run.

http://www.active.com/donate/teammcgrawnyc2012/NYCM12TCooper