Fact Check: Did a black cat help the New York Mets win their first World Series in 1969?

The New York Mets have just two World Series titles, but one of them stands out. The 1969 title is associated with an interesting claim: that a black cat helped them win it all. Such a shocking claim couldn't possibly be true, or could it?

The Mets won the World Series, and there's a case to be made that the black cat spurred them on. On Sept. 9, 1969, Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins pitched for the Chicago Cubs in a key matchup.

The Mets were now just 1.5 games behind Chicago in the division, while the Cubs have lost six in a row. That's when the cat came into play. A black cat, known to be bad luck, came onto the field and almost went into the Mets' dugout before veering to the Cubs.

The fortunes of both teams were drastically reversed after that, and the Mets went on to win the World Series. The cat eventually had nothing to do with it, so there's no magical aspect to the victory.

The Cubs were cursed in sorts, not being able to win the World Series until 2016 when they beat the Cleveland Guardians.

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New York Mets looking for next World Series

The New York Mets were looking at 2023 as a potential return to the World Series, which they haven't won since 1986. They haven't been there since 2015, either. They spent more than any other team in the league last offseason.

Eventually, despite the arrival of Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga, they flamed out and had to sell off assets at the Trade Deadline. They ended nearly 30 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves.

The Mets have shedded some payroll and are targeting a turnaround. It may not happen in 2024, but they are now building to the future and hoping that the stain of 2023 doesn't last very long. With Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and others, that may end up being the case.