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Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

batmagadanleadoff Jun 02 2010 09:13 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 02 2010 11:49 PM

This is the second part of the "Who was managing" thread. What are your earliest memories of a Met game? OE -- Televised memories are acceptable. I have two. I remember J.C. Martin running out of baseline at Shea during the 1969 WS. And I still remember a portion of Lindsey Nelson's call while Agee was trotting around second base after hitting a three run homer. I can still hear Lindsey in my head, 40 years later, still shouting: "a three run-homer, a three-run homer", his voice, his cadence, his intonation, his excitement.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 02 2010 09:30 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

My chronology is messed up, but the first game I really remember being at was the Theodore-Hahn collision game in 1973. But thanks to UMDB, I realized I had memories that predated that game by more than a year. For whatever reason, I recall watching this one on TV and one of the announcers saying the Mets were "Trailing by 6" and my hoping that "Trailing" meant "winning." Why do I remember this game? The pitcher was Chuck Taylor, No. 42, whom I thought was "Chuck Trailer." The game: [url]http://ultimatemets.com/gamedetail.php?gameno=1691

G-Fafif Jun 02 2010 09:48 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

'69 Division Clincher.

Valadius Jun 02 2010 09:57 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

It was sometime in the '90s, I went with my family to the picnic area at Shea. But for some reason, I remember that game having no announcer whatsoever.

batmagadanleadoff Jun 02 2010 11:48 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

batmagadanleadoff wrote: This is the second part of the "Who was managing" thread. What are your earliest memories of a Met game? I have two. I remember J.C. Martin running out of baseline at Shea during the 1969 WS. And I still remember a portion of Lindsey Nelson's call while Agee was trotting around second base after hitting a three run homer. I can still hear Lindsey in my head, 40 years later, still shouting: "a three run-homer, a three-run homer", his voice, his cadence, his intonation. To clarify, your earliest Mets game memories, for the purpose of this thread, need not have been experienced at the ballpark. Televised memories are acceptable. For example, my two earliest memories (JC Martin, WS and a 1970 Agee HR) were off the TV. I did not attend my first Met game until 1971.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jun 03 2010 05:18 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

This game. My grandfather took me when I was five. He was an ex-cop and he would always park illegally under the 7 tracks by the Grand Central and leave his badge on the dashboard. I remember asking him more questions about that than he was comfortable answering. The game was great: Tom Browning and Ed lynch both went seven and gave up one run. Strawberry won it in the bottom of the ninth with a home run off John Franco, and I remember being incredibly happy in the mezzanine. But I think the whole business of the badge and the illegal parking was a bigger deal to my five year old brain.

themetfairy Jun 03 2010 05:43 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

I remember the Mets playing in Pittsburgh in 1969 on the television. It was a little confusing for me to be rooting in opposition to the crowd rather than with it.

Fman99 Jun 03 2010 06:04 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

I remember attending a game in the late 70's, sitting in the upper deck with my entire family (my brother and mother stopped going with my dad and I by 1983 or 1984 as neither of them really cared, or care now, for baseball), eating one of those half vanilla and half chocolate ice cream cups, and leaving sometime around the 12th or 13th inning of a game that they would go on to lose while we listened to the call on the AM radio in my dad's car. I thought it was against the Cubs but I couldn't find a box score from any time in the 1976-1979 seasons where a Mets/Cubs tilt at Shea went more than 10 innings.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 03 2010 06:38 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

The day the Mets won the World Series in 1969. I was six years old and wasn't watching; wasn't interested. But I was at my grandparents' apartment, and my grandfather was watching. (I can't believe I was in a room where the game was on TV when Davey flied to Cleon and was completely disinterested!) But when the game ended, my grandfather turned to me and said, "The Mets just won the World Series!" and he was so happy that it made quite an impression on me. From that point on I knew that a Mets win was a good thing. I kept that thought in my head, but didn't actually start watching games until 1971, which is when the kids in my neighborhood discovered baseball cards and I learned that Tom Seaver was a really big deal.

HahnSolo Jun 03 2010 07:18 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

August 1973, sixteen inning game against the Reds at Shea...Seaver vs. Billingham. I know I watched many games before this one, but this was my first live Met game.

Frayed Knot Jun 03 2010 07:21 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

I have no memory of NOT being a Met fan.

TransMonk Jun 03 2010 07:36 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game? Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 03 2010 07:46 AM

My early childhood was spent in Illinois, so it would have been easy for me to be a Cubs or Cards fan. Baseball didn't really become important for me until I was 9 or 10, and around that time I began spending a few weeks each summer in Connecticut with my grandparents. My grandfather would always have the Mets game on and I fell in love with the names. Strawberry, Darling, Mookie...what's not to like? I was hooked. The first game I have clear recollection of is the first Mets game I attended in person. It was Wrigley Field in August of 1985. Darryl hit 3 homeruns and received a standing ovation from Cubs fans. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 8050.shtml

MFS62 Jun 03 2010 07:45 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Game: Sitting in the Polo Grounds, maybe even the first weekend home stand. I recall I turned to the guy behind me (who had binoculars) to ask who was coming in from the bullpen. He said "Santa Claus". When I turned back to face the field, snow flurries were falling. First overall: Listening to the radio to find out who the Mets drafted in the expansion/creation draft. Later

Edgy DC Jun 03 2010 08:05 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Mine are all a disaster. I have two games conflated --- one is (in my memory) a 1-0 win featuring shutout ball (and possibly a complete game) from Zachry. The run came on back-to-back doubles from (I think) Stoins and Maddox. I feel more certain about Stoins. The other featured Montanez putting one over the fence but getting it pulled back in the first, and then getting intentionally walked his next two times up. I remember also that his second IBB, he defiantly waved his bat at one of the intentional balls, giving the pitcher a strike and so daring the sucker to pitch to him. It would have been 1978 (the year Willie was good, not the year he was very bad.) Mazzilli homered and maybe Willie eventually did also, but it may have been Youngblood with the second homer. This was also a win. The only games I got to was tagging along as my dad took a bunch of inner city kids to Shea and Yankee Stadium with the Police Athletic League. We invariably got the worst seats in the house. But I seem to remember my first 5-10 games were wins. Something crazy like that. This looks like the intentional walk game, but only Mazzilli homered: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 6230.shtml

attgig Jun 03 2010 08:09 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

specific memory is 86 world series and it being past my bedtime, but me and my sister sneaking back to the living room and peering around the corner to watch it...then our dad catching us, but telling us to join my parents on the couch, and we all watched together.

Willets Point Jun 03 2010 09:31 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

I've written about this before, but the earliest Mets game I remember attending was the Steve Henderson Game. I was not a big baseball fan at the time and would not follow baseball regularly until 1985, but this was an exciting game. I've still haven't been to another sporting event that ended with such a joyous celebration by the fans.

batmagadanleadoff Jun 03 2010 10:20 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The day the Mets won the World Series in 1969. I was six years old and wasn't watching; wasn't interested. But I was at my grandparents' apartment, and my grandfather was watching. (I can't believe I was in a room where the game was on TV when Davey flied to Cleon and was completely disinterested!) But when the game ended, my grandfather turned to me and said, "The Mets just won the World Series!" and he was so happy that it made quite an impression on me. From that point on I knew that a Mets win was a good thing. I kept that thought in my head, but didn't actually start watching games until 1971, which is when the kids in my neighborhood discovered baseball cards and I learned that Tom Seaver was a really big deal. I posted that my earliest memories were the JC Martin play and then a 1970 Agee HR, but Grimm's post reminded me that I also remember watching on TV --against my will-- the last inning of Game 5 of the 1969 series. I was at a friend's house watching the afternooon kiddie TV lineup (Speed Racer or perhaps Gigantor, or Popeye?) when some of the older kids in the house commandeered the TV set to watch the end of the Mets clincher. I had little idea about what was going on and privately resented the interruption. But the following morning, when I arrived at my elementary school, I walked into the biggest buzz of excitement I ever experienced to that point in my life and became a Mets fan that same day. I was a front-running bandwagon jumpingoning Mets fan.

Zvon Jun 03 2010 12:23 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Frayed Knot wrote: I have no memory of NOT being a Met fan. I love you FK. Not carnally, but vicariously though everyone else that loves you. You do temp me to consider experimentation.... I spoke of my first memory in the other thread, the Art Shamsky broken ribs thing. The game itself was delayed for a while while they treated and carted him off, and this is the ONLY thing I remember about the game. It was the ONLY exciting thing that happened, imo-ata (at that age). I was in no way a baseball fan when I went to my 1st Yankee game or Met game. As a child I was too busy being Batman and Napoleon Solo to have time for sports. My dad took me to those games, more than likely because he thought I was spending way too much time as the caped crusader and The Man From Uncle. I think what qualifies as an interest in baseball was that the day after the Met game where Art plastered himself to the stands I picked up my dads newspaper and went to the sports section because I was curious as to what happened to him Of course, being at the game I only knew what I saw and never watched the news or sports reports. There was no ESPN. Don't know if sports radio, or sports talk radio, existed, but it probably did to some extent. But the fact that I was curious and went out of my way to followup was a sign. Thank you Mr. Shamsky for being the worm that was now on the hook. I remember this feeling of respect I had for him after seeing the play (not even sure if he held onto the ball now that I think of it). I thought, "wow, the way he flew after that ball and stuck with it..the determination... I don't think even Batman could do that. Surely not Napoleon Solo,....he would muss his hair." I still didn't follow baseball immediately following that but there was the hook. Towards the end if the 69 season, I saw these things in my peripheral vision concerning the Mets that got my attention. You all know what that was. Don't think I was able to see any of the 69 series live on TV. I heard things tho,...I heard some things. And when they won it all, and I'm talking the moment and the preceding minutes after, I was outside the lobby of where I lived with my buddy Dave and suddenly paper like confetti was sailing thru the sky from a number of surrounding apartment buildings. Maybe my mind is exaggerating this but I remember LOTs of snowfalling like stuff from the direction of 3 different buildings. I had no idea what was going on. I called out to the doorman,"Hey Sal, LOOK at this! Whats going on!" And he screamed " THE METS WON THE WORLD SERIES!" Never saw Sal with a wider smile on his face. Dave and I jumped and leaped and danced down the street like you see in some of those pictures that capture the moment though-out the city. That was the line. And you won't believe the sinker, cause its such a simple thing. I thought of the Mets over the winter, I guess cause everyone was talking about em. And I saw amazing pictures and clips of the now historical things that happened. My curiosity was building and suddenly I was looking foward to when the Mets 1970 season would start. Im gonna watch them on WOR-9, I thought to myself. Im gonna check em out. I knew that my hero Shamsky was still there because I saw him in the backround of all these photos of Tommie Agee's catch. So when the 70 season started I tuned into a game at my 1st opportunity. And here was the sinker. Right before going to Nelson,Kiner, and Murphy, WOR-9 played this lil short intro film to the tune of Meet The Mets. It was basically just a small highlight reel of the 69 series, although there might have been other clips in there. First time I ever heard Meet The Mets (i think, or at least payed it any mind), and that, coupled with Agee and Swoboda's catches, and the rest of what was shown... They got me: hook, line, and sinker. Started wanting to go to games all the time from that point on. The following year my parents allowed me to go to games unsupervised. It was just a walk thru Flushing Meadows to get there. (did take around an hour to reach the park from where I lived tho, lol. Probly half the time to reach Queens Blvd and the subway, but it never even occurred to me at that age) I'd walk to a game or two every weekend from then on. Having running catches with my buddies all the way there.

Ceetar Jun 03 2010 12:48 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Most of my early memories are randomly disjointed and I haven't gone to the records to try to place any of them specifically. Two from at games. My father followed in the wake of a huge group that had handed a bunch of tickets to the ticket-taker, thereby insuring that my first ticket stub was not a stub, but a whole ticket. I know my parents have it in an album somewhere. This was probably 87-88ish, but I feel like it was before '86. The other at the game moment I remember is my father being annoyed with the Mets losing fairly succinctly, and we were leaving early (last time I 'voluntarily' left early) but on our way down the ramp Strawberry hit a grand slam and we went back. on TV, the extra inning Astro's game in the NLCS. I was semi-annoyed that I couldn't have the tv to watch cartoons because the game went long. I remember being disappointed I was missing Danger Mouse, but I also don't recall expecting or even wanting to switch the station either.

Zvon Jun 03 2010 12:48 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Edgy DC wrote: The only games I got to was tagging along as my dad took a bunch of inner city kids to Shea and Yankee Stadium with the Police Athletic League. The Yankee game I went to, no idea what year, was with my dad and a group from the United Firefighters Association. He doesn't remember ever taking me to any games. Understandable at his age. Makes me feel sad but also glad, because now I can tell him stories, like he did for me as a child.

Zvon Jun 03 2010 12:50 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

attgig wrote: specific memory is 86 world series and it being past my bedtime, but me and my sister sneaking back to the living room and peering around the corner to watch it...then our dad catching us, but telling us to join my parents on the couch, and we all watched together. This is so sweet I think I just got a cavity.

RealityChuck Jun 03 2010 01:23 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Specific? Going to my first game and discovering that the center fielder was someone I had never heard of -- Sean Fitzmaurice. I loved the name.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 03 2010 08:51 PM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game? Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 04 2010 09:23 AM

On TV, it's a jumble. In person, it's this. I remember a lot of Ks posted on the 2nd tier, how the place shook a little for the home run to center and with two outs in the ninth (and how scary/cool that was). I also remember wandering off while we stood in line for hot dogs and such to gawk at the souvenir stand bats and freaking out my aunt who brought me. Also, the knish. Which was warm and pillowy and all things good in a soft brown, mustard-smeared shell.

TheOldMole Jun 04 2010 07:53 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Living in Iowa when the Mets started, so few TV games except the very occasional game of the week. Earliest TV memory -- Curt Simmons striking out Ed Kranepool three times on big jug-handle curves.

MFS62 Jun 04 2010 09:28 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Zvon wrote: attgig wrote: specific memory is 86 world series and it being past my bedtime, but me and my sister sneaking back to the living room and peering around the corner to watch it...then our dad catching us, but telling us to join my parents on the couch, and we all watched together. This is so sweet I think I just got a cavity. Not as sweet as winning the the NY Lottery. Man, I'm sick of hearing that commercial. Later

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jun 04 2010 09:58 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Oh, an addendum to my first memory. The Mets won the game 2-1, but my grandfather wrote "REDS 2, METS 1" on the cover of the scorecard. This bugged me for years. It still bugs me. I'm not sure if he just made a mistake or if he was making some sort of pun off the word "won." I'd ask him, but i don't think he'd remember. Also, my wife recently threw out that scorecard, thinking it was just a magazine I was done with. I, uh, was not sure how to react to that, but I guessed I couldn't get too angry, since it was an honest mistake. I still got a little mad, though.

Edgy DC Jun 04 2010 11:45 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

I think that means you get one cheat.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 04 2010 11:48 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Yes, but it has to be with one of Jesse James' girlfriends.

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jun 04 2010 11:55 AM Re: Part Two-What are your earliest memories of a Met game?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Yes, but it has to be with one of Jesse James' girlfriends. Ugh. Are there any without white power tattoos?