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Where Were YOU?

soupcan Oct 20 2015 12:46 PM

I was reminded in another thread that the last time the Mets won the whole ball o' wax I was in college. I can tell you where I was and who I was with for Game 6. My apartment, with 6 Red Sox fans. It was awesome. They were going crazy and I was moping on the end of the couch. By the time it was over I was jumping up and down and was the only one remaining in my living room. For some reason though I've had no specific recollection of Game 7. I knew I was on campus at Syracuse U. but I always struggled as to whether I was in my apartment or at a bar or in my fraternity house. So last week I was at Game 3 of the NLDS with a friend of mine that I graduated with. He has been in the sportsmedia biz since then and reminded me that both he and I were at Mike Tirico's off-campus apartment. It sort of made sense - I do remember watching games at the apartment (I knew Tirico but it was more like he was my friend's friend) late that season but again, not that one in particular. So its a good story but you can really beat it just by remembering your own whereabouts. So...?

TransMonk Oct 20 2015 12:48 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was 11 sitting in front of my family's TV in the den. I remember being emotionally spent from Game 6, but KNOWING without a doubt that they were going to win Game 7.

themetfairy Oct 20 2015 12:53 PM Re: Where Were YOU? Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 20 2015 12:58 PM

D-Dad and I were watching in our UWS apartment for both games since we couldn't score WS tix. My parents were actually given two tickets to Game 6, and elected to give them to my brother. I still haven't forgiven them for that.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 20 2015 12:54 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I missed Game 6 of 86 while on a stupid college camping trip. We were deep in the woods at a hunting club in South Jersey somewhere. One guy told me "It's ova. 'Dey gave up two runs in 'da tenth." (he was from North Jersey). As soon as I processed that another guy who had gone out to the car radio for updates was came leaping into the woods with the details! "Mookie! Ray Knight! Wild pitch!!" etc etc. Game 7 I watched on TV at my girlie's sorority house.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 20 2015 12:54 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

For Game 6, I was in the Upper Deck, high above first base. As many times as I've seen the clip of Buckner missing the grounder, and of Ray Knight coming home, when I visualize it in my head I see it from my live perspective from the Upper Deck, and not from the more famous angle from the clips. For Game 7, I was at home on Long Island, watching on TV.

Farmer Ted Oct 20 2015 12:57 PM Re: Where Were YOU? Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 20 2015 01:16 PM

Game 7, I was in college and went home to watch game 7 with my dad. The game got rained out and ppd until the next night. So I went back to school (had an exam) and watched it on TV in my apartment...while my douchebag, non-baseball watching roommates decided to have a dozen friends over to play Scrabble. Yup, Scrabble. Fucking losers, still.

soupcan Oct 20 2015 01:05 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Wow. Other than Grimm and Monk, those are some depressing tales. I guess by contrast its better than I have no real recollection.

dinosaur jesus Oct 20 2015 01:07 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Game 6: in my apartment, Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, with a friend from Boston. Grad school, Washington University. We were both miserable through most of it; it was a very trying game, and of course as a Red Sox fan he was used to disaster. When the ball went through Buckner's legs, I raised my arms and shouted "Yes!" And immediately apologized. Game 7: In my apartment again, this time by myself (not sure why my wife wasn't there). I turned the TV on at intervals, until the Mets finally broke through. I don't remember what I did after it was over; probably walked up and down the Central West End feeling secretly happy and special.

d'Kong76 Oct 20 2015 01:15 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Worcester NY... between Oneonta and Cobleskill. If you obey the speed limit, it takes about minute to drive through Worcester. Briarcliff Manor NY for Game 7 but a little hazy on that

Benjamin Grimm Oct 20 2015 01:22 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I can proudly say that I've seen every inning of every Mets postseason game since Game 1 of the 1973 NLCS. (Five of the games in person and the rest on TV.)

soupcan Oct 20 2015 01:23 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

d'Kong76 wrote: Briarcliff Manor NY for Game 7 but a little hazy on that You just made me feel much better.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 20 2015 01:25 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

11 y.o. and in the den of my family's house in Stamford, CT for both games. Alone because my mother & sister had already gone to bed.

Lefty Specialist Oct 20 2015 01:28 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Game 6 is a painful memory for me, quite literally. I'd actually seen game two in Shea, where Gooden got hammered by the Sox 9-2. My girlfriend (she wouldn't become my wife until 3 1/2 years later), who worked for Doubleday Publishing at the time, had tickets to games 2 and 6. My nephew was being christened in Toronto on October 25th, so I went to game 2 and she took her Dad to game 6. That Saturday evening found me in the basement of my sister's house in Toronto. It was a very old house, all wood and stucco. My sister had no interest, so my brother-in-law (a big Jays fan) and I went down to the basement to watch. He was mildly on the side of the American League, and as the game progressed he started teasing me with portents of doom. After the Sox went up 5-3, he asked me if I wanted to turn it off. I said no, I'm gonna stick it out to the end. After two out in the bottom of the 10th, I told him to click it off the minute they lost because I didn't want to see the Red Sox celebrating. His finger was on the button, ready to press. But then a single, and another and another, and his finger eased away from the off button. When the ball went through Buckner's legs I leaped up high off the couch...... .....and cracked my skull on one of the foot-wide basement crossbeams. [u:croilowr]Hard.[/u:croilowr] So hard that my sister came downstairs to see what had happened, and hard enough that my brother-in-law thought he'd have to take me to the hospital. I fell back on the couch, looking at the celebration through one eye, my head throbbing. I iced it the whole night. Meanwhile, back at Shea, in the bottom of the 10th, my wife started crying with two outs. Her father said she shouldn't give up so easily. And damned if he wasn't right. It happened so fast, and it was so loud, that she couldn't fully appreciate it until she saw the videotape of it later. So a weird night all around for us. We watched game 7 in her apartment that Monday night, with a whole lot less drama.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 20 2015 01:32 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Wow! That's quite a story! I remember when the Red Sox took the lead in the top of the 10th, people began pouring out of the stadium. I couldn't understand it; I thought that if the Mets managed to make a dramatic comeback, they would have missed it just for the sake of getting out of the parking lot a few minutes sooner. I like to imagine what they must have thought, on the ramps or on the sidewalks outside of Shea, when the crowd erupted and Kool and the Gang started playing. Did any of those people ever again dare to leave a game early?

El Segundo Escupidor Oct 20 2015 01:35 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Prolly somewhere around W11. Most significantly, not a Mets fan -- a simpler, more civilised time, where self-flagellation five months a year was only but a distant nightmare.

Edgy MD Oct 20 2015 01:54 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

That Lefty Specs story just gave me a massive headache.

Lefty Specialist Oct 20 2015 01:57 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I still wince a little when I see the replay. I jumped a split-second after Scully said, "here comes Knight and the Mets Win it!!!!!!" (CONK!)

soupcan Oct 20 2015 02:10 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Wow - what a bunch of tragic stories! themetfairy - DENIED tickets by her own parents! STILL holds a grudge! Johnny Lunchbucket - ALONE! In the WOODS! Told that the Mets LOST! Farmer Ted - Dealing with Scrabble-loving LOSERS! Dinosaur Jesus - Had to APOLOGIZE for his team winning! Kong - Caused early onset of ALZHEIMERS! Willets Point - ABANDONED as a child! Lefty Specialist - BRAIN DAMAGE! El Segundo - Playing BATTLESHIP!

G-Fafif Oct 20 2015 02:13 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Home, a year and a half after college, watching with my parents, both of whom I converted from obliviousness to rabid fandom during that era (though I also have to credit their bandwagon instincts). October 27, 1986, was the last time I willingly hugged my mother as an adult. The only two previous times were the clinchings of the division and the pennant. Tonight, though his Met interest was completely dormant between 1990 and 2015, I'll be watching Game Three with my father, who is now in a hospice-care facility following the removal of a brain tumor, treatment for it and the lousy aftereffects of the treatment. He decided he enjoyed the ritual of us watching the Mets while in the hospital over the summer. When he was basically giving up, I promised him if he kept working at getting better (which seemed realistic for a while), I'd come over and watch the World Series with him. He didn't get home, per se, but he's still hanging in there, just like team we rooted for in 1986. A week from tonight, the 29th anniversary of Game Seven, I look forward to our getting together for Game One.

RealityChuck Oct 20 2015 02:15 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Game 6. I was home and working for a graphics company. When the Sox went up by two, I figured it was over, said, "well, if we had to lose, the Red Sox are a good team to lose to." My wife told me to watch the game until the end, though... I do remember a Vin Scully comment in the top of the tenth. Scully thought it was poor strategy for the Mets to have Howard Johnson hit away when pinch hitting in the bottom of the ninth. His partner in the booth thought otherwise. When they returned from the commercial, you could hear Scully say, "If he's good enough to hit away, why isn't he good enough to start?" just before he realized he was live. I don't remember watching Game 7. I don't really know why. I probably would have been at my writer's group, but that ended around 9 pm, so I could have caught it.

Edgy MD Oct 20 2015 02:20 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

By the way, I watched an old episode of The Fugitive last night. It had originally aired September 27, 1964. Richard Kimball walked into a greasy spoon diner and a ballgame was playing on TV, featuring the instantly recognizable voice of Vin Scully, amazingly sounding exactly like he does today. Maury Wills was getting a lead off second.

d'Kong76 Oct 20 2015 02:25 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

soupcan wrote: Kong - Caused early onset of ALZHEIMERS! More likely ANHEUSERBUSCHMERS in those days. G-Fafif wrote: Tonight, though his Met interest was completely dormant between 1990 and 2015, I'll be watching Game Three with my father, who is now in a hospice-care facility following the removal of a brain tumor, treatment for it and the lousy aftereffects of the treatment. He decided he enjoyed the ritual of us watching the Mets while in the hospital over the summer. When he was basically giving up, I promised him if he kept working at getting better (which seemed realistic for a while), I'd come over and watch the World Series with him. He didn't get home, per se, but he's still hanging in there, just like team we rooted for in 1986. A week from tonight, the 29th anniversary of Game Seven, I look forward to our getting together for Game One. Nice post, G

Benjamin Grimm Oct 20 2015 02:30 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

G-Fafif wrote: I'll be watching Game Three with my father, who is now in a hospice-care facility following the removal of a brain tumor... Wow, geez, sorry to hear about your dad. I hope you guys enjoy the game together.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 20 2015 02:35 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

10, in my family's Jersey house with older cousins, beginning a lifelong habit of nervous motion during tense moments by walking up and down the stairs between innings, and wearing a circular path in the shag around the couch.

Edgy MD Oct 20 2015 02:40 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Win this one for Mr. FaFiF, Mets. Forget about me and all I stand for. This one is his.

Centerfield Oct 20 2015 02:43 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

11 years old. Home. Watching on our 11" TV we had next to the kitchen. We had a bigger TV downstairs, but ended up watching most of everything on that tiny little screen. But wait, we are not even in the World Series. I object to the whole premises of this thread. TOO EARLY!

seawolf17 Oct 20 2015 02:44 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was ten. I remember watching both games in the den of our old house; I printed out a METS banner off my C64 that I hung on the wall behind the couch for game seven.

soupcan Oct 20 2015 02:45 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

You do not have to object, it has nothing to do with whatever may or may not be happening. I was reminded of something that happened about 30 years ago for whatever reason - Again - It HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with anything presently occuring. Edgy MD wrote: Win this one for Mr. FaFiF, Mets. Forget about me and all I stand for. This one is his. I can get behind that. For Mr. FaFiF!

Zvon Oct 20 2015 03:08 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was 28, at home, watching. Sitting on the couch with my girlfriend Ileen and best friend Mike, and when the ball came off Mookies bat I got this immediate feeling, the sick in the stomach pit feeling, it's over. Then the ball went thru Buckner's legs and I lept off the couch like Lenny Dykstra hitting a walk off in the NLCS. I lept around the living room like that at least a dozen times, yelling "I don't believe it! I don't believe it!". At this point I looked more like Joe Carter's WS walkoff. I was just jumping all over.

Edgy MD Oct 20 2015 03:12 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Z, I'm sorry for your nausea and all, but... how do I put this... you realize the game had already been tied at that point, right? YOU SUFFERED FOR NOTHING!

dinosaur jesus Oct 20 2015 03:39 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

And Mookie was going to be safe anyway. No way Buckner was going to beat him to the bag. Then it's first and third, and Hojo drives a single off the right field wall. In my alternate reality, anyway. Not as memorable as the way it actually ended, but I'll take it.

Zvon Oct 20 2015 03:41 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Edgy MD wrote: Z, I'm sorry for your nausea and all, but... how do I put this... you realize the game had already been tied at that point, right? YOU SUFFERED FOR NOTHING! Yow. Well, I misremembered it being the end but I did do all that jumping.

cooby Oct 20 2015 04:07 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

That series was so exciting sometimes it's hard to remember which game was which. Is this the one that Sid came in and shut them down cold?? I loved that man. Anyway, 1986, my daughter was 3 years old and I didn't even have my son yet. My husband and I watched at our old house on Jones Street in LH. Mom and Dad on West Fourth Street. I bring that up because dad and I called each other many times throughout the game. We had to keep it short though because our phones were not in the same room as our TVs :) When the game was over I'm sure my husband and I jumped around the house. If our daughter woke up, she probably did too. We opened a bottle of DeMay champagne that we were saving for something else, but we decided this was a good enough cause, lol. I worked at a record/electronics store. The next day at work when I was writing a check for the UPS lady I gushed "my team won the World Series". She was kind enough to smile. She probably thought "what a hangover" I was just 27 years old. My son will be 27 years old this winter, so it's literally a generation ago for my family. Reading through this, I can see at least four things that are either now obsolete, or have ceased to be. Make that five.

Valadius Oct 20 2015 05:45 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was a fetus in Battery Park City. I wouldn't be born for another 105 days.

Ceetar Oct 20 2015 05:53 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

pretty sure it was past my bedtime.

Rockin' Doc Oct 20 2015 06:02 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was 26 years old and had just completed my first year of practice in North Carolina. My wife and I were in the living room of our apartment watching on our 24" (or maybe 25") color TV. I was living and dying with every play, while my wife humored me with feigned interest in the actual game. I remember watching the great comeback unfold with defeated resignation. I only vaguely remember watching game 7. I only remember being happy that the Mets had finally won a World Series when I was old enough to watch and savor it.

HahnSolo Oct 20 2015 06:26 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Game six, section 3 of the upper reserved, right on the aisle, I think row 8. Game seven, my buddy's apartment in the Bronx.

Mets Guy in Michigan Oct 20 2015 08:43 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was a student at University of Missouri, with the bittersweet joy of the Mets being in the Series for the first time since I was 9, yet being so far away from home. My Dad actually snagged two seats to one of the playoff games against Houston. The year before, I was in the dorm with all the crazed Cardinal fans who gave me all kinds of grief during that epic September series. Very noisy with a lot of trash talk. But in 1986, we were sharing an off-campus apartment and we watched on my roommate's little black and white TV. His girlfriend's roommate was from Massachusetts and a Sox fan, so we all watched it together. My parents would call after every win. Exciting days!

Gwreck Oct 20 2015 09:23 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Too young; before I became a baseball fan (let alone a Mets fan). My only Mets World Series memories are from that one series fifteen years ago. (Wow; it's really been 15 years since that debacle).

Valadius Oct 20 2015 09:25 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

Gwreck wrote: Too young; before I became a baseball fan (let alone a Mets fan). My only Mets World Series memories are from that one series fifteen years ago. (Wow; it's really been 15 years since that debacle). ^^^Gwreck's 10,000th post!

Frayed Knot Oct 20 2015 09:33 PM Re: Where Were YOU?

House/aging-dog sitting at my folks' house while they were away at a parents weekend at my brother's college in western NYS. Lots of crazy phone calls criss-crossed between the two ends of the state shortly after that tenth inning. Watched game 6 with a girlfriend imported to the house for the evening. She was actually a Mets fan prior to being connected to me to the point where she was unable to watch during several tense moments in those later innings and had to leave the room at times. And like many here I have fuzzier memories of Game 7. I'm sure I was in the same place but I can remember far fewer specifics.

cooby Oct 21 2015 05:57 AM Re: Where Were YOU?

I can also remember a certain October morning in 1973. I was sitting at the breakfast counter eating cereal, probably Rice Krispies, just as I am now. I thought “the Mets could win the World Series tonight!” Somebody walked by to the bathroom, either my mom or dad. I had some orange juice. I loved that team and I loved the batboy, Greg Cox, so I was excited for the extra games to be able to see him. On WOR too, as I recall. Greg Cox was gone by 1974. Very disappointed. I had this little date stamp, and I stamped all my dollar bills with the date Oct __1973, so that everybody that ever saw them again would think of the Mets (yeah, but I’ll bet if they even got it, they thought of the A’s!) I was so weird. 14 years old so I guess I had the right to be :) Rambling I know but wow that was a long time ago…

Fman99 Oct 21 2015 07:48 AM Re: Where Were YOU?

I was 13 and rebelling against much of what my parents attempted to instill in me as a younger child, in a mostly harmless kind of way that a 13 year old without major issues would do. I honestly don't recall if I watched either game.

Centerfield Oct 21 2015 08:13 AM Re: Where Were YOU?

I remember Game 7 clear as a bell. I remember being pissed at Ron Darling (not nearly as pissed as I would get 2 years later). I remember feeling more settled down when Sid came in. He really set the tone there, as Darling had been shaky the whole game. I remember throwing things when the ball bounced off of Strawberry's glove and over the fence. I was sure he had it. For years I thought that it was a three run HR, only to find my memory was wrong when I saw a replay years later. I remember when Knight hit the go-ahead HR thinking to myself that the Sox were dead.

dgwphotography Oct 21 2015 08:23 AM Re: Where Were YOU?

Two game six stories: First, game six of the NLCS - The then not yet Mrs. DGW and I where at my brother-in-law's house for our formal engagement portraits. Needless to say, we had to take them again a few days later, because I could not mask the complete anguish on my face... We watched game 6 of the world series at the bar of the local bowling alley with a group of friends. The bartender was a longtime Yankee fan, and was egging on both sides. Needless to say that a lot of fun was had that night...