Meet the Mets

In honor of the team's 50th anniversary this year and because I feel like it, I'm writing about the New York Mets.

People sometimes inquire about my allegiance to the Mets. "Why the Mets?" they ask. "The Mets suck." they state. The genesis of my fanhood is their World Series win in 1986. I was in kindergarten, but I remember. Kind of. I definitely remember my old man leaving the house for one of the World Series games wearing a trash bag as a poncho. He must have owned an actual rain coat, so I don't know what the trash bag was all about. I always thought he went to the famous Game 6, but the only day that precipitation was reported during a Mets home game during the Series was Game 7. Maybe he saw the Mets win the Series. All I know is he brought be back this pennant.

However, there's another story I always give to explain/defend my Mets fanhood. One day I got called out of my first grade class at Ridge Elementary to find that my dad had surprised me with tickets to that day's game at Shea. He said "We're going to the game, son!" or something to that effect. I remember being ecstatic. My first Mets game!

(Full disclosure- This was not my first baseball game. I was brought to a Yankees game a few years earlier. I was way too young, and it was way too loud and I hated it. I cried. So that's why I hate the Yankees, I guess. Interestingly, I also cried at my first New York Giants game because my dad underestimated the bathroom line and left me alone in my seat for like a half hour. I freaked out, but it did not effect my love of the team. You never know with kids.)

Back to the Mets game. I remember it being hot. Really hot. I remember the ice in my soda melting almost immediately. I remember both of us being surprised that one of the Pittsburgh Pirates (the Mets' opponents that day, and my dad's favorite team) was wearing long sleeves under his jersey. I remember we sat on the third base side, but not sure what level. I want to say we sat in the Inner Field Box, but it easily good have been Outer Field Box. I know it wasn't the Loge level. I remember bragging about "box seats" to my friends. Box seats were a big deal. I remember seeing Straw up at bat! Number 18! That was my dog. I would go on to write a report on him in 4th grade, not long before he was traded to the Dodgers. But I don't remember who won, or any details from the game itself.

I believe we sat in the circled section.

It bothers me that I don't know what game it was. I've investigated it before, but not that thoroughly. Kind of like homosexuality. Wait, what?

But now it's time to get thorough! About figuring out which game I went to, that is. So I was in first grade from September 1987 to June 1988. Since again, it was hotter than hell that day, we can rule out it being at the end of the '87 season. In 1988 the Pirates made their first trip to Shea for a three game set from June 20-22. Was I really in school that late in June? I must have been. I cross referenced the New York weather for that period, and sure enough, it was hotter than ballz. I ruled out the game on the 20th since the high temp at LaGuardia was a mere 85 degrees. The next two days would reach 95 and 98 respectively so that means it was either June 21st or 22nd.

I have a vague recollection of seeing #16 Doc Gooden. Maybe that's just wishful remembering, but I'm going with it. So that means it was the game on 6/22/88, a 3-0 Mets victory! I feel so much better now. I hope you do too.