Five Questions For An Average Mets Fan (Fan #37)

I watched and rooted for them in the ’86 Series, but I didn’t actually begin following them until mid-’87, when they faced the huge deficit coming out of the All-Star Break and stormed back to take the division race down to the final week.

Darryl Stawberry’s game-winning HR in the bottom of the 10th against the Cardinals in 1988.  I was listening to the game from my bedroom in South Louisiana on KMOX St. Louis.  Straw hit that ball, and instantly–despite the broadcast emanating from Queens and arriving on AM radio via St. Louis–I knew the ball was gone just from the sound it made.  I know better, but I would’ve sworn my speakers shook.  Jack Buck’s call of “Swing, and a home run!” (just like that, with practically no hesitation) remains etched into my brain to this day.

I’m going to have declare a tie between two moments in the ’88 NLDS: Scioscia’s HR off of Gooden in Game 4, and that horrid 2nd inning of Game 7.  The former was deflating, the latter was enraging.  Even the ’07 crash doesn’t compare because that at least happened over time and one was able to see it coming.  The Scioscia HR happened in an instant, and I can show you the very spot I was standing in my parent’s house when it happened.  The bad inning happened in what seemed like the blink of an eye, and I didn’t even watch the middle innings I was so mad.  Both were just quick, hard kicks in the stomach.

I’d give it competent ownership that actually views the team as a sports franchise and not just another investment.