There has been a lot of talk about the now-removed incorrect 1986 Game 7 fanbrick and I am hoping that it hasn’t been destroyed.
Part of being a Mets fan is enjoying the history. Â We’re a blue (and orange) collar mentality even if we’ve put on a tie and make the big bucks. Â Not everything breaks our way, but sometimes it does (a little roller up along first).
If the incorrect brick still exists I say KEEP IT.
Let it become a quirky piece of Mets history. Â Here’s what I would do:
Friday July 9th, Atlanta is in town and there are presently no giveaways scheduled.
The pitching coach of the Braves is a fellow named Roger McDowell, the winning pitcher of Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.
Invite Sid Fernandez to the game.
Bring a mule to the game.
Have a fun ceremony before the game. Â Have Howie Rose emcee. Â Talk about Mets history and show some fun clips. Â There’s a way to do it without piling on or being negative. Â Silly stuff happens to all of us. Â You can “make fun of” the grand slam single for example. Â Bring out a new version of Mettle the Mule (is original Mettle still alive?).
Bring the fanbrick out, introduce McDowell and Fernandez, talk about the mistake and let us cheer for Sid and Roger! Â It’s not like we’re going to boo the guy who kept us in the game or the winning pitcher.
Then put the brick in the museum in an “oops” section along with photos of Mettle and the grand slam single and whatever else we all come up with.
As the years go by the incorrect fanbrick will become a curiosity and something to go see, and something to show your kids….and that will start a conversation about the 1986 Mets, team history, who really won the game…and suddenly a mistake (again quickly corrected) becomes COOL.
Omigod! Can you imagine how cool it would be if they put together a museum commemorating Mets bloopers?
Chief, that’s a good idea…which means it will never fly. We are talking about the Mets. The same team that got angry at Dwight Gooden for signing a wall in a bar at the request of a fan…they wanted to paint it over, as I am sure you remember, then had to be embarrassed (or more embarrassed, as usual) and shamed into making Taxpayer Field show some semblence of history for the team that actually plays there (you know, the Mets) and not a team that has not been here in 50+ years. Ah, but we can dream.
C’MON GUYS YOU CANT BE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.. THAT IS A HORRIBLE IDEA.. WHY WOULD YOU PUT NEGATIVE THINGS IN A TEAMS HALL OF FAME..IF YOU WANNA SHOW OFF “OOPS” PICTURES OF THINGS THEN WHY NOT BETRAN STRIKING OUT TO END THE 2006 NLCS. THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE PUBLICITY TO HAVE IN A TEAMS HALL OF FAME… YOU DONT SEE THE YANKEES SHOWING OFF HOW THEIR ALL STAR CLOSER WHO MAKES A STRONG CASE FOR THE HALL BLOWING THE 2001 WORLD SERIES NOW DO YA…
I think the incorrect brick should just remain a cool footnote to the lore of the Mets and not become a centerpiece. I think it will just confuse most people who haven’t been following the story. I’d prefer to see the space in the museum devoted to other weird yet more relevant pieces of Mets history… maybe the parachute that that guy came in on in 1986, or a glove from Bill Buckner, or the piece of bat Clemens through at Piazza, etc…
I was thinking an interactive display illustrating how high Endy’s jump was in Game 7 of the NLCS would be cool. I’m sure little kids would get a kick out of trying to jump as high as he did.
Josh, nothing wrong with giving it to Sid…had to be replaced any way, so why not get something out of it.
This may be the best idea you’ve ever expressed in this space. It says “we try, we don’t always get it right the first time, but we’re back in there the next day.” It’s the Met way.
I also hope the brick has been amended to highlight Sid’s relief work in Game 7, not merely changed to McDowell “earning” the win.
Thanks Greg. Since you’re a much better writer than I am, please feel encouraged to take the idea and properly write about it. (sincere compliment)
I don’t know about a lot of the other stuff but displaying the mistake itself isn’t such a bad thing. For those of you who have been to Cooperstown you may recall that they display the incorrect “Roberto Walker Clemente” plaque in the kids section with a little story of why it was wrong.
All that other stuff just seems like making a fool of the franchise even more than they already do.