Posted on by Shannon Shark @metspolice

Mets Flashback: Rusty’s Last Day in the Outfield

26 years ago today my brother and I headed out to Shea for what was supposed to be a nice Sunday afternoon game against the Pirates.  Some rookie named McDowell was starting, and the weather was a bit overcast, but we had great seats (Field Box 3rd base – who knows how I got them).

Almost 5 1/2 hours later we finally left after the Mets scored in the bottom of the 18th inning.  Along the way

  • Saw Keith Hernandez receive his Gold Glove (I was amazed – a Met was actually getting an award?)
  • Witnessed Daryl Strawberry hit his first career grand slam,
  • Chanted “Yogi” when we heard that he had been fired by the Yankees (around the third inning)
  • Watched the Mets go hitless for 10 innings.

But the memory that stands out most for me was watching Rusty Staub play in the outfield.  In the 12th inning, with nobody left on the bench, Davey Johnson was forced to use Staub in the field.  For seven innings Rusty would play either RF or LF depending on the batter.  He also ended up making the best defensive play of the game when he snowconed a soft liner hit by Pirates pitcher Rick Rhoden.  I didn’t know it at the time but that was the last game Rusty would play in the field.

As luck would have it, this was the first game that I took pictures – if you scroll over each picture it will tell you what was specifically happening in each one.

 

14 Replies to “Mets Flashback: Rusty’s Last Day in the Outfield”

  1. I was there too!! That game was so long I screamed as I saw a plane go by that we’d seen it leave Laguardia on a trip and also saw it come back. And the winning play??? Clint Hurdle grounded one that the Pirate first basemen booted letting the winning run score. thanks for the great memory!!

    1. Funny – we were both at Seaver’s 300th too. I wonder how many others can say they were at both.

      1. ME!!!!!!

        I posted my Seaver 300th story yesterday and I was at this game too.

        Other famous games I was at:

        1) Seaver’s near perfect game in 1969
        2) Game in 1975 where Seaver struck out 200th for 8th straight season
        3) Game Seaver returned to Mets and pitched opening day
        4) Gooden tops Herb Score’s rookie strikeout record
        5) Gary Carter HR in first Met game
        6) Gooden first game back after rehab in 1987
        7) 1988 NL East clincher
        8) Mike Scosia
        9) Agbayani HR to beat SF

        1. Wow – I’m a stats guy and I don’t even want to figure out what the probabilities were on that one.

          Steve, being that you were at the 300W game too you will enjoy a post we will have soon (don’t want to give it away yet)

  4. I was at this game too! Was sitting in Upper Reserve, behind home. When people left me and my buddy grabbed the front row of the Upper Box.

    Was this by chance also the Strawberry Sundae game where everyone got a free ice cream in honor of Straw-Man?

    Thanks for posting this!

    1. There was still a fairly decent crowd at the end of the game – not bad considering the length and not perfect weather

      Strawberry Sundae was in April 1984

  5. i was sitting in the first row by the foul pole when staub hit the fence full force in the ’73 play offs vs. the reds. he was one true met warrior!

  7. I was also at the game…It’s my birthday….Drank beer for 18 innings……They ran out of beer cups…It was also “STRAWBERRY SUNDAE”.
    All fans received a coupon for a free Carvel Sundae at the game….

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