Favorite Shea Memory: My First Foul Ball

I've been to some great games at Shea. From last week's comeback against the Cubs in the rain, to the clinching game in 2006 to the game where Daryl knocked the lights out in the scoreboard, I've enjoyed some memorable moments at Shea.

But one moment at Shea will always stick out in my mind. It's the day I got my first foul ball.

It was a Saturday afternoon game with a 1 pm start and was one of those gorgeous days in May where it was cool enough in the shade and comfortable in the sun. I was 9 years old and my friend Gary and I were headed to Shea with my parents to see the Cardinals and Mets play back in 1987. Gary was a Pirates fan, but he was willing to see the Mets play the hated Cardinals at that time. Both Gary & I brought our baseball gloves to the game, had our baseball hats on and were psyched about the snacks my mom was packing for the game (mmmm, Twizzlers).

My dad got us seats in the lower level about 20+ rows from the first baseline. They were great seats and I always love sitting along the first base side. The view just seems to be better from there. In any case we got to the game early to watch batting practice and enjoy the day.

The four of us were sitting all in one row when a woman approached us and said my mom was sitting in her seat. We checked our tickets and sure enough my dad didn't buy 4 seats sitting together. One of the tickets was for a seat in the row directly in front of us.

Since the woman was by herself, my parents asked if she would mind sitting in the seat that was in the row in front of us so that we could all sit together. This crazy lady wouldn't have it. She put up a stink and demanded that she sit in the seat she paid for. So my mom got up and sat by herself next to some other folks in the row directly in front of us. Mom wasn't pleased, but she wasn't going to let some annoying woman ruin the game.

The Mets got behind early (surprise) and in the 4th or 5th inning Kevin McReynolds stepped up to the plate and fouled off a pitch. Amazingly the foul ball was headed right toward us. I felt this sense of excitement and fright as this ball appeared to be heading right towards me. My dad, Gary and I stood up and anticipated the ball's arrival.

At the last moment the ball appeared to be tailing off to the right of me and I stretched my glove as far as I could but the ball was just out of my reach. I heard this loud smack as the ball hit the hand of a man about 2 seats to the right of me. The ball fell to the ground and there was a scramble as folks in the area all looked for the foul ball.

While this was happening, my mom also saw the foul ball coming our way, but reacted in the exact opposite way of everyone else. She ducked down, covered her head and was bracing for impact.

As the crowd scoured for the ball, lo and behold, my mom removes her hands from covering her head, turns around, and hands me the foul ball. The ball ricocheted off the man's hands to the right of me, rolled around on the ground, and plopped down right at her feet. While mom was tucking her head inbetween her knees, the ball rolled right to her.

I was stunned that there was my mom, holding a foul ball, and it was mine to have. I grabbed the ball and began waving it around and showing it off in total amazement. Meanwhile, the pain in the neck woman who had refused to switch seats with us turned to me and said, "Oh. I guess if I had switched seats, I would have gotten it."

I desperately wanted to start a little dance of joy in her face with my tongue sticking out and sticking my nose up, but I resisted. I was very mature for a 9 year old.

The Mets ended up losing that game, but it didn't matter. I had my first foul ball and a memorable story to tell about it. And how many kids can say that their mom caught a foul ball?

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1.02.05

Blown Opportunity for Shea

from guest blogger, Siroty:

The Mets opened Shea Stadium known as the “loveable losers.” As a Mets Lifer, today I only put quotes around “losers.” Not because of the way the season ended. We could have predicted the bullpen would blow it. The Mets are “losers” because of the way they planned and carried off one of the worst ceremonies in the history of sports.

Love or hate Shea, it is a place where many of us first saw Major League Baseball. We remember driving in, passing Yankee Stadium, inching in traffic past LaGuardia knowing Shea would suddenly appear with its blue and orange squares or “The Magic is Back” banner visible from afar. As kids, we practically pulled our parents up the ramps so that we could see that burst of green and the scoreboard first visible from the concourse. And if you were lucky enough, you got to go to batting helmet day. Wow!

For me, I saw Tom’s Seaver near no-hitter. I still hate Leron Lee! I tried to change my birthday by a day so I could share Bud Harrelson’s birthday of June 6. I proudly wore my Tom Seaver jersey and my camp nickname was “Seaver.” Those were the seeds of memories. Then in adulthood we enjoyed more games, both live and in person, and we learned more about the game, the players, coaches, announcers. Shea became part of us and for some of us we were able to share this passion with our our kids.

So how the Mets close our memories. Like “Losers!” If you were to plan an event just days after Yankee Stadium closed, wouldn’t you bust your butt to have your ceremony come close to it? You couldn’t match the names or the events of Yankee Stadium, but you could sure try on the presentation.

So what do the Mets do to close their stadium?

1. Hold it after the final blown game, 30 minutes after Gary Cohen was forced to “throw it” from the press box to Maz in the parking lot! Classy! Maz was THE Mets. It’s like Michael Kay “throwing it” to Roy White at the Yankee Stadium bat. Not in a million years. And that is not even bashing the Mets for holding the ceremony after the game. Duke basketball holds Senior Day after their last home game. Maybe Coach K is a special assistant to the owners.
2. Then, from Maz in the parking lot, its back to Howie Rose who apparently is NOT ON THE FIELD. Who planned this?
3. Then, with the field lined with police and security and have seemingly hundreds milling about home plate, Howie starts by introducing longtime employees, Tommie Agee’s family, Bob Murphy’s wife and Ralph Kiner. Nice start. Except the event planners have them walk from behind home plate, along the stands behind all of the people milling about behind home plates to a chair in front of the Mets dugout. Invisible. Oh, the love of being a Mets VIP!
4. Now here come the players. First those who couldn’t be here. OK. But where was Ray Knight and how could he not be there? Bobby Valentine? How about those who passed away? We couldn’t have spared a moment of silence for those Mets?
5. Then the players we all have memories of. Howie introduces them with a short and eloquent into and they come in from either bullpen and disappear behind the wall of cops. Why not have them walk straight from the outfield to their designated position along the infield so we could really see them, cheer them one last time and let the memories flood our minds. Must have been because the outfield was reserved for cardboard displays no one could see. Who planned this?
6. The jerseys for each era was a nice touch, but did anyone ask for measurements of chest and waist sizes and then maybe add an inch or two. To say some of the jerseys were ill-fitting was an understatement. Who planned this?
7. Then they made Howie rush through the intros. My goodness, Mets heroes at Shea for one final time and all we can get is a minute or two of cheers? “Welcome Back Doc Gooden!” OK. Now onto the next guy. Drugs or no drugs, I have the right to fondly remember those days of Ks. This was MY stadium. MY memories. Why the rush? Who planned this?
8. Then let’s have each player touch home plate. Nice touch. Except couldn’t the organizers have allowed Howie to introduce each player again as he moved to the plate? One last ovation. And what about the pitchers? Guess Shea didn’t have a mound! And where did all of the players go after touching home plate?
9. Piazza and Seaver leaving together was AWESOME. Couldn’t the other players gone out that same way before the final two to a thunderous ovation with Seaver and Piazza last?

And if you didn’t think the ceremony was important, ask Hernandez and Darling. They were caught up in the same emotion we all were. Like the place, hate the place. It’s our Shea. Our memories. The Mets failed miserably.

Long September

And it's easy to believe, maybe next year will be better than the last. Or maybe not. Goodbye Shea. It's a shame you had to go like this.

Show Me Some Pride You Scared Bunch of Little Girls

The Marlins have nothing to play for except for pride and the fact that they want to destroy the Mets for personal reasons.

The Mets have everything to play for, but are playing like a bunch of school girls. You want to play four-square, that's fine but you've got all of November to do it. This is crunch time and you guys are acting like a group of spineless, one-celled organisms.

Do you enjoy having the media in your face talking collapse every day? Do you like getting booed at your home field because you can't do diddly squat? Do you like being the laughing stock of baseball? If you do than by all means keep it up, you're doing a fine job.

But if you hate the fact that history is repeating itself, suck it up and play with some pride. So you might not make the playoffs this year. So you screwed up the final month of the season. You can still play with some heart for the fans, for New York, and for yourselves.

This is the final weekend at Shea when Mets fans from across the country are making their pilgrimage back to Queens to say farewell. All the Met greats are going to be there, but I'm here to let you know that right now none of you will be included in that group in the future.

Show the fans, the city and this stadium some respect and win these next two games regardless of what the Brewers do. Play with some pride for crying out loud. You look like a bunch of nancies out there. It's a wonder you won 80+ games.

Rain, Rincon and Redemption

Last night was more than likely my last visit to Shea Stadium. My dad got tickets Wednesday morning and by the time Wednesday at 11 p.m. rolled around I didn't feel like going. Then I saw the weather forecast and I really didn't feel like going.

But as a Mets Lifer, we go to games rain or shine in good times and in bad. Unfortunately Pedro Martinez was starting whom I have no confidence in and he didn't let me down because he gave up a 2 run bomb in the first inning.

The rain started to fall and even though the Mets tied up the game there was this sense that the Mets were going to fold again. But Pedro looked to be in control after the first few innings, and when he exited in the 7th inning everyone in the stadium was up on their feet for a standing ovation. Pedro deserved it.

And then came Ricardo Rincon. One pitch. One stinkin' pitch and Rincon gave up a 3 run blast to the hottest hitter on the planet last night, some guy named Hoffenhoofer or whatever. I've been to games before and heard booing. I think Armando Benitez and Aaron Heilman are tied for the worst boos I've ever heard, but last night Rincon topped them all. You could just feel the anger and venom from the Shea faithful at having to watch this BLOWpen screw up another chance at victory. It was nasty, but not undeserved.

Then came the slide. I'm not sure how Ryan Church accomplished it, but it doesn't matter. He was safe and there was opportunity for redemption in the form of Carlos Beltran.

Shea erupted with a mixed concoction of relief and euphoria as the Mets were able to exorcise the demons of Wednesday night and keep themselves in the playoff chase. I love it when you're walking out of Shea after a game and the fans are still chanting "Let's go Mets!"

Whether or not the Mets are successful this weekend, I have to say that the last game I saw at Shea may have been the best one yet.

Glutton for Punishment

I know I'm asking for it, but I'm headed to Shea Stadium for the game tonight. I'm still hurt from last night's loss. I have zero confidence in Pedro Martinez (can you imagine saying that 7 years ago?). And it's cold, going to rain, and the game will probably be delayed.

But it's my last trip to Shea Stadium, for better or worse. I'm wearing my Tom Seaver jersey, hoping that Tom's spirit will inhabit Pedro (or the bullpen) for just one night. So if you see a guy with a Tom Seaver jersey praying for a win in the Loge section, it's me.

For better or worse, although it's more likely worse, lets' go Mets.

Shea Memories: The Chair Debacle

With this being the last season for Shea Stadium a lot of websites and networks are looking for Mets fans' favorite Shea memory. I have quite a few to choose from, but one of the most memorable accounts has to do with an All Star ballot and a chair in the field box seats.

I was probably 12 years old and I went to a Mets game with my parents and a friend of mine. This was back in 1990 when baseball only let people vote for the All Star Game that actually went to a major league ballpark. They had these little ballots and you had to punch a whole next to the player's name that you wanted to vote for. I used to grab a stack of 50 ballots and make my way through them as the game went on.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon game and we had great seats down the first base line in the field box section. We were probably 20 rows back from the dugout and I was punching holes in my All Star ballots when I dropped the pencil I was using to punch the ballot. Now if you're familiar with stadium seating you know that the seats fold down and when you're seated there's a little gap between the back of the chair and the actual seat. I could see that the pencil rolled underneath my seat and I could clearly see it through that gap between the seat and the back. So, while still seated, I reached down in that gap to grab the pencil. I grabbed it and soon found that my arm was stuck in that gap.

You see I was still sitting down so there was no way I could lift up on my seat to free my arm. I had no idea how I force my arm in that gap to begin with but there I was in the middle of the field box section at Shea Stadium with my arm caught in a stadium chair. As a twelve year old I wanted to avoid potential embarassment so I quickly notified my mom, who was sitting next to me, that my arm was stuck. As all mothers do she alerted my father of the tragic situation in which I found myself.

Now my dad like to listen to the game being called on the radio while at the ballpark. He would put on his headphones and turn on his walkman and listen to Bob Murphy and Gary Cohen call the game. The problem with this was that as my mother was explaining my current plight, dad didn't take his headphones off and had no idea how loud he was talking.

So there I am with my mother trying to tell my father what's going on only to have him unintentionally shouting back instructions because he couldn't hear how loud he was yelling. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with my arm in a Shea Stadium chair thinking that they're going to have to bring in a torch or a buzzsaw to get me out. Thankfully a stranger witnessed this memorable scene, hopped over the row in front of us, lifted me up out of my seat, and folded the chair up to relieve the tension that was keeping my arm caught.

Fortunately, I still have my right arm and was able to avoid eye contact with those seated around for the rest of the game. My friend and family still laugh about this Shea moment, and I can still hear my dad shouting back instructions while still having his headphones on.

While this moment will never make a top Shea moments list, it's one that is burned into my memory for better or worse.

Players I Want Invited Back to Commemorate Shea Stadium

While listening to Boomer & Cartin on WFAN this morning, the discussion was brought up about who to invite back to Shea Stadium the final week of the season now that Mike Piazza and Tom Seaver have been officially invited.

Do you bring back only high profile players? Do you invite everyone who's ever played? The debate is open for discussion, but here's my take on who I'd like to see at Shea Stadium before it's doors are officially closed.

1. Anyone on the 1986 team - It's the marquee season for Shea Stadium so anyone who was on that championship team is welcomed back. You too, George Foser.
2. Anyone on the 1969 team - No brainer here as well.
3. Former Mets All Stars not named Armando Benitez or Bobby Bonilla- If you were an All Star as a Mets player, it's safe to say you were someone we'd like to remember, except for Armando Benitez. He can stay home.
4. Some select few from the 1999-2001 seasons - This short list would include the likes of Robin Ventura, Todd Zeile, John Olerud, and let's see if we can get Benny Agbayani to fly in from Japan.

I know this list encompasses a lot of players, but this is something that only happens once in a lifetime and I think it'd be a nice homage to Shea Stadium to have this type of crowd show up for the last games at Shea.

Piazza to Return to Shea

The word from Newsday is that Mike Piazza will be making an appearance at Shea Stadium during the final week of the season as part of a goodbye celebration to Shea Stadium.

This is fantastic news and I'm glad the Mets are starting to learn that they need to keep in touch with their former star players.

I'm hopeful that #31 will be retired when they open up Citi Field. I'm totally biased as I'm one of the biggest fans of Mike Piazza, but I think it'd be hard to argue that it's not deserved.

Either way it'll be great to see Piazza back in New York. Hopefully someday we'll see him involved with the Mets either in the dugout or the broadcast booth.

My First Mets Game

The following commentary is straight from the mouth of a future Mets Lifer who attended his first Mets game ever on Thursday afternoon. This is such a great narrative of baseball games through the eyes of children. He saw a fantastic game, but the best part is to him it didn't matter if the Mets won or lost. He enjoyed the game because of the atmosphere, the snacks, and the fact that he was there with his dad and grandpa.

My name is Matthew Siroty and today (Thursday, 8/7/08) I went to my first Mets game. I went with my dad and grandpa. I wore my David Wright Mets t-shirt with number 5 on the back. I was excited to go and even missed a day of gymnastics camp to go. We took two trains to get to Shea Stadium and the Long Island railroad was very nice.

When we got there I saw two stadiums, Citi Field and Shea Stadium. There were a lot of people and a lot of kids, probably because it was Sesame Street Day and camps came. I gave my Sesame Street coloring book that they gave me to my little brother Michael. I love him and he does whatever I do. He is my only brother but was too little to get to go the game. He wouldn't totally like it because he is only 3.

We got our tickets and they were right behind home plate and I could see the players really close. I thought Shea Stadium was smaller than it really was. I saw Ernie and David Cook. He was the winner of American Idol.

The best part of the game was all of the food I had. I started with pretzels that my mom packed, then a hot pretzel, then Sierra Mist, a hot dog, french fries and then a water. I also had my first peanuts and tried to throw them in my dad's mouth. My favorite part was throwing the shells on the ground. I waited until the bottom of the fourth inning to have my ice cream. When we went to get my ice cream, I got to take my picture with Mr. Met. That was cool.

I watched a little of the game, but most of the time I played brickbreaker on my dad's phone. It was also pretty hot outside. The Mets were winning 3-2 in the ninth inning and we thought they were going to win. I was getting a little bored because the Mets kept changing pitchers. And when the Padres tied the score I thought we were going to have extra inings and we wouldn't be able to go home.

But then in the bottom of the ninth, my favorite player David Wright hit a walk-off homer and the Mets won the game. I didn't see the home run because I was playing brickbreaker and the crowd scared me because they were cheering so loudly.

My dad picked me up so I could see David Wright run the bases and then the Mets were so excited they jumped on David Wright when he got to home plate. I will always remember my favorite player hitting the winning home run. When we were leaving, a man told me I was wearing the right shirt. That was fun. I'm glad I got to see Shea Stadium before they tear it down. I loved my first baseball game!

Greatest Moments at Shea Stadium

The Mets launched a nostalgic promotion this past week that allows Mets fans from across the country to vote on the greatest moments at Shea Stadium.

The nice thing is they didn't limit you to selecting one of ten moments. They've broken it up into decades and there are about 20 moments in each decade to choose from. The funny part is looking at the greatest moments of the 1990's. This is the most recent dark age for Mets Lifers so I found it humorous that there isn't really a legitimate "greatest moment" on the list until you get to 1999.

For me it will be hard to see any moment beat out Game 6 or Game 7 of the 1986 World Series. Although that's a tough choice in and of itself. What's better, the miracle comeback of game 6 or winning the World Series in game 7?

Yeah, it's tough to beat winning a championship. 22 years of craving another one makes the moment look that much sweeter.

Vote for the greatest Shea Stadium moments here.

Things I Hate About Shea Stadium

There's a lot of love going around for Shea Stadium. We've got documentaries, articles, books, etc. Believe me I'll miss Shea's memories and we'll shell out some more love for Shea in the coming months, but let's be honest. Shea Stadium is possibly the worst professional sports stadium on the planet.

Here are a number of things I hate about Shea Stadium and can't wait for Citi Field to open:

1. The bathrooms
2. The worst choice of concessions
3. Those neon baseball figures hanging on the outside
4. The fact that you can't see half the field if you sit under the overhang on the Mezzanine level
5. The filthy "seat wipes" the ushers use that date back to the opening of the park in 1964
6. The cheesy retired number decals that hang over the left field fence. They look like oversized "Colorforms" from my days in 2nd grade. Can't we honor our heroes in a better way?
7. The "Everybody clap your hands" song that plays incessantly throughout the game
8. Parking underneath the highway
9. The bathrooms

I'm sure there's more things that no one will miss so feel free to add to the list.

Shea

I just read this article (while streaming the game vs. the Phils) from Phil Taylor of SI about his affinity for Shea Stadium. I've definitely been enjoying all of these stories coming out about our beloved stadium and this one from Taylor is a must read.

Excerpt:

"We've had some times, the two of us (Taylor and Shea). They were not always good times, but they were valuable times, necessary times. I never walked out of Shea Stadium without feeling a little bit tougher, a little bit more like a New Yorker."

By the way, if you haven't had the chance to watch "Shea Goodbye: 45 Years of Amazin'" do yourself a favor and get it. Any Mets Lifer should have this in their video library. I guarantee you, you will be moved by it.

Big Win!

We've been asking for a spark all year...Wondering all season who's going to step up and give this team a jolt. Ladies and gentlemen, we've found our guy. Fernando Tatis, welcome to Shea Stadium my friend!

Not only did the Mets need this win, they got it in the absolute best way; coming back two times, once in the 9th on Chavez's homer and then of course, Tatis' game-ending double in the 12th after going down 6-5 in the top of the frame. This was a beautiful baseball game and one that should get this team headed in the right direction.

Incredible but in just two games, you can sense a totally different buzz around this team. Guys on the top step, cheering, pumping fists, encouraging each other. This is the kind of baseball we want to, we expect to see. How nice it sounded to hear all of those Mets Lifers going crazy at the 'ole stadium.

Don't look now, but Jose Reyes is starting to heat up in a big way, smacking another HR and he also had double with a SB. Great catch by Beltran also, running in the right center fireld gap to track down a bullet that would have scored two runs. If you haven't seen the play, you have to check it out. I still can't believe he ran that ball down. Off the bat, it looked for sure like it was headed to the gap.

Have to give Willie some credit for shaking things up. He had to do something and so far, his super subs are paying dividends for him over these last 2 games.

Notes on Opening Day

Brad over at Bugs & Cranks put together some notes on the final Opening Day at Shea Stadium. Besides having a National Lampoon's European Vacation reference the post is full of some hilarious insights.

My favorite anecdote is "Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to have Bill Buckner throw out the first pitch at Shea?" Why didn't Wilpon think of that. That would have been a scene for the ages. Mookie could have played catcher!

Check it out at Bugs & Cranks. And the Jamie Moyer dating Mary Magdalene reference had me rolling.

Final Opening Day at Shea

I'm just about ready to head to Shea for the last Opening Day at our beloved, yet imperfect, stadium. Shea is like a second home for me, having been going there since the late 70's. And while I'll be sad to see it go, there is no doubt I am fired up for the new CitiField. It's not like we were overly successful in this stadium, winning just as many championships as the Florida Marlins, but in 40+ years. So hopefully, the new stadium will host more World Series than Shea.

Unfortunately, today, in what will be a memorable day in Queens, the 57,000+ fans in attendance will have to endure listening to a truly pathetic sing-a-long song by Rick Astley in the 8th inning. If there weren't enough things to be embarrassed about, being a Mets fan (see '07 collapse, or "Who Brought the Dogs Out" theme in 2000), but this is downright silly.

Anyway, let's hope for a Mets victory today, because if they lose, and I have to hear that awful song, my humiliation will be at an apex.

While I was on Vacation...Atlanta Writer Rips Shea, Mets fans

Jeff Schultz, writer for the Atlanta Constitution, took some cheap shots at Shea Stadium and Mets fans.

If the Braves could just figure out a way to fly insult-hurling New York fans and mutant tabloid headline writers to other cities, they would rarely lose a road game.

(On Chipper Jones) For some reason, he has thrived in this toilet of a stadium and the appropriately named surroundings of Flushing. As pitcher Tim Hudson joked, “They hate him here for a reason. It’s like an ongoing joke for us when we come to New York. You know their fans are going to be crazy, and Chipper’s going to drive in six or eight in a series.

I would venture to say that a). Schultz is too young to remember Fulton County Stadium or b). not good enough to write in NYC so he’s relegated to cover the great sports city of Atlanta; the same city that can’t sell out playoff games at Turner Field, which by the way, is one of baseball’s newer stadiums and is rarely, if ever mentioned as one the must-see ball parks. You think they’d like a do over on that one?

While Shea Stadium might be a dump, it is our dump. And although I can’t wait for the state-of-the-art Citi Field to open, I have an affinity for Shea that goes back nearly 30 years. So when an outsider - from Atlanta no less – rips it, I get ticked off. At least our stadium fills up when our team is in the post season. Not only does is sell out, it is absolutely rocking, although nothing compared to the insprational Tomahawk Chop. Woo, hah, that’s fun…yeah, like Disney fun.

And for Tim Hudson, the joke is on your organization and its fans. You have won just as many championships as the Arizona Diamondbacks over the last 15 years (and Mets over the last 21 years) and yet you act like you’re the greatest organization on the planet. The joke is, is that the Braves always exit early in October. The joke is that the Braves barely have any fans. The joke is that you and all of your teammates, including Chipper, would love to have die-hard fans pulling for you.

Mets fans are filled with passion, with energy. That’s why we throw the ball back in Wrigley after a Cubs player homers, or why we catch Barry Bond’s 756* home run...because we live and die with this team. That’s why a “little” site like Metsblog gets 280,000 unique visits two days before the trade deadline. (Jeff Schultz could only dream of this traffic). It’s because we love this game, we love our team. And we want to win.

Pedro Declares Himself 100% Healthy

The news coming from Florida is good. Pedro Martinez said today that he will pitch in a game for the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday. "I don't know how I'm going to be,'' Martinez said. "I just know I feel better than the last two years or so. ... Every time I throw I bounce back really quickly. Right now, I'm 100 percent healthy.''

Pedro said he wants to get back for the Mets and their fans. "I'm a very proud man when it comes to this job,'' Pedro Martinez said today. "And my job is the most serious thing I could probably have right now apart from my family's health and my health. I feel like I owe it to this organization and to the fans.''

I'll believe when I see it and I still have no expectations for his return, but I'd be lying if I didn't say this gets me psyched up. Shea Stadium will be rocking if he returns.

Be well, Pedro. Be well.

What's Your Shea Memory?

from guest poster, Siroty

Baseball is not just about the games, it is about memories.

Young and old, we all have a first memory of the Mets and the great ballpark by the LaGuardia Marriott. Those blue and orange squares on the stadium façade, the "Magic is Back" sign, the woman with the straw hat who sat behind home plate and rolled her arms before every pitch, the sign man, cowbell man.

What's your memory? I have a few.

My dad taking me to a nightgame and we got stuck on the GW Bridge listening to the traffic reports saying we were basically screwed. We eventually made it only to later have my dad slip on someone's spilled beer and break his finger.

The greatest game I ever attended was Tom Seaver's almost no-hitter against the Padres when Leron Lee broke it up in the ninth. I always hated Leron Lee and tore up every baseball card I ever had of him. And, he was always the guy that I got 15 cards per year. Lots of ripped up cards.

So what's your memory? I wonder how we all first felt and still feel after walking up those ridiculous ramps at Shea like gerbels getting exercise and then hitting your gate. Remember that first view of the field and the scoreboard?

That is what the Mets and Shea are all about.