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Remembering Mets History (1986) Ron Darling Throws a Shut Out on Rusty Staub Day

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Sunday, J uly 13th, 1986 : Rusty Staub Day:  The Mets took this day to honor "Le Grande Orange" Rusty Staub & inducted him into the Mets Hall of Fame.  Not only was he honored by the Mets but by the National League, the City of NY, the NY Restaurant Association as well as the Police & Firefighters of NY for his charitable efforts. Rusty Staub came out from center field riding & waving to the fans in a fittingly orange convertible.  Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy was the opening MC for the on-field ceremonies, donning a pink jacket & blue pinstripe shirt with blue tie.  Rusty's Staub's family was on hand including his mother, two sisters & his brother. Mets broadcaster Ralph Kiner also helped out with the on field ceremonies, where Rusty was honored for his playing days, his restaurant business & charity work with the Rusty Staub Foundation.  Staub had insisted that instead of any personal gifts or items given to him a ...
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Donn Clendenon: The 1969 World Series MVP (Mets Years 1969 - 1971)

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Donn Alvin Clendenon was born July 15th, 1935, in Neosho, Missouri. His father Claude, a math teacher, passed away from leukemia at 32 years old, when Donn was just six months old. He was raised in Atlanta, by his mother who worked for the Scripto Pen Company. When young Donn was six years old, his mother remarried to Nish Williams a restaurant owner in Atlanta. Nish was also a former Negro Leagues ball player & would have a strong influence on Donn's life. Nish would also have many retired black ball players at his restaurant & even had Cool Papa Bell along with Sad Sam Jones practice with the young Donn at a local ball field. MLK Jr: Clendenon attended Morehouse College where he was mentored by his assigned "big brother" Martin Luther King Jr. who was also a graduate of the school. Clendenon developed a close friendship with King family. Clendenon's initial interest in sports was in football, basketball & track. At a 1956 banquet where he was awarded Co...
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Remembering Mets History (1986) Gary Carter's Seven RBI Night Ignites Another Mets Brawl

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Friday July 11th, 1986:  Davey Johnson's first place Mets (57-25) had just come off one of their worst stretches at home, losing three of four games including getting swept by Pete Rose's Cincinnati Reds.  They opened up a four game set with  Chuck Tanner's fourth place Atlanta Braves (42-44) taking the first game -1 behind Bobby Ojeda's tenth victory of the year. The Mets still had a 10.5 game lead over the second place Montreal Expos at this point in the season.  Tonight, 39,924 fans came out to Shea Stadium as  "El Sid"  Sid Fernandez (11-2)  the NL leader in victories (tied with Fernando Valenzuela & Shane Rawley) went up against Atlanta's David Palmer (5-7) in a nationally televised game on NBC Sports with legendary broadcasters Vin Scully & Joe Garagiola. In the bottom of the 1st inning,  Lenny Dykstra walked & Wally Backman reached with a bunt base hit. With two outs, Gary Carter hit his 15th HR of the season, th...
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