Game Six

October 25, 1986: This game was probably the greatest Met game of them all. It was definitely the greatest comeback of them all. I am proud to say, as a true life long Met fan, I was there. After seeing that fans were setting up TV’s and watching the game in the parking lot that was my plan for Game six. A friend of mine at the time and myself armed with a duffel bag full of cans of Bud went looking for a spot. Instead we ran into a guy looking to sell of his tickets for only a little more than the regular price. Jackpot!!! We had to put the beers back in the car and walked over by the Flushing Marina.


We met a kool cop who actually had a beer with us, when that guy Sergio jumped out of the small plane with his Lets Go Mets banner. What a night this was turning out to be. I have never felt such a change in emotions as I did in the last inning of that game. From being on the brink of the last strike and last out, it was a feeling of total depression. How could they lose this game after this great season? We stayed and I remember saying we mine as well go down with them if they are going to lose, but maybe just maybe…. Then as the hits came, the feeling of hope and joy. Then when the game was tied & won a feeling of ecstatic happiness, as everyone in our section jumped & hugged each other. Oh what a night……..now a happy recap!

The starting pitchers were Roger Clemmens and Bobby Ojeda. Both pitched well getting there team to the seventh inning tied at two. The Sox got a run in the 1st on Dwight Evans double and one in the 2nd on Marty Barrett's single. In the Mets 5th, Daryl Strawberry singled, stole second and was driven home by the hot Ray Knight. Mookie Wilson then singled and pinch hitter Danny Heep grounded into a double play but Knight scored. In the Redsox 7th, Roger McDowell walked Marty Barrett, with one out Jim Rice grounded to Ray Knight. Instead of getting the out Knight booted the ball and the next batter Dwight Evans grounded to short scoring Barrett. Catcher Rich Gedman singled to left field and on a huge play in the Series, Mookie Wilson threw out Jim Rice as the plate. Gary Carter stood his ground and put the tag on Rice, inning over.

In the bottom of the 8th Gary Carter tied it with a sac fly, and the game went to extra innings. Rick Aguilera had an easy 9th but in the 10th Dave Henderson led off with a HR down the left field line, a blow that looked like it was a nail in the Mets coffin. Aguilera struck out the next two batters but then The Sox scored an insurance run taking a 5-3 lead.

Calvin Shiraldi took the mound trying to win the Sox first World Series since 1918. Back then there was no talk about curse’s or anything like that. Wally Backman flied out, Keith Hernandez flied out next. The Mets were down to their last out. Hernandez went to the locker room he didn’t want to see the Redsox celebrate on his field. Davey Johnson huffed in disgust in the dugout, and New York held it’s breath. Gary Carter singled, Kevin Mitchell pinch hit and he singled as well. Ray Knight singled and it was 5-4. The crowd began to stir and make some noise, Hernandez was going to come back to the dug out but superstition told him; “there’s hits in that chair’ he stayed in the locker room.

Bob Stanley was brought in to pitch, to the crowd chants of “We Will Rock You” the anthem which was born this night at Shea Stadium. Mookie Wilson came to the plate in the most important at bat in Mets history. Bob Stanley got Mookie down to his last strike and he fouled a few off. Then it happened, amazingly Stanley threw a wild pitch that Mookie had to jump over to avoid getting hit. The ball rolled to the backstop, Mitchell scored the game was tied. Shea Stadium was pandemonium; you just knew there was no way we were losing now.

Next, Mookie hit a little roller up along first, it got by Bill Buckner right under his legs. Ray Knight came scampering home, holding his helmet in amazement, the Mets win it!! Unbelievable!! The madhouse they call Shea Stadium is now way beyond pandemonium. There is insanity on the field as the team mobs Knight & Wilson. Years later many feel Mookie would have still beat out Buckner to first base due to his bad knees. It didn’t matter the Mets win it & force Game Seven.