Remembering Mets History: (1980) John Stearns Tackles A Fan On the Playing Field

The Mets sent John Pacella to the mound to go up against L.A's Dave Goltz. It was a wild series that already had had a bench clearing brawl two days earlier.
Starting Lineups
1 | Davey Lopes | 2B |
2 | Bill Russell | SS |
3 | Reggie Smith | RF |
4 | Steve Garvey | 1B |
5 | Dusty Baker | LF |
6 | Ron Cey | 3B |
7 | Gary Thomasson | CF |
8 | Mike Scioscia | C |
9 | Dave Goltz | P |
1 | Lee Mazzilli | CF |
2 | Frank Taveras | SS |
3 | Claudell Washington | RF |
4 | Steve Henderson | LF |
5 | Mike Jorgensen | 1B |
6 | John Stearns | C |
7 | Elliott Maddox | 3B |
8 | Doug Flynn | 2B |
9 | John Pacella | p |
In the top of the 2nd inning Dusty Baker singled & scored on a Mike Scoscia RBI double. In the 3rd, Bill Russell doubled & Reggie Smith drove him in with a single. Steve Garvey also singled & Baker hit a three run HR making it 5-0 L.A.
But the Mets bounced back, in the 5th inning John Stearns & Eliott Maddox both singled.
Goltz attempted to pick off Maddox at first, but Steve Garvey's error advanced the Maddox & Stearns from third. After Ron Hodges walked, Lee Mazzilli singled home Maddox making it 5-2. Frank Tavares then singled, bringing in Hodges. Another Dodger error scored Mazzilli to bring the Mets within a run.
In the home 6th, Mike Jorgensen & John Stearns both walked. Eliot Maddox then sacrificed to the pitcher & got himself an infield hit. Jorgensen scored on a wild throw by new Dodger pitcher; Bobby Castillo.

But there was more excitement during the game when two fans jumped onto the field & ran across the outfield. Security guards chased the fans but weren't able to track them down & the game was delayed.
Mets catcher; John Stearns saw enough, the former college football defensive back (University of Colorado) left his catchers spot & ran into left field after the fans. He managed to tackle one of the fans & hold him down until the police came over to arrest the individual.
John Stearns was certainly a tough guy, he had been known for brawls & head on collisions at home pate. One famous one was with Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Dave Parker & another with Montreal Expos star (& future Mets All Star) Gary Carter. Stearns even once attacked the Atlanta Braves mascot; Chief Nocahoma after he had been heckling him.
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