centerfield maz

Friday September 21st, 1973: Yogi Berra's Mets (76-77) were now red hot. They had won three straight & seven of their last nine games. Going back further, they had won fourteen of their last twenty coming from 6.5 games out of first place to within a half game of the first place Pittsburgh Pirates.  After last night's exciting walk off win in "the Ball on the Wall Game", the Mets were now tasting first place, as it was withing their grasp, a half game away.  The largest crowd of the year at Shea Stadium up to that point, some 51,381 paid fans waited on the same day ticket lines & packed in to see their "franchise" the 1973 Cy Young Award Winner, Tom Sever (17-10) go up against the Pirates Steve Blass (3-8). You Gotta Believe was alive & well all around the city as Pennant Fever took over New York. Steve Blass had been a hero of the 1971 World Series & a 19 games winner in 1972 but he was having a rough season and would end his career after j

Friday September 21st, 2001: On this historical night, baseball returned to New York City for the first time since the tragic attacks of 911. The city was trying to move forward & people were needing something to divert their attention from the sadness of the past ten days. Tonight 41, 235 fans came out to Shea Stadium on a very emotional night. There was a sense of unity, as Americans, as New Yorkers & as a people.  Baseball certainly took a back seat to the importance of things, but on this night, it also brought some kind of normalcy, if not for just a few hours. Before the game there was a very moving ceremony honoring the victims of 911.  There  were special honored guests on hand; as New York City firemen, policemen & other emergency workers were also recognized & honored.  The  evening's  events included, Diana Ross singing "God Bless America" - Liza Minelli singing "New York, New York". The New York Mets (74-73) hosted their rival A

Thursday, September 20th, 1973:  Yogi Berra's Mets (75-77) had been in last place, 12 games under .500 & 6.5 games out of first place at the end of August.  But in that year's NL East, no team ever dominated play long enough to take control. The division was very competitive with five of the six teams still in contention, no more than three games back at this point late in September.  The Mets had suffered with injuries to most of their regular players but at this point had everyone back & healthy. Since that low point in late August, they got hot & were playing good baseball.  They became one of the league's best teams, going 17-6 in that time, finding themselves just 1.5 games out of first place, behind the Pirates. Tonight, they hosted Danny Murtaugh's Pittsburgh Pirates (75-74) in what was certainly one of the most important games of the 1973 season. It would also become one of the most remembered games of that season & in Mets history. 24,855 fans

Friday, September 20th, 2019:  Mickey Callaway's New  York Mets (80-73) were still in the wild card race 3.5 games back with ten games still left to play. But they were also chasing two other teams for that second wild card spot.  Tonight, the Mets were in Cincinnati to take on David Bell's Reds (72-81) in front of 20,576 fans, many of them Mets fans.  Tonight, everyone new that The Mets NL Rookie of the Year, Pete Alonso was setting a rookie HR mark & was looking to become the first Met to ever hit 50 HRs in a season. That year's Cy Young Award winner, Jacob deGrom (9-8) entered the game leading the league in ERA (2.61) strike outs (239) & WAR (6.3) for pitchers, as well as walks & hits per nine innings (1.005) he took on the Reds' Luis Castillo (15-6 / 3.22 ERA / 211 Ks / 239 Ks). The game started out all about the pitchers, both shutting the other team out into the 6th inning.  In the top of the 6th, Jeff McNeil, the number four hitter in the league (.

Monday September 21st, 1987: Davey Johnson's New York Mets (86-64) were in second place 2.5 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals with twelve games left to play. Today they played an afternoon matinee at Wrigley Field against Gene Michael's last place Chicago Cubs (71-78) in front of just 8,229 fans.  The Mets sent Dwight Gooden (14-6) to the mound against Les Lancaster (7-1). In the top of the 1st, Lenny Dykstra  doubled & scored on Keith Hernandez's base hit. In the 4th Rafael Palmeiro homered for the Cubs to tie the game. The 1-1 tie went to the 8th inning, it was then that Darryl Strawberry singled up the middle & stole second base.  It was Darryl's second steal of the game & his 30th stolen base of the season. That along with his 38 HRs put him into the 30-30 club.  Darryl just the tenth member of the 30-30 club, He & Howard Johnson became the first 30-30 club teammates in the history of MLB.  Trivia: Four players in the majors, would reach

Wednesday September 19th, 1973:  The Mets / Pirates matchups moved to New York's Shea Stadium for a three-game series.  The opener attracted 29.240 fans who were very quickly becoming interested in the Mets pulling off another Miracle, just four years after the Championship of 1969.  Tonight, the Mets sent George Stone (11-3) to the mound, Stone was on a personal seven game win streak going back to July 8th. He was a pleasant surprise for the 1973 NL Champs going 12-3 with a save & a 2.80 ERA. The Pirates had veteran Nelson Briles (13-12) start the game. Trivia:  Briles an accomplished singer would sing the National Anthem at Game #4 of the World Series at Dhea Stadium a month later. The Pirates jumped out in front as Rennie Stennett led off with a HR. In the bottom of the home 2nd, John Milner led off with a base hit. Next Cleon Jones ripped a two run HR into the left field bullpen putting the Mets up 2-0. Cleon would not be done yet. In the top of the 3rd, Stennett struck aga