Mets fans?

[Gugny]

On 9/4/2022 at 4:08 PM, Another Fan said:

So that's what I get for saying last week here I have full confidence in this team 😅.     Not the end of the world for the team imo.  I'll chalk the poor weekend up to a combination of these three things:

 

-Baseball is designed so good teams win 2 out of 3 games and bad teams win 1 out of 3 games.  Doing the math it would probably compute the Nationals would win 1 out of 3 games.

 

-A natural letdown/taking the foot of the pedal after the impressive series with the Dodgers

 

-I haven't followed the Nationals this year but it's obvious based on their record it's been a long year for them.  So I'll say they tried extra hard this weekend.  It was their World Series

 

 

That being said I still do have full confidence in the team.  However, this is an important week ahead for the team.  The Pirates and Marlins are teams they should beat. Anything 3-3 or less in these games and it won't be a joking matter anymore 

 

I think this was a classic "letdown" series.  Not typical of the Mets this season (I give all the credit to Buck), but they certainly played down to their opponents in the WAS series.

 

The Nationals have the worst record in all of MLB.

 

The Braves are not letting up.  The lead is now down to one game.  I, too, have full confidence in the team.  But they can't lose any more series for the remainder of the season if they want to hold onto first place.  The Dodgers have been sliding.  They're now 7 games up on the Mets for the best record in the NL.  Chasing that should be the Mets' goal.  

 

I'm hoping the WAS series was a little wake up call.  This was a series in which we saw Jeff McNeil make fielding errors in back-to-back games.  That is CRAZY.

 

Hopefully the rain day gave them some needed rest and some time to get their focus back.

 

A sweep of the Pirates would make me feel a hell of a lot better.

[SinceThe70s]

On 9/6/2022 at 9:28 AM, Gugny said:

 

I think this was a classic "letdown" series.  Not typical of the Mets this season (I give all the credit to Buck), but they certainly played down to their opponents in the WAS series.

 

The Nationals have the worst record in all of MLB.

 

The Braves are not letting up.  The lead is now down to one game.  I, too, have full confidence in the team.  But they can't lose any more series for the remainder of the season if they want to hold onto first place.  The Dodgers have been sliding.  They're now 7 games up on the Mets for the best record in the NL.  Chasing that should be the Mets' goal.  

 

I'm hoping the WAS series was a little wake up call.  This was a series in which we saw Jeff McNeil make fielding errors in back-to-back games.  That is CRAZY.

 

Hopefully the rain day gave them some needed rest and some time to get their focus back.

 

A sweep of the Pirates would make me feel a hell of a lot better.

 

Hoo boy that series didn't start well! My friends were losing their collective %#$#% after the loss on Tuesday. Looks like Mets may have righted the ship yesterday. The fact that the Braves are on an extended hot streak isn't helping matters.

 

I love Buck but I do think it's worth questioning whether he has played a part in some of the slumps. By and large he trots out the same lineup and players night in and night out. Alonso has looked tired for weeks now, I'd love to know how many times he's gotten a day off - or better yet two full days off (without DHing). Same goes for Lindor.  One thing I admired about Bobby V  was he kept his regulars and bench fresh by sitting his regulars.

[Gugny]

10 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Hoo boy that series didn't start well! My friends were losing their collective %#$#% after the loss on Tuesday. Looks like Mets may have righted the ship yesterday. The fact that the Braves are on an extended hot streak isn't helping matters.

 

I love Buck but I do think it's worth questioning whether he has played a part in some of the slumps. By and large he trots out the same lineup and players night in and night out. Alonso has looked tired for weeks now, I'd love to know how many times he's gotten a day off - or better yet two full days off (without DHing). Same goes for Lindor.  One thing I admired about Bobby V  was he kept his regulars and bench fresh by sitting his regulars.

 

Fantastic pitching by Bassitt and deGrom and MAN .. the bats came ALIVE!

 

I love Buck, but I think you're right.  Reminiscent of Wille Randolph playing Wright and Reyes 160 games each in 2007.  We know how that season ended. 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Gugny

[SinceThe70s]

Just now, Gugny said:

 

Fantastic pitching by Bassitt and deGrom and MAN .. the bats came ALIVE!

 

I love Buck, but I think you're right.  Reminiscent of Wille Randolph playing Wright and Reyes 160 games each in 2007.  We know how that season ended. 

 

 

Funny yu mention Randolph. As my friends were declaring the Mets season over I blamed Cohen for inviting Willie Randolph to Old Timers Day!

[Gugny]

Just now, SinceThe70s said:

 

Funny yu mention Randolph. As my friends were declaring the Mets season over I blamed Cohen for inviting Willie Randolph to Old Timers Day!

 

Great guy.  Probably the worst manager the Mets have ever had.  The only one who could have gotten that monkey off of his back was Beltran.  Thank GOD that didn't come to fruition.

 

[Gugny]

Braves may have finally come back down to earth.  Nice bounce-back by the Mets to re-take the division.  With seven consecutive games vs. Chicago Cubs (3) and the Pirates (4), this would - and SHOULD - be a great opportunity to rattle off a nice 5-6 out of 7 game win streak and create a little distance.

 

#LFGM!

 

[SinceThe70s]

On 9/12/2022 at 3:05 PM, Gugny said:

Braves may have finally come back down to earth.  Nice bounce-back by the Mets to re-take the division.  With seven consecutive games vs. Chicago Cubs (3) and the Pirates (4), this would - and SHOULD - be a great opportunity to rattle off a nice 5-6 out of 7 game win streak and create a little distance.

 

#LFGM!

 

 

This is starting to get exhausting. I keep waiting for the Mets to break out of it but even with Jake going tonight it's looking like another loss.

 

At this point I'll be surprised if the Mets/Braves series isn't crucial for first place. But at the same time my biggest concern is Scherzer. Next up is Marte. First place is really important, not gonna downplay that, but post season success is still about Jake and Max to me.

[ExWNYer]

Sad news...one of my favorite Mets as a kid, John Stearns, has passed away. He had been battling prostate cancer. He was a tough as nails catcher who at one time held the NL record for most stolen bases in a season by a catcher. He was drafted into baseball by the Phillies and came to the Mets as part of the Tug McGraw trade and he always held a special place in my heart because he was also selected by the Bills in the 17th Round of the 1973 NFL Draft but opted to play professional baseball instead. He also served on the 2000-2001 Mets coaching staff. RIP, Mr. Stearns...and thanks for the childhood memories.

 

@Gugny not sure if you're old enough to remember him or have seen him play. @SinceThe70s I'm sure you are.

 

"John Stearns, a catcher who played with the Mets for 10 years (1975-1984) and earned four All-Star selections, died late last night in Denver after a long battle with cancer. Stearns also coached on the Major League staff with the Mets from 2000-2001. He was 71. He is survived by his son, Justin, brothers, Richard and William and his sister, Carla."

 

Lee Mazzilli - teammate: “I am heartbroken. John was just a joy to be around. He loved the game so much. I was amazed when he went to the batting cage on Old Timers’ Day. That just showed you how much of a competitor he was.”

 

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/john-stearns-passes-away

 

https://nypost.com/2022/09/16/john-stearns-ex-mets-all-star-catcher-dead-at-71/

 

 

[Gugny]

8 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

Sad news...one of my favorite Mets as a kid, John Stearns, has passed away. He had been battling prostate cancer. He was a tough as nails catcher who at one time held the NL record for most stolen bases in a season by a catcher. He was drafted into baseball by the Phillies and came to the Mets as part of the Tug McGraw trade and he always held a special place in my heart because he was also selected by the Bills in the 17th Round of the 1973 NFL Draft but opted to play professional baseball instead. He also served on the 2000-2001 Mets coaching staff. RIP, Mr. Stearns...and thanks for the childhood memories.

 

@Gugny not sure if you're old enough to remember him or have seen him play. @SinceThe70s I'm sure you are.

 

"John Stearns, a catcher who played with the Mets for 10 years (1975-1984) and earned four All-Star selections, died late last night in Denver after a long battle with cancer. Stearns also coached on the Major League staff with the Mets from 2000-2001. He was 71. He is survived by his son, Justin, brothers, Richard and William and his sister, Carla."

 

Lee Mazzilli - teammate: “I am heartbroken. John was just a joy to be around. He loved the game so much. I was amazed when he went to the batting cage on Old Timers’ Day. That just showed you how much of a competitor he was.”

 

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/john-stearns-passes-away

 

https://nypost.com/2022/09/16/john-stearns-ex-mets-all-star-catcher-dead-at-71/

 

 

 

I saw this earlier this morning.  Very sad; just 71.  I remember him as a coach, but not as a player.  RIP.

[SinceThe70s]

26 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

Sad news...one of my favorite Mets as a kid, John Stearns, has passed away. He had been battling prostate cancer. He was a tough as nails catcher who at one time held the NL record for most stolen bases in a season by a catcher. He was drafted into baseball by the Phillies and came to the Mets as part of the Tug McGraw trade and he always held a special place in my heart because he was also selected by the Bills in the 17th Round of the 1973 NFL Draft but opted to play professional baseball instead. He also served on the 2000-2001 Mets coaching staff. RIP, Mr. Stearns...and thanks for the childhood memories.

 

@Gugny not sure if you're old enough to remember him or have seen him play. @SinceThe70s I'm sure you are.

 

"John Stearns, a catcher who played with the Mets for 10 years (1975-1984) and earned four All-Star selections, died late last night in Denver after a long battle with cancer. Stearns also coached on the Major League staff with the Mets from 2000-2001. He was 71. He is survived by his son, Justin, brothers, Richard and William and his sister, Carla."

 

Lee Mazzilli - teammate: “I am heartbroken. John was just a joy to be around. He loved the game so much. I was amazed when he went to the batting cage on Old Timers’ Day. That just showed you how much of a competitor he was.”

 

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/john-stearns-passes-away

 

https://nypost.com/2022/09/16/john-stearns-ex-mets-all-star-catcher-dead-at-71/

 

 

 

I was at Citi Field this past Wednesday and a friend and I were talking about how Stearns looked to be in poor health at Old Timers Day. Sad to see him in that state and now to learn of his passing. But nice that he got to have one last moment in the sun.

 

Your first paragraph summed up his career perfectly. He was a great player on some bad teams, one of our few bright spots. I totally forgot about the Bills connection! 

 

RIP.

[ExWNYer]

2 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

I was at Citi Field this past Wednesday and a friend and I were talking about how Stearns looked to be in poor health at Old Timers Day. Sad to see him in that state and now to learn of his passing. But nice that he got to have one last moment in the sun.

 

Your first paragraph summed up his career perfectly. He was a great player on some bad teams, one of our few bright spots. I totally forgot about the Bills connection! 

 

RIP.

 

My favorite Mets as a kid were Tom Seaver and Lee Mazzilli. John Stearns was up there, too. As bad as the Mets were when I was growing up, there were a lot of players I loved. I guess that comes with falling in love with the sport during your formative years and those first player memories that come with it. 'Lovable Losers' has been the Mets moniker for most of their existence, pre-Steve Cohen.

[SinceThe70s]

7 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

My favorite Mets as a kid were Tom Seaver and Lee Mazzilli. John Stearns was up there, too. As bad as the Mets were when I was growing up, there were a lot of players I loved. I guess that comes with falling in love with the sport during your formative years and those first player memories that come with it. 'Lovable Losers' has been the Mets moniker for most of their existence, pre-Steve Cohen.

 

So me and the same friends had another conversation about jerseys. We agreed that we'd only buy the jersey of a retired player and preferrably not an obvious one like Seaver.

 

After some thought I went with an away jersey of John Milner (which now I want! lol). In hindsight Stearns would be a great choice - but then I'd have to pick between #16 and #12.   Who would you go with?

[ExWNYer]

5 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

So me and the same friends had another conversation about jerseys. We agreed that we'd only buy the jersey of a retired player and preferrably not an obvious one like Seaver.

 

After some thought I went with an away jersey of John Milner (which now I want! lol). In hindsight Stearns would be a great choice - but then I'd have to pick between #16 and #12.   Who would you go with?

 

I really liked John Milner but me, personally, I'd go with a #12 Stearns. When I think of him, I always think of #12 just like I always think of #16 with Lee Mazzilli even though he also wore #13, including when he came back mid-season for the 1986 World Series Champion team. A #16 Stearns would be a cool conversation piece though. There are so many old ones I think would be cool, with the first being Rusty Staub. I think Willie Mays would also be cool even though he's rally thought of as a Giant and not a Met. Other guys who most would never think of that I think would be cool are Mike Jorgensen & Joel Youngblood (I don't know why I liked them so  much, lol), Felix Milan, Dave Kingman, and Ed Kranepool.

 

Edit: I just realized that I used the word 'cool' way too many times. Not cool.  😂

Edited September 16, 2022 by ExWNYer

[SinceThe70s]

31 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

I really liked John Milner but me, personally, I'd go with a #12 Stearns. When I think of him, I always think of #12 just like I always think of #16 with Lee Mazzilli even though he also wore #13, including when he came back mid-season for the 1986 World Series Champion team. A #16 Stearns would be a cool conversation piece though. There are so many old ones I think would be cool, with the first being Rusty Staub. I think Willie Mays would also be cool even though he's rally thought of as a Giant and not a Met. Other guys who most would never think of that I think would be cool are Mike Jorgensen & Joel Youngblood (I don't know why I liked them so  much, lol), Felix Milan, Dave Kingman, and Ed Kranepool.

 

Edit: I just realized that I used the word 'cool' way too many times. Not cool.  😂

 

Nice call outs. I have a fond memory of a specific Milner at bat that my Dad and I saw live and talked about for years. Basically a line drive that rocked the RF wall at Shea. Not a great player by any stretch.

 

Canha reminds me of Youngblood. Somewhat similar looking and skill sets.

 

Jorgensen...wow! Did he play for the Mets twice or am I thinking of Foli?

 

Another guy that never gets enough love IMO is Craig Swan.

 

Love that you know the numbers. My friend thinks I'm insane cuz I can tell you the number of most of the Mets from the 70's, including number changes.

[ExWNYer]

1 hour ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Nice call outs. I have a fond memory of a specific Milner at bat that my Dad and I saw live and talked about for years. Basically a line drive that rocked the RF wall at Shea. Not a great player by any stretch.

 

Canha reminds me of Youngblood. Somewhat similar looking and skill sets.

 

Jorgensen...wow! Did he play for the Mets twice or am I thinking of Foli?

 

Another guy that never gets enough love IMO is Craig Swan.

 

Love that you know the numbers. My friend thinks I'm insane cuz I can tell you the number of most of the Mets from the 70's, including number changes.

 

That's an awesome memory with your dad. I can see why Milner is special to you. What's odd is that I associate him more with the 1979 'We Are Family' WS Champion Pirates even though he came up with the Mets. Weird the things that get stuck in your head from childhood.

 

Good call on Canha...maybe the Youngblood thing is why I like him, too.

 

You are correct about Jorgie, sir. He came up with the Mets in the late '60s & early '70s and then returned in the early '80s which is where most of my memories of him originate. Rusty Staub (another of my all-time faves) was also a two-time Met but I'm sure you knew that. Oddly, I associate both Rusty and Jorgensen with the Montreal Expos like I do Milner with the Pirates.

 

I loved Craig Swan, too! He was a beacon of light on some dismal teams. Too bad he didn't get a chance to play for any good Met squads. I liked Pat Zachary, too, and also wanted him to do better. He came over in the awful Tom Seaver trade and could never meet expectations. It wasn't his fault that he was traded for 'The Franchise'.

 

I know a lot of jersey numbers but probably nothing like you. It's probably because, when I was little, there were no names on the backs of the jerseys and you had to learn the numbers to know the players. Collecting baseball cards helped in that regard, too. Without cable or internet, it was much tougher. I rarely saw Met games as a kid growing up in WNY and have never been to NYC but I fell in love with the team because of their uniforms. I love the pinstripes, the scripted 'Mets' and especially the logo that is comprised of the city silhouette in a baseball. Just gorgeous.

 

Those '70s & '80s teams were mostly awful but I love them to this day. They formed the bond I have for this team and my love of the game. Bad Met teams now just piss me off. lol

 

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. 

[SinceThe70s]

5 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

That's an awesome memory with your dad. I can see why Milner is special to you. What's odd is that I associate him more with the 1979 'We Are Family' WS Champion Pirates even though he came up with the Mets. Weird the things that get stuck in your head from childhood.

 

Good call on Canha...maybe the Youngblood thing is why I like him, too.

 

You are correct about Jorgie, sir. He came up with the Mets in the late '60s & early '70s and then returned in the early '80s which is where most of my memories of him originate. Rusty Staub (another of my all-time faves) was also a two-time Met but I'm sure you knew that. Oddly, I associate both Rusty and Jorgensen with the Montreal Expos like I do Milner with the Pirates.

 

I loved Craig Swan, too! He was a beacon of light on some dismal teams. Too bad he didn't get a chance to play for any good Met squads. I liked Pat Zachary, too, and also wanted him to do better. He came over in the awful Tom Seaver trade and could never meet expectations. It wasn't his fault that he was traded for 'The Franchise'.

 

I know a lot of jersey numbers but probably nothing like you. It's probably because, when I was little, there were no names on the backs of the jerseys and you had to learn the numbers to know the players. Collecting baseball cards helped in that regard, too. Without cable or internet, it was much tougher. I rarely saw Met games as a kid growing up in WNY and have never been to NYC but I fell in love with the team because of their uniforms. I love the pinstripes, the scripted 'Mets' and especially the logo that is comprised of the city silhouette in a baseball. Just gorgeous.

 

Those '70s & '80s teams were mostly awful but I love them to this day. They formed the bond I have for this team and my love of the game. Bad Met teams now just piss me off. lol

 

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. 

 

Damn, every time you mention a different name it brings back another memory. I was at the game where Zachary gave up the hit to Pete Rose that tied Tommy Holmes NL hit streak record. Pretty sure Zachary got him out the first two at bats and then Rose hit a line drive to left to tie the record.  We were sitting on the first base side and what I remember is Zachary walking off the mound - either at the end of the inning or maybe he got pulled - and when he got to the dugout his head disappeared awkwardly and I told my Dad that it looked like he slipped. As it turns out he was p!ssed off that he gave up the hit to Rose, went to kick the step or something and ended up falling hurting hois foot or ankle and ended up with a long stay on the DL.

 

Fun trivia - and I only had a vague memory of this and had to look it up. Zachary was NL Rookie of the Year in 1976.  Who was the 1976 NL Cy Young winner that pitched with Zacahry on the '81 Mets?

[ExWNYer]

5 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Damn, every time you mention a different name it brings back another memory. I was at the game where Zachary gave up the hit to Pete Rose that tied Tommy Holmes NL hit streak record. Pretty sure Zachary got him out the first two at bats and then Rose hit a line drive to left to tie the record.  We were sitting on the first base side and what I remember is Zachary walking off the mound - either at the end of the inning or maybe he got pulled - and when he got to the dugout his head disappeared awkwardly and I told my Dad that it looked like he slipped. As it turns out he was p!ssed off that he gave up the hit to Rose, went to kick the step or something and ended up falling hurting hois foot or ankle and ended up with a long stay on the DL.

 

Fun trivia - and I only had a vague memory of this and had to look it up. Zachary was NL Rookie of the Year in 1976.  Who was the 1976 NL Cy Young winner that pitched with Zacahry on the '81 Mets?

 

Haha! I only have these memories because I'm old. I do remember that incident where Zachary hurt himself. Very 'Metsian'.

 

Here are some other names that might kick something else loose for you...Doug Flynn, Willie Montañez, Ellis Valentine, Alex Treviño, Wayne Garrett, Lenny Randle...

 

As far as your trivia question, this is just a guess. I did not look it up (Scout's honor). I remember '81 being a strike shortened year and likely cost Gary Carter and the Montreal Expos a WS title. That said, the only pitcher from that era who comes to mind is Randy Jones whom I remember/associate mostly with the San Diego Padres.

[SinceThe70s]

4 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

Haha! I only have these memories because I'm old. I do remember that incident where Zachary hurt himself. Very 'Metsian'.

 

Here are some other names that might kick something else loose for you...Doug Flynn, Willie Montañez, Ellis Valentine, Alex Treviño, Wayne Garrett, Lenny Randle...

 

As far as your trivia question, this is just a guess. I did not look it up (Scout's honor). I remember '81 being a strike shortened year and likely cost Gary Carter and the Montreal Expos a WS title. That said, the only pitcher from that era who comes to mind is Randy Jones whom I remember/associate mostly with the San Diego Padres.

 

Correct on Randy Jones! Well done - and yeah, he was done by 1981.

 

Based on the names you've been throwing out my guess is I have maybe 5 years on you. As long as we're on the right side of the dirt it's all good! I have memories of all the guys you just mentioned (can't remember why but at some point theyt put Flynn at SS) but Randle would go to the top of that list for me.

 

While fact checking the Zachry/Jones connection I came across the 1981 Mets roster. Pretty impressive list of pitchers even though some were either over  the hill or hadn't hit their stride yet:

 

Pat Zachry

Randy Jones

Neil Allen

Terry Leach 

Tim Leary (sigh)

Ed Lynch

Jesse Orosco

Jeff Reardon

Mike Scott

Craig Swan

 

 

[ExWNYer]

19 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Correct on Randy Jones! Well done - and yeah, he was done by 1981.

 

Based on the names you've been throwing out my guess is I have maybe 5 years on you. As long as we're on the right side of the dirt it's all good! I have memories of all the guys you just mentioned (can't remember why but at some point theyt put Flynn at SS) but Randle would go to the top of that list for me.

 

While fact checking the Zachry/Jones connection I came across the 1981 Mets roster. Pretty impressive list of pitchers even though some were either over  the hill or hadn't hit their stride yet:

 

Pat Zachry

Randy Jones

Neil Allen

Terry Leach 

Tim Leary (sigh)

Ed Lynch

Jesse Orosco

Jeff Reardon

Mike Scott

Craig Swan

 

 

 

I'm 58 (59 in October). I remember all of those guys and some, as you said, were very good.

 

- Neil Allen...the key piece in one of the best trades in franchise history which brought over Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals. Thank you,  Frank Cashen! 

-Terry Leach...he of the mustache...nice side-armer.

-Tim Leary...great unrealized potential. 'Sigh' indeed.

-Ed Lynch...solid arm, later went to the Cubs.

- Jesse Orosco...nuff said. He and Roger McDowell manned the back-end for the legendary '86 squad.

- Jeff Reardon...turned out to be one of the best relievers in baseball after he was traded. I remember being bummed when he was shipped and that was before he became 'Jeff Reardon'.

- Mike Scott...almost cost the Mets the '86 NLCS with his cheating ball scuffing for the Astros. What is it with that franchise, anyway? lol

-Craig Swan...as we already discussed, a becon in the darknes of the '70s and early '80s.

 

BTW, another player the Mets acquired who was supposed to be great and never amounted to anything for them...Steve Henderson. Woof.

Edited September 17, 2022 by ExWNYer

[SinceThe70s]

7 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

I'm 58 (59 in October). I remember all of those guys and some, as you said, were very good.

 

- Neil Allen...the key piece in one of the best trades in franchise history which brought over Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals. Thank you,  Frank Cashen! 

-Terry Leach...he of the mustache...nice side-armer.

-Tim Leary...great unrealized potential. 'Sigh' indeed.

-Ed Lynch...solid arm, later went to the Cubs.

- Jesse Orosco...nuff said. He and Roger McDowell manned the back-end for the legendary '86 squad.

- Jeff Reardon...turned out to be one of the best relievers in baseball after he was traded. I remember being bummed when he was shipped and that was before he became 'Jeff Reardon'.

- Mike Scott...almost cost the Mets the '86 NLCS with his cheating ball scuffing for the Astros. What is it with that franchise, anyway? lol

-Craig Swan...as we already discussed, a becon in the darknes of the '70s and early '80s.

 

BTW, another player the Mets acquired who was supposed to be great and never amounted to anything for them...Steve Henderson. Woof.

 

LOL, same age you and I.  Didn't take you long to summarize every player expertly! 

 

Did you see Henderson at Old Timers Day? He's pushing 70 and tracked down a fly in RF.

 

So what are you earliest memories of the Mets? I'll share two:

 

My earliest is a vague memory of the Mets playing in the '69 WS. We had it on a B/W TV, something good happened for the Mets and we went outside to do something besides watch TV -  it was a beautiful autumn day.

 

First ever game was a Senior Citizens day in 1971 with my father and grandfather at Shea. My grandfather was the biggest influence on my love for the game. He played semi-pro and loved and shared the history with me. We sat up in the heavens in RF and watched the Mets get their @sses kicked. Carl Morton pitched for the Expos and I'm pretty sure had two extra base hits. For whatever reason I was still hooked! After that my father made sure we never sat in such crappy seats. Good times.