Not all that much to talk about here really Mets fans; lets see, final regular season series ever at Shea Stadium, Mets fighting to not become another September casualty and actually make the playoffs and help ease the pain of 2007.....nah, nothing to see here.
It will be an eventful weekend at Shea Stadium---one way or another.
Lets start with Shea; I have been going to Mets games since 1977 and I have to admit, I will miss the place!
I know, Shea doesn't get nearly the notoriety of, say Yankee Stadium. I know it isn't considered a "glamour" stadium. In fact, it is often referred to as a dump. But I love the place!
Seriously, I have some great memories. For one, I always loved the open air look to the outfield. Most of the modern parks have that closed in feel. A Mets game at Shea always had a different feel to it then most other parks.
I will never forget my first Mets game--- 1977, the Mets playing the Reds and watching Pete Rose lead off with a triple on the games very first pitch. Not a great result I know, but I remember thinking how cool it was to see major leaguers playing ball! I also remember that day commenting to my Grandfather (the reason, despite growing up in the Bronx, that I am a Mets fan),on what a nice park Shea was and how good I thought the Mets were going to be that year (eventually I came to understand the look on his face which was "oh you poor, stupid kid....you have no idea what you are in for").
The next several years tested the resolve of all Mets fans. The years of Dave Kingman, George Theodore, Pat Zachry....I could go on and on--- Mets fans remember.
But through it all, for some bizarre reason, I loved the New York Mets and Shea Stadium!
All those years of lousy baseball from the Mets, last place finishes, lousy trades, bad luck, being made fun of (particularly during those terrible seasons when the hated Yankees had the nerve to win Championships) were very much part of my youth.
But I still always went to Shea----and loved it all. (I truly believe being a Mets fan during these formative years served me well as it had to help develope character----didn't it?)
But there were some great memories; watching my all time favorite Met pitcher Tom Seaver pitch lights out ball on a lousy team. Watching players like Felix Milan, Wayne Garrett, Willie Mays ( a few weeks past his prime, but still---Willie), and so many other colorful Shea characters were tremendous childhood memories.
I remember another time when I went wandering through the Shea Stadium corridors with a childhood buddy, and as the game ended, we ran into none other then the greatest broadcasting team of all time; Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsey (what an ugly coat) Nelson.
They were happy to spend a couple of minutes with two young Mets fans (before heading to the bar to lament yet another Mets loss) and I will never forget the moment.
But, things got better for Mets fans in the 80's! Yankee fans eat your hearts out-----there was simply no better place to be in New York then Shea Stadium in the mid-80's!
The years of Darryl Strawberry, Gary Carter, Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Jessie Orosco, Davey Johnson, etc----they were great years at Shea!
Easily, my single greatest Shea Stadium memory; game six of the 1986 World Series----yes, the Bill Buckner game! I will simply never forget it!
However, we are down to the end of New York Mets games at Shea Stadium. I will admit to being a bit sad, and nostalgic. While the new City Field will be incredible, and will host a whole new chapter in Mets history----closing Shea is the end of an era.
I feel like like it marks the end of my childhood in many ways.
I will miss Shea Stadium.
Lets hope the Mets close the old park out in style and sweep the Marlins to get into the post season---then, we get to see Shea a few more times.




