Ah, Opening Day! As I observe the jubilant people sitting around me in the mezzanine section behind home plate at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, I think, “Is there a more purely happy moment for any baseball fan?” There is an at once familiar yet new aroma in the ballpark of fresh paint and simmering hotdogs, a chill in the air (courtesy of the wind blowing off Flushing Bay), and the grass on the playing field has never looked greener. The base paths are pristine; the blue and orange seats glisten even in the mist of the rainy April day, and the ballplayers all seem young, strong, and fiercely ready for the season.
Opening Day is like spring itself: a time of renewal, of invigorated spirit, and hope for what is to come. On this day every regular player stands equal: all are batting .000 and have no homers or runs batted in. The pitchers all have an 0.00 earned run average and have no strikeouts or walks. It is the one moment, however fleeting, when all players are different and yet very much alike. As a Met fan who has seen many years of poor performance from his team, there has always been that wonderful feeling on Opening Day that we were just as good as any other team on paper, though this indubitably would change after the first pitch was thrown.
This year is supposed to be a little different at Shea, and yet the ceremonial first pitch was being thrown by Jesse Orosco to good old Gary Carter. Talk about nostalgia to a Met fan, and he or she has no choice but to look back whimsically at 1986. The sight of these two guys makes me get a little teary eyed (but I claim it’s that damn wind off the bay), for I recall that night in 1986 when Orosco threw that last pitch of the World Series, got Boston’s Marty Barrett out, and threw his glove up into the hazy night sky over Shea. Gary Carter ran out to the mound to embrace him, and our city erupted in a frenzy unseen since 1969 (at least for Mets fans).
Back in the 1980s the Mets owned New York City. It was a blissful time, a dreamtime for Met fans, and the always despised Yankees were just a bunch of has-beens across the river. We had no idea what would be coming in the 90s, that a former Met named Joe Torre would defect to the Bronx and turn everything ugly. The name Jeter was meaningless (he was just some funny guy on that TV show Evening Shade with Burt Reynolds and his toupee), and we had no idea that much of the city would turn on us, even former Met fans, because the Yankees juggernaut would be so overwhelming and last so long.
Article comments
1 - Jeff
Nicely done. Here in Minnesota, our typical telltale signs of Opening Day are temps in the 40s, rain, brown dead grass and trees, a muddy tinge to everything...
2 - Victor Lana
Thanks, Jeff. I've been to some dreary Opening Days here too (a few even with snow showers). This is a big reason why the Mets organization wants to build the new stadium with a roof. I really like sky and sunshine and all that, but AC sounds nice in the heart of summer and being dry will be great in September.
3 - Andy Marsh
Mets fans...almost as bad as Redsox fans!
j/k
I miss the old days at Shea and Yankee stadium. My very first pro game was a Mets-Houston game when I was about 7 years old.
I plan on visiting my folks in NJ this summer and riding the boat from Belford over to Shea. my brother tells me the boat brings you right to Shea!
4 - Victor Lana
Yes, Andy, there is the ferry that comes right in at Shea. I've parked my car there a number of times to take the ferry into Manhattan. It's a great ride during nice weather but can be rather bumpy on some bad days.
Hope you enjoy the game!
5 - MCH
What's wrong w/Red Sox fans?
6 - Victor Lana
Nothing is wrong with Red Sox fans in my book, MCH. I think Andy was sort of saying that the Mets fans are as dedicated and maybe as obsessive as Red Sox fans. And with good reason with those damn Yankees causing problems.
I've always rooted for the Red Sox except for in 1986. They're my second favorite team, followed by the Dodgers (for their long ago but still emotional connection to Brooklyn).
7 - Andy Marsh
Nothing's wrong with Sox fans...I have to say that because my boss's boss is one!
Actually, I'm friends with a few Red Sox fans and we have a lot of fun during the year busting each others chops...because really, I'm one of those 'dreaded' Yankee fans.
I did have a lot of fun rooting for the Mets in '86!
8 - Victor Lana
I have a few friends (and now relatives too) who are Yankees fans. We are always ribbing each other about things.
So, you rooted for the Mets in '86, Andy? Well, you're a better man than I. I've never rooted for the Yanks except once when Thurman Munson died. I watched the game that night and wanted them to win one for him. Bobby Murcer hit a homer and they won it and for one night I was happy they did.
9 - Andy Marsh
I'll always have a place for the Mets...like I said earlier, they were the first pro baseball team I ever saw play live. The problem was, it was a one nothing pitchers' duel, and the Mets lost...the second game I went to, a Yankee game...was a 15-12 slugfest and the Yankees won...I think I was spoiled after that...I appreciate a good pitchers duel these days, but when I was a little kid...I wanted to see homeruns and base running and stuff like that.
I was living in the Phoenix area when the Yanks played the D-backs...one of my neighbors spraypainted my yard with that orange marker paint...about 3 foot letters...Go D'backs...he did a really nice job on it. the bad part was it was that time of year when the grass dies and the new stuff didn't come in for a long long time. had those orange letters in my lawn all winter long.
10 - Victor Lana
Well, I have always been a Mets fan, mostly because all my family were Dodgers fans who stewed for a few years after the Bums went to LA and hated the Yankees even more until the Mets were born.
I have a big plaque of the 1955 Dodgers in my basement, and I can still recall my grandfather's warm recollections of that year the Bums beat the Yanks. Just like with Boston, it didn't matter how many times the Yanks won...by beating them even once you were on top of the world.
My goal is to see the Mets beat the Yanks in the World Series 4 games to 3 in the bottom of the ninth inning with Jeter striking out. Sweet Lord Jesus that would be the best day ever!!!
11 - Andy Marsh
That would be a great series to watch...probably not for anyone that's not from "our" area, but it would be great...of course, I'd be looking for a little bit different outcome.
Being out in AZ for that world series was pretty great. I had a lot of fun with the D'backs fans...I went into my house after Rivera blew that last game...my neighbors broke into my house and dragged me outside to abuse me. I feel like that was one of the best world series I've ever seen even though my Yanks lost. I think the real advantage was being able to get a ticket to the seies...doubt I'd even get close to the stadium if I'd been back home at the time.
12 - Brandon Valentine
Here here, Victor. My #1 team is the Red Sox and my #2 team is the Mets. Either way you look at it, I'm anti-Yankees.
Considering my team finally triumphed in '04, I'm all for a repeat subway series with the Mets stealing the Yankee thunder. But, no doubt, Jeter striking out to end the series would be golden.
On the other hand, having the Yanks miss the playoffs altogether would be satisfying in its own right.
13 - Victor Lana
Oh, right you are, Brandon. What I would truly love is too see this team of stinkers sulking in abject misey!
Think of this team's "sweethearts" and you'll know why:
Randy (I'm Really Loveable) Johnson, Gary (Knows Nothing About Steroids) Sheffield, A- (nothing but excuses) Rod, Derek (the girls still love me; really they do) Jeter, Jason (not so pumped) Giambi, and above all, the miserable Steingrubber himself.
I'd love to see them mired in a season where they go 62-100 and do worse than the Devil Rays. Steingrubber would blow his cork, fire Torre, bring in Sweet Lou, and then end up firing him and hiring back Torre. All that Yankee drama and misery would be so enjoyable.
14 - Andy Marsh
Ireally do love you Yankee haters! Let's see what happens in 159 games, shall we???
15 - Victor Lana
Sure, we'll wait and see, Andy. I really don't follow the Yanks or even check the boxscores. Unfortunately, here in NYC the papers and media are biased and follow the Yanks more.
They're hard to ignore, but I do my best. Besides, the tidal waves of publicity (good and bad) are usually churned up by the Yanks themselves, so why do they whine when they get wet?
I agree though that we should just wait and see what happens. No other choice, actually.
16 - Andy Marsh
I was gonna say victor, you're in NYC, how can you not? These days baseball is just a diversion 'till football season anyway...
You're not a Jets fan too are you?
17 - Victor Lana
Andy, I'm a misery loves company guy. I am a Mets-Jets-Nets-Islander fan and have suffered the consequences.
By the way, I used to go to Jets games at Shea. If you ever went you'd know how bad it was (terribly cold, damp, and not such a good view). I guess that's what being a fan is all about though.
18 - MCH
My two favorite teams are the Red Sox (since '67...Yaz, Reggie Smith, Lonborg, et al) and the Reds (since '70...Johnny Bench, Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, et al); followed by the Pirates and the Royals.
But I loved those Mets of '69 and '73, too (Seaver, Tug McGraw, Donn Clendenon, Koosman, Tommie Agee, etc)...those teams had a LOT of HEART!!
And even though the Mets beat the Bosox in '86, I couldn't help but like guys like Gary Carter and Ray Knight, with their enthusiasm and intensity...
19 - Matthew T. Sussman
For what it's worth, Victor, David Wright will win the MVP this year.
20 - Victor Lana
MCH, no matter how I feel about the Mets World Series wins in '69 and '86, without a doubt the best World Series I ever watched was the Sox and Reds in 1975. I wanted the Sox to win it and they did not, but it was just the most exciting seven games with amazing fielding and hitting.
Oh, and Suss, I wouldn't argue with you there. Unless Wright gets hurt, he is going to do very well. He is probably the best regular player to ever come out of the Mets system, except for Strawberry who in my mind was a Willie Mays kind of player.
I still have a soft spot for Darryl and Doc, and it breaks my heart to see Doc going to prison. These were potential Hall of Fame players who self-destructed.
Wright seems to have his head on straight, so hopefully he will not fall into those traps of fame and success. I'm rooting for him especially because he seems to have a genuine love of the game.
21 - Andy Marsh
Victor - I have to be somewhat of a Mets fan...the only baseball I have here is AAA...the Tides. Good baseball and we occasionally get to see some of the Mets guys rehabing their way back up.
22 - Victor Lana
Andy, at least you've got a chance to go to some games. I would go nuts if I couldn't get to Shea. Watching on TV is just not the same. I love the smell and feel of the ballpark.
23 - MCH
Victor;
No argument here re the '75 series. My two favorite teams, it shoulda been like dying and going to heaven. The bummer is, it was back in my drinkin' days, and I had just been dumped by my first love and for most of the series was either too drunk to focus on the tv or passed out.
Fortunatley I've been able to relive that series through tapes.
Was in a little better shape in the next year in '76 when the Reds swept the Yankees...won a bunch, too...