Shea Stadium was a dump …

 … but it was our dump.  (Yes, I’m quoting Darryl Strawberry here …)

You could see the ballpark, its garish blue and orange paint, from the Grand Central Parkway as you drove past Flushing Meadow Park.  

It was home to our Mets until Citi Field came along,  (They built the new ballpark in Shea’s parking lot.  There’s a marker in the Citi Field parking lot where  Shea’s home plate once sat.)

Shea was home to our Mets.  Our Miracle Mets.

October 1986.  Drew and I had gotten engaged in February.  He was living with his parents, and I had just moved back in with my parents (gave up an apartment in Brooklyn because of a horrible roommate and also because I was saving money for the wedding.) 

October 25 was a Saturday.  Drew and I and our friend Marc decided to go into Manhattan.  Honestly I don’t remember what we did that day — I think we may have eaten in Chinatown — but eventually we wound up at Drew’s parents’ house back on Long Island.  

So the three of us were down in the basement.  And, being loyal Mets fans, we turned on the TV to watch Game 6 of the World Series from Shea.  The Red Sox were ahead, three games to two, so it was do-or-die for the Mets that night.

Back then people still talked about the Curse of the Bambino.  The Red Sox won the 1918 World Series, but in 1920 they sold Babe Ruth’s contract to the Yankees, and hadn’t won another World Series since.  But that October night, it looked like the curse might be broken. 

The game was tied at the end of 9 innings.  The Red Sox scored two runs in the top of the 10th.  We thought the Mets’ season was over.

By now it was after midnight — October 26.  

Bottom of the 10th, down two runs, with two outs … and the Red Sox could practically taste the champagne.

And Gary Carter hit a single.  And thus began one of the most bizarre rallies in baseball history.

Kevin Mitchell singled.  Ray Knight singled, allowing Carter to score.

By now, Drew and Marc and I were on our feet, standing in front of the TV.

And then Mookie Wilson came to bat.

And Kevin Mitchell scored on a wild pitch, tying the game.

And then …

Mookie hit a blooper, a ball that should have easily been fielded by first baseman Bill Buckner,

The ball rolled through Buckner’s feet … Ray Knight scored, and the Mets won the game.

Game 7 was supposed to be played Sunday night, but was delayed until Monday October 27 because of rain.  The Mets won Game 7, though not as dramatically as Game 6.  And the victory parade down the Canyon of Heroes was fantastic — I worked in lower Manhattan at the time and so of course I went to the parade.

Here’s Vin Scully calling that amazing inning:

And Game 7