Shea Stadium Love Thread

[feefifoefum]

It's almost time to say goodbye to Shea. Personally, I have so many fond memories of the place, and I will miss it, but I am looking forward to watching baseball in a real baseball stadium. Shea may not have been the greatest place to watch a game, but it has been the home to our beloved Mets for all or most of our lives, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has great memories of it.

 

Mine go all the way back to when I was a kid in the mid-80's, and my mom would take me to games and she'd buy me a blue Mets t-shirt with the names and numbers of my favorite players on the back. (Strawberry, Carter, Darling)..

 

I went to a doubleheader back then, (St. Louis) before it became the day/night type and you could watch 2 games for the price of one.

 

Banner Day was the best...

 

99-2002 is my favorite time period for being at Shea, as I witnesses the wild pitch against the Pirates that got us into the one game playoff against the Reds for the Wild Card. I went to the 1-0, Game 3 loss to the Braves in the NLCS that year, and although that game sucked because I was sitting in the last row, freezing my butt off, and the Mets couldn't score, it was great chanting "LAAARRRRYYYY LAAAARRRRYYY!!", and hearing the fans abuse John Rocker.

 

I went to the game in 2000 in which the Mets scored 10 runs in the 8th inning, capped by a laser HR by Piazza, to beat the Braves 11-8. The stadium was rocking, the stands were shaking up and down so much I thought we might be in trouble.

 

I went to the first game after Sept. 11th, and we all know the stroy of that game. I was there.

 

When I met my wife, one of our first dates was a game at Shea (2002). It was against the Braves, and it was rained out, but we had a movie style moment where we kissed, in the aisle, in the rain, and people just waited for us to finish instead of trying to get by.

 

I was also at Game 7, 2006, and witnessed that unbelievable catch by Endy Chavez, which in some ways made up for that crushing loss. At least I witnessed one of the greatest plays you will ever see in baseball.

 

I will miss Shea Stadium...

[Virginia Giant]

That was really touching man, I'm not even a met fan and you got me tearing up.

[Virginia Giant]

My addition is this, in school, back when I used to draw a lot and began to fancy myself a future artist, my first major portrait was Nolan Ryan in a Mets uni at Shea.

[CrazedDogs]

::sniff-sniff::...

 

I grew up a big Mets fan....can't stand MLB these days, but its always been a regret of mine that I never got to a Mets game at Shea when I had the chance. Now I'm half a country away and it'll never happen. Oh well...I had good times watching them play on the old NY Super Station, WOR. I'll miss the good ol' Big Apple most of all.

[RandolphScott]

I will be pinning this thread.

 

I have many fond memories of Shea Stadium from my first game to actually being employed

by the Mets to this very day. My first game was part of the "Worst Team Money Could Buy" in 1992.

I don't remember a damn thing from that game except the fact my father refused to drop his beer

to try for a foul ball.

 

I remember going to see Jason Isringhausen pitch and was part of "Generation K" during the Mid 90's.

How that failed miserably.

 

I remember when Bobby Jones was the Mets best pitcher for too long.

 

Fast forward to the 1999 and 2000 teams.

 

I was at the Todd Pratt game where he hit the home run to win the series and avoid facing

Randy Johnson in game 5. I was sitting in the Mezzanine...it was literally shaking and I lost

my retainer from screaming so hard.

 

I was at that game against the Braves where Cox brought in Rocker in the 8th inning and

John Olerud hit a chopper up the middle to take the lead in the game.

 

I remember sitting at home in the 15 inning game and jumping up and down when Ventura

hit the grand slam single. What a pitching duel that game was, it was unbelievable. I remember Bob

Costas' quote from watching it on TV:

I'll tell you, these Mets are Rasputin-like. You cannot put them away. They will not die

I remember game 6 when the Mets were down 5 nothing in the 1st inning and eventually tying

it due to a Piazza home run. Again I remember Bob Costas saying this:

The 2-1 pitch...And it's hit deep to right-center! Way back! And...Gone! To tie the game at 7! Tied at 7, hoping for Game 7!

 

Kenny fucking Rodgers, that is all I have to say.

 

 

The 2000 season.

 

I too, was at the 10 run inning game and my family and I were going to leave because my

mom was feeling tired as she was pregnant with my brother at the time. My dad said to her: "Wait

till Piazza gets up and then we will leave." Sure as shit, the guy hits a home run that gets out

of the Stadium in about 3 seconds..that was a fucking rocket.

 

I was at that game where Benny Agbanyani hit the home run to beat the Giants much to

Blunatic's dismay. That game was awesome and it was the first time my uncle heard me curse.

I think I was about to turn 12 in a couple weeks.

 

I went to 2 World Series games, game 3 and game 4.

Game 3 was cool because it was the only game they won, and game 4 was just bad

from the outset. Fucking Derek Jeter.

 

 

I've taken many dates to Shea and we've always had a blast, raise your hand if you've ever

got a handjob at Shea?

 

It doesn't get as much press as Yankee Stadium, but it will always hold a special place in my heart.

I laughed at Shea, I cried at Shea and everything else in between at Shea. I've been on field, met

many players and I've had a blast doing it. I hope the Wilpon's like the corporations at Citi Field

because they priced out the real fans.

 

Lastly, I would consider myself a bigger Giants fan than Mets fan, but to be honest..the 1999 Mets team

was the most fun I've ever had rooting for one of my favorite sports teams. You felt a connection

with the players because you saw them more and they didn't wear a facemask. The 1999 team had

heart, it had soul and it always played together. I think the '99 team was far better than the '00 team

too, but that is just me.

 

It may be a cliche for this week but SHEA GOODBYE!

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Ah the smell of overused and undercleaned urinals.....smells like ....Victory...er ....Shea. LOL!!! First Mets game I saw there was in 1973....last game I saw there was during the 86 World Series....yes you guessed it the Billy Buckner Bowl...LOL!!! I love that guy...he has such a great attitude about being the goat....and guess what I bet more people will remember him than Ray Knight. Mookie will be remembered for being the catalyst of that drama and of course because of the name Mookie. Who can forget that moniker? I just hate that the corporate world (greed) has us building all of these brand new stadiums when the old ones are perfectly serviceable and can be upgraded. Whereas to get a new Subway stop ....much less a line takes an act of Congress.

[RandolphScott]

Ah the smell of overused and undercleaned urinals.....smells like ....Victory...er ....Shea. LOL!!! First Mets game I saw there was in 1973....last game I saw there was during the 86 World Series....yes you guessed it the Billy Buckner Bowl...LOL!!! I love that guy...he has such a great attitude about being the goat....and guess what I bet more people will remember him than Ray Knight. Mookie will be remembered for being the catalyst of that drama and of course because of the name Mookie. Who can forget that moniker? I just hate that the corporate world (greed) has us building all of these brand new stadiums when the old ones are perfectly serviceable and can be upgraded. Whereas to get a new Subway stop ....much less a line takes an act of Congress.

 

 

Except that the Mets desperately needed a new Stadium. There are not enough bathrooms,

it leaks, it smells when it rains, not enough elevators and things are all over the place. One

example is my department where I work. If we need a box of bobbleheads for example,

we need to go to Gate A which is hike because it's ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STADIUM.

 

Whoever built the place was high when he designed the plans.

 

 

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Except that the Mets desperately needed a new Stadium. There are not enough bathrooms,

it leaks, it smells when it rains, not enough elevators and things are all over the place. One

example is my department where I work. If we need a box of bobbleheads for example,

we need to go to Gate A which is hike because it's ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STADIUM.

 

Whoever built the place was high when he designed the plans.

 

 

I hear you Golfing....it was one of those universal stadiums built for football, baseball and large events such as concerts. It could be gutted and renovated...you would just have to share space with the Yanks...like they did when Yankee Stadium was crumbling...lol. CitiField actually looks nice though. I will enjoy going to a game as you can see I have not been inside of Shea in over 20 years. The closest I have been is the Arthur Ashe Court across the way and the Hall of Science on the opposite side. And of course flying over from LaGuardia.

[so-cal dub]

Be honest though, Shea is a shithole. Before you jump on me about Yankees stadium, it is a shithole as well. I've seen the Citi Field ,and it looks fucking sweet. You'll forget about Shea in no time after a few games there.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

LOL!!! The last time I was at Yankee Stadium was in 94 or 95....wasn't too bad. Shea was/is a unibox....but just the idea of tearing something down not completely used up sort of bothers me. But you are right....CitiField looks great. And I saw the new Yankee Stadium from the number 4 train the other day and it looks nice as well.

[feefifoefum]

LOL!!! The last time I was at Yankee Stadium was in 94 or 95....wasn't too bad. Shea was/is a unibox....but just the idea of tearing something down not completely used up sort of bothers me. But you are right....CitiField looks great. And I saw the new Yankee Stadium from the number 4 train the other day and it looks nice as well.

 

I worked at the new Yankee Stadium, it seems very intimate. I just don't like the idea of a martini bar and conference rooms with a view of the field.

 

I, for one, can never forget about Shea, no matter how nice the new stadium is and will be. This is where my love affair for baseball began, and you can't erase those memories. I am looking forward to the new one though. Shea Stadium just isn't really a baseball stadium, and it will be nice to hear and see everything that is going on down on the field.

[fringe]

Be honest though, Shea is a shithole. Before you jump on me about Yankees stadium, it is a shithole as well. I've seen the Citi Field ,and it looks fucking sweet. You'll forget about Shea in no time after a few games there.

no doubt- i forgot candlestick in 10 seconds flat.

 

my memories of shea is twice a year- usually in may and august the giants would come to town and i'd go to see a game in each series. always good times there but i have no sentiment towards the structure- it always struck me as functional and a bit tacky.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

The last of the UtiliStadiums.... . Just imagine how many homers a guy like Strawberry would have hit in the new CitiField as opposed to the pitchers park that Shea was/is......I guess now we get a real ball park.

[xxi-xxv]

I find it ironic that since Shea smells like an outhouse that the Mets have decided to treat the past two seasons as you would a soiled piece of toilet paper and flush it right down the drain.

 

Good riddance.

[jranieli]

I find it ironic that since Shea smells like an outhouse that the Mets have decided to treat the past two seasons as you would a soiled piece of toilet paper and flush it right down the drain.

 

Good riddance.

 

I was just going to say almost the same thing. Shithole team and stadium.