Shea: My Number 3 Favorite Moment at Shea
On Wednesday, I started making posts about my Five Favorite Moments at Shea Stadium, from games that I attended. To see Number 5, click here, and click here to see Number 4. I will post Number 2 tomorrow, and Number 1 on Sunday, which is the final regular season game.
In addition, each post will be followed by a quick video segment of me talking about the moment.
I hope you enjoy them, and feel free to share your favorite memories in each post as well.
The single-biggest driving force in my development as a Mets fan was my mom, who would often surprise me after school by pulling up in the car and say, ‘Hurry up, we’re going to Shea.’
She and I, and my best friend Joey D and his mom (who was best friend’s with my mother, as well), would hop in to their van and fly to Shea – and I mean fly – in time to buy tickets and watch a game. I’m guessing nearly half of the games I attended as a kid were in this impromptu, drop-everything manner.
On June 19, 1989, my mom and her friend scooped me and Joey up to race us to Shea in hopes of seeing Dwight Gooden’s 100th career win, which he would ultimately lock down that night. There was a different level of pride in the stands that night. It was like 50,000 parents were cheering on their own son, a home-grown super star not seen since Tom Seaver and the type that has never really been seen again.
I was in love with Gooden’s power and confidence. He was clearly a flawed man, but the swagger and energy and dominance he showed as a pitcher was an inspiration – not just to his teammates, but to me and other fans.
