1986 New York Mets season
Encyclopedia
The 1986
New York Mets
season was the Mets' 25th season in the National League
. They began the season looking to equal or improve upon their 98–64 record from 1985 and to try to win the National League East Division. They finished the season with a 108–54 record, cruising to the division title. They went on to defeat the Houston Astros
in six games in the NLCS
and the American League
champion Boston Red Sox
in seven games in the World Series
.
made his debut in 1983, followed by Dwight Gooden
, Ron Darling
, Sid Fernandez
and Lenny Dykstra
in 1984. That was the year that the Mets hired Davey Johnson
to manage the ballclub. The Mets would finish in 2nd-place for two years in a row.
In the 1985-86 offseason, general manager Frank Cashen
brought in Tim Teufel
, a right-handed hitting infielder from the Minnesota Twins
and Bob Ojeda
, a left-handed pitcher from the Boston Red Sox. The Mets added them to an existing veteran core including along with former MVPs George Foster and Keith Hernandez
, veteran catcher Gary Carter
and speedsters Wally Backman
, and Mookie Wilson
.
In their Spring Training, Davey Johnson said, to his players, that they were not only going to win but that they would dominate. That meant winning the division by double-digits.
and Philadelphia Phillies
respectively). But when the Mets hosted the Phils in Shea Stadium
, they would embark on an 11-game winning streak. Their toughest test in this stretch happened in St. Louis. On April 24, Howard Johnson hit a game-tying homer. A few games later, Wally Backman would make a series-saving double-play. The Mets would finish the month 13-3.
brawled with Dodgers' pitcher Tom Niedenfuer
. This gave the Mets a reputation for playing hard and fighting. Many other teams hated their curtain calls.
in the Astrodome
. This game marked the end of a streak where the NL won 13 of the previous 14 games and served as foreshadowing for what would happen next. Later in the month, the Mets were swept by the Astros in convincing fashion (including two losses at the final at-bat). During this series, four Mets would get arrested in a popular nightclub in Houston. Their fortunes improved in a bizarre game in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium on July 22. In the top of the ninth, Dave Parker
dropped the ball that could have been the final out for the Reds, allowing the Mets to tie the game. In the bottom of the tenth, Eric Davis got to third and brawled with Ray Knight
. Both men, along with Kevin Mitchell
and Mario Soto
, got ejected. Johnson was forced to alternate Jesse Orosco
and Roger McDowell
in the outfield. In the bottom of the twelfth, Carl Willis bunted into a double-play. In the top of the fourteenth, Howard Johnson hit a home run to put the Mets on top.
would return. Gary Carter would be injured. While he was gone, the Mets would win 8 of 11 games. The highlight came on August 27 in Jack Murphy Stadium against the Padres when Tim Flannery
would hit one into the outfield. However, it was thrown to home plate to get the runner out at home and eventually Flannery.
. When they got to Philadelphia
, droves of Mets fans were there to see if they would clinch the NL East. Given what had happened to them when they got swept in a three-game series in Chicago
preceding the series and not wanting to see visiting teams win a division title on their field, the Phillies
swept the Mets. During the series, Mets fans at Veterans Stadium became unruly and damaged seats in the upper deck (the 700 level). One Mets fan was arrested after striking at two Philadelphia police
officers. The Phillie Phanatic
summed up the Mets being swept by crushing three Mets helmets in front of the Mets dugout during the final game of the series. The Phillies ended up being the only team in the league to post a winning record against the Mets, going 10-8, with a 7-2 mark at Veterans Stadium. During the post-season awards, the Mets rivalry with the Phillies
and that series was played out again, as it was Mike Schmidt
of the Phillies who won the National League MVP Award, ahead of the Carter, who finished third, and Keith Hernandez
, who finished fourth. It was Schmidt's third career MVP.
The Mets then split a two-game series St. Louis
, trimming the magic number to clinch to 1 on September 16. The following day, they faced Dennis Eckersley
and the Chicago Cubs
. With a flu-ridden Hernandez, Dave Magadan
would be the offensive source of the day. Hernandez would return in the 9th to get the final out. The champagne would be popped immediately while the fans invaded the field quickly. The Mets would win a team-record 108 games after defeating the Pirates.
, Houston, Texas
)
, Houston, Texas
)
, Flushing, New York
)
, Flushing, New York
)
, Flushing, New York
)
, Houston, Texas
)
NL New York Mets
(4) vs. AL Boston Red Sox
(3)>
Game
Score
Date
Location
Attendance
Time of Game
1
Red Sox – 1, Mets – 0
October 18
Shea Stadium
(New York
)
57,908
3:18
2
Red Sox – 9, Mets – 3
October 19
Shea Stadium
(New York
)
57,911
2:44
3
Mets – 7, Red Sox – 1
October 21
Fenway Park
(Boston
)
33,595
3:09
4
Mets – 6, Red Sox – 2
October 22
Fenway Park
(Boston
)
33,920
3:22
5
Mets – 2, Red Sox – 4
October 23
Fenway Park
(Boston
)
34,010
2:55
6
Red Sox – 5, Mets – 6 (10 inn.)
October 25
Shea Stadium
(New York
)
57,908
3:18
7
Red Sox – 5, Mets – 8
October 27
Shea Stadium
(New York
)
55,032
2:44
sacrifice fly
. Reliever Calvin Schiraldi
had loaded the bases with no outs and had a 3-0 count on Carter, who swung away at the next pitch to hit the fly ball. In the ninth inning, after a walk and an error put two men on with nobody out, Howard Johnson
was sent to the plate to sacrifice the winning run to third. It was then, however, that Mets manager Davey Johnson
made his most criticized decision of the series. After Johnson failed in his first bunt attempt, Davey took the bunt off. Johnson ended up striking out, leaving runners at first and second with one out. Lee Mazzilli
followed with a deep fly to left that would have won the game had the runner been at third. Lenny Dykstra
then flied out for the third out, sending the game to extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Dave Henderson
homered to pull the Sox within three outs of a world championship, and Barrett singled in Wade Boggs
to make it a 5-3 lead. When Wally Backman
and Keith Hernandez
were retired to start the bottom of the 10th, the championship seemed at hand. After Hernandez made the second out, he went to the Mets' locker room, took off his uniform, and watched the rest of the game on the clubhouse TV, thinking the game and the Series would be over soon.
Then, Carter singled to left. Pinch-hitter Kevin Mitchell
then singled to center and Shea Stadium started to get loud. Knight went down in the count 0-2 bringing the Mets to their last strike but he hit the next pitch into center field for a single that scored Carter and advanced Mitchell to third base, making the score 5-4 and bringing Shea back to life. Before his at-bat, Mitchell was on the phone in the locker room making plane reservations to fly home to San Diego, thinking the game would be over. He had already gotten out of his uniform and was in street clothes, and, when he was told he was batting, got off the phone and hurriedly got dressed.
The Red Sox replaced pitcher
Calvin Schiraldi
with Bob Stanley
to face left fielder
Mookie Wilson
. Wilson got the count to 2-1 but fouled the fourth pitch away to bring the Mets to their last strike again. He stayed alive fouling off two more Stanley pitches. Then, the seventh pitch sailed towards Wilson's knees sending him to the ground but the ball hit nothing and went straight to the backstop. Mitchell scored uncontested to tie the game and Shea Stadium erupted while Knight advanced to second base. The Red Sox were shocked to have blown the lead with the game all but over, much as the Angels had done to them in the ALCS
almost two weeks earlier.
At one point during Wilson's at-bat with Knight on second, Knight strayed so far off the second-base bag that Marty Barrett started yelling for Stanley to try to pick him off. However, because of the raucous Shea Stadium
crowd noise, Stanley couldn't hear Barrett. When things calmed down, Wilson was still at the plate and fouled off two more pitches in a fantastic at bat. Finally, on the tenth pitch, Wilson hit a slow rolling ground ball up the first base line that appeared to be easy to field. The most pressing question in the few seconds was whether the lumbering Bill Buckner
, with his chronic bad ankles and knees, would be able to beat the speedy Wilson to first base to finish the inning. The question would never be answered as the ball somehow sneaked between his legs under his glove and rolled slowly into right field. Shea Stadium exploded and the Mets' players and fans looked as though they couldn't contain themselves. Knight tried to hold his helmet on while jumping towards home plate with the winning run in a scene that many fans would never forget. Buckner and the stunned Red Sox slowly walked off the field.
Vin Scully
's call of the play would quickly become an iconic one to baseball fans, with the normally calm Scully growing increasingly excited:
Scully then remained silent for more than three minutes, letting the pictures and the crowd noise tell the story. Scully resumed with:
Had the Red Sox won the World Series, not only would they have not only won their first World Series since 1918
, but also made Boston the first city to have both NBA and World Series championships in the same year, giving Boston area teams its fourth championship in six years, following NBA championships by the Celtics
in , , and just four months before
. As it turned out, the Celtics championship four months before would be the last championship for Boston and for Massachusetts until the New England Patriots
, who lost Super Bowl XX
to the Chicago Bears
in January, won Super Bowl XXXVI
in 2002.
All-Star Game
1986 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Mets over Boston Red Sox ; Ray Knight, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marty Barrett*National League Championship Series MVP: Mike Scott...
New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
season was the Mets' 25th season in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. They began the season looking to equal or improve upon their 98–64 record from 1985 and to try to win the National League East Division. They finished the season with a 108–54 record, cruising to the division title. They went on to defeat the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in six games in the NLCS
1986 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1986 at Astrodome in Houston, TexasGame 1 featured a pitching duel between eventual NLCS Most Valuable Player Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden. Scott allowed just five hits and walked one while striking out 14 in a complete-game effort as the host Astros prevailed 1–0...
and the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champion Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in seven games in the World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
.
Background
Darryl StrawberryDarryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
made his debut in 1983, followed by Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
, Sid Fernandez
Sid Fernandez
Charles Sidney Fernandez was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from to . Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fernandez was proud of his roots and wore uniform number 50 in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state...
and Lenny Dykstra
Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
in 1984. That was the year that the Mets hired Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
to manage the ballclub. The Mets would finish in 2nd-place for two years in a row.
In the 1985-86 offseason, general manager Frank Cashen
Frank Cashen
John Francis Cashen is a former Major League Baseball general manager. He is widely considered to be the architect of the World Champion 1986 New York Mets and was also an executive while the Baltimore Orioles won the 1966 World Series and 1970 World Series.-Early life:Cashen was born in...
brought in Tim Teufel
Tim Teufel
Timothy Shawn Teufel is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and currently the 3rd base coach for the New York Mets.Teufel was a member of the World Series champion New York Mets...
, a right-handed hitting infielder from the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and Bob Ojeda
Bob Ojeda
Robert Michael Ojeda is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Ojeda is best remembered as an anchor in the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets starting rotation , and for being the lone survivor of a March 22, boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians pitchers...
, a left-handed pitcher from the Boston Red Sox. The Mets added them to an existing veteran core including along with former MVPs George Foster and Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
, veteran catcher Gary Carter
Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
and speedsters Wally Backman
Wally Backman
Walter Wayne Backman is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is best known for his time with the New York Mets from - and was a member of their 1986 World Series-winning team...
, and Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
.
In their Spring Training, Davey Johnson said, to his players, that they were not only going to win but that they would dominate. That meant winning the division by double-digits.
Offseason
- November 13, 1985: Calvin SchiraldiCalvin SchiraldiCalvin Drew Schiraldi is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the losing pitcher of Game 6 and Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.-Amateur career:...
, Wes GardnerWes GardnerWesley Brian Gardner is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher drafted by the New York Mets in the 22nd round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft out of the University of Central Arkansas.-New York Mets:...
, John ChristensenJohn Christensen (baseball)John Lawrence Christensen is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball between 1984 and 1988.- New York Mets :...
, and La Schelle TarverLa Schelle TarverLa Schelle Tarver is a former backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox during the season. Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., he batted and threw left-handed....
were traded by the Mets to the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for Bob OjedaBob OjedaRobert Michael Ojeda is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Ojeda is best remembered as an anchor in the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets starting rotation , and for being the lone survivor of a March 22, boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians pitchers...
, Tom McCarthyTom McCarthy (1980s pitcher)Thomas Michael McCarthy is a former middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox...
, John MitchellJohn Mitchell (baseball)John Kyle Mitchell is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in parts of five Major League Baseball seasons, from through , for the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles.-Boating accident:...
and Chris Bayer (minors). - November 13, 1985: Kelvin Chapman was released by the New York Mets.
- December 10, 1985: Clint HurdleClint HurdleClinton Merrick Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball outfielder whose 10-year career was spent with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring from playing baseball, Hurdle became a manager...
was drafted from the Mets by the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 1985 rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - January 16, 1986: Ronn ReynoldsRonn ReynoldsRonn Dwayne Reynolds was a Major League Baseball catcher, who played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres. After playing college baseball at the University of Arkansas, Reynolds was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 5th round in 1979...
was traded by the New York Mets with Jeff Bittiger to the Philadelphia Phillies for Rodger Cole and Ronnie Gideon. - January 16, 1986: Billy BeaneBilly BeaneWilliam Lamar "Billy" Beane III is a former Major League Baseball player and the current general manager and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics...
, Joe KlinkJoe KlinkJoseph Charles Klink , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from -. Klink once went 90 consecutive games without allowing a home run, the longest by a left-handed pitcher since at least and possibly the longest such streak of all time.-External links:...
, and Bill LathamBill LathamWilliam Carol Latham is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of two seasons in the majors, appearing in 7 games for the New York Mets in and 7 games for the Minnesota Twins in . In he joined the scouting staff of the Los Angeles Dodgers after six years as a professional scout...
were traded by the Mets to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for Tim TeufelTim TeufelTimothy Shawn Teufel is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and currently the 3rd base coach for the New York Mets.Teufel was a member of the World Series champion New York Mets...
and Pat Crosby (minors). - March 4, 1986: Tim CorcoranTim Corcoran (first baseman)Timothy Michael Corcoran was a Major League Baseball player who played 9 seasons in the major leagues. Born in Glendale, California, Corcoran attended California State University, Los Angeles , and was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1974. Corcoran played four seasons...
was signed as a free agent by the Mets.
Notable transactions
- April 1, 1986: Tom Gorman was released by the Mets.
- June 2, 1986: 1986 Major League Baseball Draft1986 Major League Baseball DraftThe 1986 Major League Baseball Draft was the 22nd MLB draft that took place in 1986. During this draft, five all-stars were drafted in five different teams.-First round selections:...
- Curtis PrideCurtis PrideCurtis John Pride is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and is currently the head baseball coach at Gallaudet University. Pride stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 210 pounds. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.-Youth:Deaf at birth from rubella, Pride developed oral skills early in his...
was drafted by the Mets in the 10th round. Player signed June 12, 1986. - John OlerudJohn OlerudJohn Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
was drafted by the Mets in the 27th round of the 1986 amateur draft, but did not sign.
- Curtis Pride
- June 9, 1986: Tim Corcoran was released by the Mets.
- August 3, 1986: Lee MazzilliLee MazzilliLee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network...
was signed as a free agent by the Mets. - August 7, 1986: George Foster was released by the Mets.
- August 24, 1986: Alex DiazAlex Diaz (baseball)Alexis Diaz is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of eight seasons in the majors, from until , for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros.-External links:...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Mets.
April
The Mets would have a rocky start with a 2-3 record (including two extra-inning losses to the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
respectively). But when the Mets hosted the Phils in Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, they would embark on an 11-game winning streak. Their toughest test in this stretch happened in St. Louis. On April 24, Howard Johnson hit a game-tying homer. A few games later, Wally Backman would make a series-saving double-play. The Mets would finish the month 13-3.
May
The Mets would continue dominating in May. On May 23, 1986, Mookie Wilson got 5 hits in one game versus the San Diego Padres. The turning point for the Mets season came on May 27 when third baseman Ray KnightRay Knight
Charles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets...
brawled with Dodgers' pitcher Tom Niedenfuer
Tom Niedenfuer
Thomas Edward Niedenfuer , is a retired American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He attended high school in Redmond, Washington and was a standout pitcher in college for Washington State University under coach Bobo Brayton. He left school before completing his senior season. He is a...
. This gave the Mets a reputation for playing hard and fighting. Many other teams hated their curtain calls.
June
This month, the shining light came on June 10 against the Phillies when Tim Teufel hit a pinch-hit, game-winning grand slam.July
On July 3 against Houston, Darryl Strawberry would hit a game-tying home run. But it would be Ray Knight who won the game with a homer of his own. Dwight Gooden's first half performance was good enough for him to earn the honor of being named starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 1986 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the home of the...
in the Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
. This game marked the end of a streak where the NL won 13 of the previous 14 games and served as foreshadowing for what would happen next. Later in the month, the Mets were swept by the Astros in convincing fashion (including two losses at the final at-bat). During this series, four Mets would get arrested in a popular nightclub in Houston. Their fortunes improved in a bizarre game in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium on July 22. In the top of the ninth, Dave Parker
Dave Parker
David Gene "The Cobra" Parker is an American former player in Major League Baseball. He was the 1978 National League MVP and a two-time batting champion. Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract...
dropped the ball that could have been the final out for the Reds, allowing the Mets to tie the game. In the bottom of the tenth, Eric Davis got to third and brawled with Ray Knight
Ray Knight
Charles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets...
. Both men, along with Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (baseball player)
Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...
and Mario Soto
Mario Soto (baseball)
Mario Melvin Soto , is a former Major League pitcher, mostly as a starter, for the Cincinnati Reds from through . He currently works in the Reds' front office.-Major league career:...
, got ejected. Johnson was forced to alternate Jesse Orosco
Jesse Orosco
Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,...
and Roger McDowell
Roger McDowell
Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves and was a right-handed relief pitcher for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the Texas Rangers and...
in the outfield. In the bottom of the twelfth, Carl Willis bunted into a double-play. In the top of the fourteenth, Howard Johnson hit a home run to put the Mets on top.
August
Former MVP George Foster was released. Former Mets favorite Lee MazzilliLee Mazzilli
Lee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network...
would return. Gary Carter would be injured. While he was gone, the Mets would win 8 of 11 games. The highlight came on August 27 in Jack Murphy Stadium against the Padres when Tim Flannery
Tim Flannery (baseball)
Timothy Earl Flannery is a former Major League Baseball player who spent eleven seasons with the San Diego Padres, from to . He is also the nephew of former Major League Baseball player Hal Smith.-Minors:...
would hit one into the outfield. However, it was thrown to home plate to get the runner out at home and eventually Flannery.
September–October
In an exhibition game against the Red Sox, Gary Carter would hit a double to test out the Green MonsterGreen Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
. When they got to Philadelphia
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, droves of Mets fans were there to see if they would clinch the NL East. Given what had happened to them when they got swept in a three-game series in Chicago
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
preceding the series and not wanting to see visiting teams win a division title on their field, the Phillies
1986 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 104th season for the Phillies. Under second-year manager John Felske, the Phillies stayed just below the .500 mark for roughly two-thirds of the season, until a charge after the All-Star break pushed the club past the St. Louis Cardinals and Montreal Expos...
swept the Mets. During the series, Mets fans at Veterans Stadium became unruly and damaged seats in the upper deck (the 700 level). One Mets fan was arrested after striking at two Philadelphia police
Philadelphia Police Department
The Philadelphia Police Department is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
officers. The Phillie Phanatic
Phillie Phanatic
The Phillie Phanatic, is the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. He is a large, furry, green creature that somewhat resembles a bird from the rear view with a cylindrical beak containing a extendable tongue.-Creation:...
summed up the Mets being swept by crushing three Mets helmets in front of the Mets dugout during the final game of the series. The Phillies ended up being the only team in the league to post a winning record against the Mets, going 10-8, with a 7-2 mark at Veterans Stadium. During the post-season awards, the Mets rivalry with the Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and that series was played out again, as it was Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
of the Phillies who won the National League MVP Award, ahead of the Carter, who finished third, and Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
, who finished fourth. It was Schmidt's third career MVP.
The Mets then split a two-game series St. Louis
Busch Memorial Stadium
Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005....
, trimming the magic number to clinch to 1 on September 16. The following day, they faced Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
and the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. With a flu-ridden Hernandez, Dave Magadan
Dave Magadan
David Joseph Magadan is a former Major League Baseball first and third baseman and current Red Sox Hitting Coach. He is the cousin and godson of former manager, Lou Piniella.-Amateur playing career:...
would be the offensive source of the day. Hernandez would return in the 9th to get the final out. The champagne would be popped immediately while the fans invaded the field quickly. The Mets would win a team-record 108 games after defeating the Pirates.
Roster
| 1986 New York Mets | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Gary Carter Gary Carter Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold... |
132 | 490 | 125 | .255 | 24 | 105 | 1 |
| 1B | Keith Hernandez Keith Hernandez Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts... |
149 | 551 | 171 | .310 | 13 | 83 | 2 |
| 2B | Wally Backman Wally Backman Walter Wayne Backman is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is best known for his time with the New York Mets from - and was a member of their 1986 World Series-winning team... |
124 | 387 | 124 | .320 | 1 | 27 | 13 |
| 3B | Ray Knight Ray Knight Charles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets... |
137 | 486 | 145 | .298 | 11 | 76 | 2 |
| SS | Rafael Santana Rafael Santana Rafael Francisco Santana de la Cruz is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who won a World Series ring with the 1986 New York Mets. He currently serves as the Dominican Republic scouting and player development supervisor for the Chicago White Sox.-St... |
139 | 394 | 86 | .218 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| LF | George Foster | 72 | 233 | 53 | .227 | 13 | 38 | 1 |
| CF | Lenny Dykstra Lenny Dykstra Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s.... |
147 | 431 | 127 | .295 | 8 | 45 | 31 |
| RF | Darryl Strawberry Darryl Strawberry Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it... |
136 | 475 | 123 | .259 | 27 | 93 | 28 |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mookie Wilson Mookie Wilson William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude... |
123 | 381 | 110 | .289 | 9 | 45 | 25 |
| Kevin Mitchell | 108 | 328 | 91 | .277 | 12 | 43 | 3 |
| Tim Teufel Tim Teufel Timothy Shawn Teufel is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and currently the 3rd base coach for the New York Mets.Teufel was a member of the World Series champion New York Mets... |
93 | 279 | 69 | .247 | 4 | 31 | 1 |
| Howard Johnson | 88 | 220 | 54 | .245 | 10 | 39 | 8 |
| Danny Heep Danny Heep Daniel William Heep , is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder.Heep played for five different ballclubs during his 13 year career: the Houston Astros , New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , Boston Red Sox , and Atlanta Braves .Heep played for two different World Series champions: the New... |
86 | 195 | 55 | .282 | 5 | 33 | 1 |
| Ed Hearn | 49 | 136 | 36 | .265 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| Lee Mazzilli Lee Mazzilli Lee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network... |
39 | 58 | 16 | .276 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Kevin Elster Kevin Elster Kevin Daniel Elster is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop.Elster played for six different ballclubs during his career: the New York Mets , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Los Angeles Dodgers... |
19 | 30 | 5 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stan Jefferson Stan Jefferson Stanley Jefferson is a former center and left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds from to .... |
14 | 24 | 5 | .208 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| John Gibbons John Gibbons John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008... |
8 | 19 | 9 | .474 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dave Magadan Dave Magadan David Joseph Magadan is a former Major League Baseball first and third baseman and current Red Sox Hitting Coach. He is the cousin and godson of former manager, Lou Piniella.-Amateur playing career:... |
10 | 18 | 8 | .444 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Barry Lyons | 6 | 9 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Tim Corcoran Tim Corcoran (first baseman) Timothy Michael Corcoran was a Major League Baseball player who played 9 seasons in the major leagues. Born in Glendale, California, Corcoran attended California State University, Los Angeles , and was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1974. Corcoran played four seasons... |
6 | 7 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Darling Ron Darling Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos... |
34 | 237.0 | 15 | 6 | 2.81 | 184 |
| Dwight Gooden Dwight Gooden Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:... |
33 | 250.0 | 17 | 6 | 2.84 | 200 |
| Sid Fernandez Sid Fernandez Charles Sidney Fernandez was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from to . Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fernandez was proud of his roots and wore uniform number 50 in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state... |
33 | 204.1 | 16 | 6 | 3.52 | 200 |
| Bob Ojeda Bob Ojeda Robert Michael Ojeda is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Ojeda is best remembered as an anchor in the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets starting rotation , and for being the lone survivor of a March 22, boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians pitchers... |
32 | 217.1 | 18 | 5 | 2.57 | 148 |
| Rick Aguilera Rick Aguilera Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs.... |
28 | 141.2 | 10 | 7 | 3.88 | 104 |
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce Berenyi Bruce Berenyi Bruce Berenyi , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues as a starting pitcher from 1980-1986. Berenyi was fourth in the voting for the National League Rookie of the Year in 1981 after gaining a 9-6 record... |
14 | 39.2 | 2 | 2 | 6.35 | 30 |
| Randy Myers Randy Myers Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with... |
10 | 10.2 | 0 | 0 | 4.22 | 13 |
| John Mitchell John Mitchell (baseball) John Kyle Mitchell is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in parts of five Major League Baseball seasons, from through , for the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles.-Boating accident:... |
4 | 10.0 | 0 | 1 | 3.60 | 2 |
| Terry Leach | 6 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 4 |
| Ed Lynch | 1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 |
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger McDowell Roger McDowell Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves and was a right-handed relief pitcher for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the Texas Rangers and... |
75 | 128.0 | 14 | 9 | 3.02 | 65 | 22 |
| Jesse Orosco Jesse Orosco Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,... |
58 | 81.0 | 8 | 6 | 2.33 | 62 | 21 |
| Doug Sisk Doug Sisk Douglas Randall Sisk , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues as a relief pitcher from 1982–1988 and 1990-1991. His primary pitch was a sinker that was difficult for batters to drive in the air... |
41 | 70.2 | 4 | 2 | 3.06 | 31 | 1 |
| Randy Niemann Randy Niemann Randal Harold Niemann was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1979 to 1987 for the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets and Minnesota Twins. Niemann was a southpaw pitcher who worked mostly in relief.-External links:... |
31 | 35.2 | 2 | 3 | 3.79 | 18 | 0 |
| Rick Anderson Rick Anderson (baseball, born 1956) Richard Arlen Anderson is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher and the current pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins.-New York Mets:... |
15 | 49.2 | 2 | 1 | 2.72 | 21 | 1 |
Game 1
October 8 (AstrodomeReliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Houston | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| WP: Mike Scott Mike Scott (baseball) Michael Warren "Mike" Scott is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets and the Houston Astros. He won the National League Cy Young Award in... (1-0) LP: Dwight Gooden Dwight Gooden Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:... (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: NYM – None.; HOU – Glenn Davis Glenn Davis (baseball) Glenn Earl Davis is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. While a member of the Houston Astros in the late 1980s, he finished three times in the top ten in National League MVP balloting . He batted and threw right-handed.... (1) |
||||||||||||
Game 2
October 9 (AstrodomeReliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| Houston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 |
| WP: Bob Ojeda Bob Ojeda Robert Michael Ojeda is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Ojeda is best remembered as an anchor in the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets starting rotation , and for being the lone survivor of a March 22, boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians pitchers... (1-0) LP: Nolan Ryan Nolan Ryan Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers.... (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: NYM – None.; HOU – None. | ||||||||||||
Game 3
October 11 (Shea StadiumShea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Flushing, New York
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
| WP: Jesse Orosco Jesse Orosco Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,... (1-0) LP: Dave Smith (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: HOU – Bill Doran (1); NYM – Darryl Strawberry Darryl Strawberry Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it... (1), Lenny Dykstra Lenny Dykstra Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s.... (1) |
||||||||||||
Game 4
October 12 (Shea StadiumShea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Flushing, New York
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| WP: Mike Scott Mike Scott (baseball) Michael Warren "Mike" Scott is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets and the Houston Astros. He won the National League Cy Young Award in... (2-0) LP: Sid Fernandez Sid Fernandez Charles Sidney Fernandez was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from to . Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fernandez was proud of his roots and wore uniform number 50 in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state... (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: HOU – Alan Ashby Alan Ashby Alan Dean Ashby is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, and Houston Astros... (1), Dickie Thon Dickie Thon Richard William "Dickie" Thon is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball.- Early life :Thon was raised in Puerto Rico after spending only the first two weeks of his life in Indiana where his father had just completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Notre Dame.- Professional career :He... (1); NYM – None. |
||||||||||||
Game 5
October 14 (Shea StadiumShea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Flushing, New York
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | R | H | E | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | ||||||
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| WP: Jesse Orosco Jesse Orosco Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,... (2-0) LP: Charlie Kerfeld Charlie Kerfeld Charles Patrick "Charlie" Kerfeld is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Almost all of his career was spent with the Houston Astros.-Career:... (0-1) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| HRs: HOU – None. NYM – Darryl Strawberry Darryl Strawberry Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it... (2) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Game 6
October 15 (AstrodomeReliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | R | H | E | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Houston | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 1 | ||
| WP: Jesse Orosco Jesse Orosco Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,... (3-0) LP: Aurelio Lopez Aurelio López Aurelio Alejandro López was a Mexican relief pitcher. Over the course of an eleven year Major League career , he acquired the nickname "Señor Smoke" in Detroit due to his Mexican heritage and his overpowering fastball, which had been measured as high as 93 mph.-Early career:Born in Tecamachalco,... (0-1) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| HRs: NYM – None. HOU – Billy Hatcher Billy Hatcher (baseball player) William Augustus Hatcher is a former left and center fielder in Major League Baseball player for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers, and former first base coach for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays... (1) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
World series
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(4) vs. AL Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(3)>
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
(New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
)
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
(New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
)
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
(Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
)
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
(Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
)
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
(Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
)
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
(New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
)
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
(New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
)
Game Six
One of the most famous games in baseball history is Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The Mets rallied in the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 6, tying the game on a Gary CarterGary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
. Reliever Calvin Schiraldi
Calvin Schiraldi
Calvin Drew Schiraldi is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the losing pitcher of Game 6 and Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.-Amateur career:...
had loaded the bases with no outs and had a 3-0 count on Carter, who swung away at the next pitch to hit the fly ball. In the ninth inning, after a walk and an error put two men on with nobody out, Howard Johnson
Howard Johnson (baseball player)
Howard Michael Johnson , nicknamed HoJo, is a switch hitting third baseman for the Rockland Boulders of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. He is best known for his career in Major League Baseball, where he played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and...
was sent to the plate to sacrifice the winning run to third. It was then, however, that Mets manager Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
made his most criticized decision of the series. After Johnson failed in his first bunt attempt, Davey took the bunt off. Johnson ended up striking out, leaving runners at first and second with one out. Lee Mazzilli
Lee Mazzilli
Lee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network...
followed with a deep fly to left that would have won the game had the runner been at third. Lenny Dykstra
Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
then flied out for the third out, sending the game to extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Dave Henderson
Dave Henderson
David Lee Henderson , nicknamed Hendu, is an American former Major League Baseball player who played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , San Francisco Giants , Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals . He batted and threw right-handed...
homered to pull the Sox within three outs of a world championship, and Barrett singled in Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs
Wade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
to make it a 5-3 lead. When Wally Backman
Wally Backman
Walter Wayne Backman is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is best known for his time with the New York Mets from - and was a member of their 1986 World Series-winning team...
and Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
were retired to start the bottom of the 10th, the championship seemed at hand. After Hernandez made the second out, he went to the Mets' locker room, took off his uniform, and watched the rest of the game on the clubhouse TV, thinking the game and the Series would be over soon.
Then, Carter singled to left. Pinch-hitter Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (baseball player)
Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...
then singled to center and Shea Stadium started to get loud. Knight went down in the count 0-2 bringing the Mets to their last strike but he hit the next pitch into center field for a single that scored Carter and advanced Mitchell to third base, making the score 5-4 and bringing Shea back to life. Before his at-bat, Mitchell was on the phone in the locker room making plane reservations to fly home to San Diego, thinking the game would be over. He had already gotten out of his uniform and was in street clothes, and, when he was told he was batting, got off the phone and hurriedly got dressed.
The Red Sox replaced pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Calvin Schiraldi
Calvin Schiraldi
Calvin Drew Schiraldi is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the losing pitcher of Game 6 and Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.-Amateur career:...
with Bob Stanley
Bob Stanley
Robert William "Bob" Stanley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox.Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89...
to face left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
. Wilson got the count to 2-1 but fouled the fourth pitch away to bring the Mets to their last strike again. He stayed alive fouling off two more Stanley pitches. Then, the seventh pitch sailed towards Wilson's knees sending him to the ground but the ball hit nothing and went straight to the backstop. Mitchell scored uncontested to tie the game and Shea Stadium erupted while Knight advanced to second base. The Red Sox were shocked to have blown the lead with the game all but over, much as the Angels had done to them in the ALCS
1986 American League Championship Series
The 1986 American League Championship Series was a back-and-forth battle between the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels for the right to advance to the 1986 World Series to face the winner of the 1986 National League Championship Series...
almost two weeks earlier.
At one point during Wilson's at-bat with Knight on second, Knight strayed so far off the second-base bag that Marty Barrett started yelling for Stanley to try to pick him off. However, because of the raucous Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
crowd noise, Stanley couldn't hear Barrett. When things calmed down, Wilson was still at the plate and fouled off two more pitches in a fantastic at bat. Finally, on the tenth pitch, Wilson hit a slow rolling ground ball up the first base line that appeared to be easy to field. The most pressing question in the few seconds was whether the lumbering Bill Buckner
Bill Buckner
William Joseph Buckner is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in , representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6...
, with his chronic bad ankles and knees, would be able to beat the speedy Wilson to first base to finish the inning. The question would never be answered as the ball somehow sneaked between his legs under his glove and rolled slowly into right field. Shea Stadium exploded and the Mets' players and fans looked as though they couldn't contain themselves. Knight tried to hold his helmet on while jumping towards home plate with the winning run in a scene that many fans would never forget. Buckner and the stunned Red Sox slowly walked off the field.
Vin Scully
Vin Scully
Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
's call of the play would quickly become an iconic one to baseball fans, with the normally calm Scully growing increasingly excited:
Scully then remained silent for more than three minutes, letting the pictures and the crowd noise tell the story. Scully resumed with:
Had the Red Sox won the World Series, not only would they have not only won their first World Series since 1918
Curse of the Bambino
The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition cited as a reason for the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004...
, but also made Boston the first city to have both NBA and World Series championships in the same year, giving Boston area teams its fourth championship in six years, following NBA championships by the Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in , , and just four months before
1986 NBA Finals
The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1985-86 NBA season. It pitted the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets. The Celtics defeated the Rockets four games to two to win their 16th NBA championship. The championship would...
. As it turned out, the Celtics championship four months before would be the last championship for Boston and for Massachusetts until the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, who lost Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in January, won Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
in 2002.
Awards and honors
- Ray KnightRay KnightCharles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets...
, Babe Ruth AwardBabe Ruth AwardThe Babe Ruth Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. The award, created by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America in honor of Babe Ruth, was first awarded in 1949 to the MVP of the World Series, one... - Ray KnightRay KnightCharles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets...
, World Series Most Valuable Player Award - Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
, National LeagueNational LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
First Baseman Gold Glove - Gary CarterGary CarterGary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
, National League Catcher Silver SluggerSilver SluggerThe Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
All-Star Game
1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 1986 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the home of the...
- Dwight Gooden, Pitcher, Starter
- Darryl StrawberryDarryl StrawberryDarryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
, Right field, Starter - Keith Hernandez, First Baseman, Starter
- Gary Carter, Catcher, Starter
- Sid FernandezSid FernandezCharles Sidney Fernandez was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from to . Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fernandez was proud of his roots and wore uniform number 50 in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state...
, Pitcher