Two trips to the Big Apple in 5 days;that's what I have done this past week. Today I went to an afternoon game between the NY Mets and the AZ Diamondbacks. One of my lifetime goals is to attend a home baseball game of all the major league teams, and since this is the last year that the Mets will be playing at Shea Stadium, I wanted to attend a game at Shea before it too is demolished by the wrecking ball, suffering the same fate as Ebbetts. What a great game! At least the first seven innings were great as I cheered on the Mets. Johan Santana pitched a masterful game; a two hit, ten strike-out shutout through seven innings prior to being taken out for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh. The Mets had a 4-0 lead going into the top of the eighth inning when the Diamondbacks striked-back to show why they are leading the National League West. The Diamondbacks were too much for the Met's bullpen, and the Diamondbacks won the game, 5-4, in ten innings. Two-time Cy Young Award pitcher Johan Santana showed why he is among the best pitchers in the major leagues.
Shea has been one of the great baseball stadiums of the last forty-six years. Baseball greats like Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Tom Seaver, Gary Carter, Tug McGraw, Dwight Gooden, and Mike Piazza have all worn the blue and orange uniforms of the Mets. And who can forget the 1986 Mets beating the Red Soxs in seven games becoming the World Champions. Shea has a storied place in baseball history, and today, I was fortunate enough to see the Mets in their final year at Shea. At the end of the season, the wrecking ball will destroy Shea, but like Ebbets Field, Shea Stadium will live on. Shea will forever have a lasting legacy of baseball in New York City.
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