From Game 6 To '86

The SEVEN
28 October 2011


I.  Father's Day

No, last night's totally instant classic World Series thriller was not played on Father's Day, but just as Joe Buck paid homage to his dad with his "see...you...tomorrow" call of the David Freese walk-off home run, I was thinking about my dad in a series stretched by a rainout in which the NL team was down 3-2, such as the 1986 series.

Actually, in '86, the rainout came after game 6, not before it as it has this year, but the rainout is central to my association of the series with my father.  After the Mets' unbelievable comeback to win Game 6, I hoped that Game 7, scheduled for the next day, would be rained out - and told several people that that was what was going to happen.  The reason why I wanted it postponed was that I was scheduled to play keyboards for a group in a concert that afternoon, and by the time the concert ended I would not have time to get back home to watch it with my father...so like the Temptations, I wished it would rain...and it did.  On Monday night we watched the Mets' Game 7 victory - on the couch together.

II.  Don't Blame Bill

On Facebook and Twitter last night...or this morning...there were many calling last night's game the greatest ever, although some refused to place it above the aforementioned '86 game.  Even as a long-time die-hard Met fan, I'm willing to give the Cards and this game their props; the Cards came back three times prior to winning in the 11th inning, twice being down to their last strike.  Of course, from a sentimental Met fan standpoint, nothing can top the joy of seeing Mookie Wilson's grounder get by Bill Buckner...but with that said, there are a couple of things about that play that have been forgotten by many through the years.  One is that at the point that Buckner failed to come up with that ball, the game was already tied as a result of the wild pitch that Wilson had to jump to avoid...which means that had Buckner fielded it cleanly and made the play, the game goes on.  Bill Buckner was not the goat.

The other thing is that Bill was slow with bad knees, and Mookie was fast as the wind; I am not at all sure that Buckner would have beaten Wilson to the bag anyway. Bottom line, Sox fans...don't blame Bill.

III.  Take Me Out To The Ball Game

We already know NJ governor Chris Christie is a baseball fan, given that he took a state helicopter to see his son's game.  But I didn't know he was a Met fan...until I saw that he is in favor, along with New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, of extending the #7 subway line, which goes to Citi Field, out to Secaucus, New Jersey.  He must be a Met fan...or perhaps he realized that he messed up big time when he pulled the plug on the previously proposed new train tunnel between NY and NJ, costing the state money and losing the state jobs.

IV.  Root, Root, Root for the Home Team

As humans, we are in part products of our environments...and for that reason, I'm rooting for the Cards to pull it out tonight.  In my case, I grew up in a house with parents who - like many African-Americans of their era - were fond of the Dodgers for having signed Jackie Robinson, and a little more fond of the National League in general for having integrated faster.  So when the Series rolled around, my father rooted for the National League team - and so did I.  Now, years later, I usually still do...so go Cardinals!

V.  If They Don't Play It's A Shame

Why did it seem to take Barack Obama weighing in on the NBA lockout situation to generate some movement between the two sides?  Well, if that's what it takes...

VI.  I Don't Care If He Never Comes Back

So Presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry indicated uncertainty this week about whether Obama was born in the United States...and I'm not certain what country he wants to lead, since he kind of advocated Texas' secession from the U.S.  Governor, after you clear that up, perhaps you can return to your losing birther question.

VII.  We Are The 99%

If Peyton Manning isn't in that "other 1%" in a major way, he certainly ought be in light of the Indianapolis Colts being winless in his absence.