I was there opening day 1978 as part of the Armed Forces Police color guard. We changed into civilian clothes after presenting the colors and had pretty good (and free) tickets about 15 rows back of the third base dugout. Our NCOIC somehow had a WPIX press pass and handed it to Fred Merritt and me. We took our (not) professional cameras and went for it; the security guy waived us in. The only empty box was next to the TV booth with Ralph Kiner doing the play-by-play so we watched the game from there.

While I remember the Mets won, 3 to 1, Gary Carter hit a solo shot, and Andrew Carson played a nice centerfield, my greatest memory will forever be of who joined us. About the second inning, a graying-haired guy opened the door and was pushing another 50-something guy in a wheelchair. The former asked if there was room for them and I responded "Sure. We probably aren't supposed to be sitting here ourselves."

They entered and we all introduced ourselves; they were Duke Snider and Roy Campanella and Fred and I were just a couple of 24-year old Army GIs. The Duke and Roy laughed when we told them, bought the beer and hot dogs, and we all enjoyed the game. Ralph Kiner came over and chatted somewhere around the 4th inning.

What a day that was. Those three were all great for more than their on-field heroics: they were nice guys who never lost the common touch. And they went out of their way to thank us for serving our Nation.

This was the first Mets season opener in 11 years for which Tom Seaver was not the starting pitcher. With Seaver somewhere in Ohio, Jerry Koosman had the honor of being the Opening Day starter. Jerry pitched well, going all the way for the win and carrying on a Met tradition of season opening victories initiated by Tom.

In reading the entry above, I was wondering something. Tim, are you sure that your press pass was that of WPIX? Mets' games were televised by WOR (Channel 9) back then, while it was the Yankees that were on WPIX (Channel 11). Also, did you mean Andre Dawson when you wrote the name of Andrew Carson?

I believe this was a game where the great Eddie Kranepool hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth off Rudy May (I believe) to win the game for the Mets. Brutally cold as the game went to late innings. Was a kid back then and recall looking for hot chocolate at the concession stands.

This was one of the first games I ever attended alone. I bought a loge reserve on the third base side. There was a bench clearing brawl started when John (The Dude) Stearns gave a forearm shiver to Expos catcher Gary (The Kid) Carter. Willie Montanez got right in the middle of things wildly throwing punches (Just missing his teammates) I got so excited I ran to a pay phone to call my friend and interrupted his Passover seder! Seven years later The Kid's April heroics would be in Mets uniform.

I was six and my dad took me to the game. I remember coming down the ramp after Kranepool won it with a pinch-hit home run in the ninth and the whole stadium was chanting "ED-DIE! ED- DIE!" I went to a game later in the year with Dad and Kranepool pinch hit in the ninth again. I remember thinking the game was in the bag, because Kranepool would surely hit another homer. He didn't, and I learned how special that first homer against the 'Spos was. Will never forget it!

I enjoyed listening to this game on Classic Baseball on the Radio (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL3EoRkW8dw) yesterday.

It was the first game of a doubleheader, and the Mets were 2-0 heading into this game. Pat Zachry pitched well; his changeup was really working and he pitched a full seven innings, only giving up one run, and striking out six.

In the bottom of the 6th, Joe Torre looked like a future Hall of Fame manager when he sent Steve Henderson to pinch hit for Ron Hodges against Darrold Knowles, and Henderson hit a grand slam to make it 6-1.

Then suddenly (so suddenly I had to "rewind" two or three times) things imploded for the Mets in the 9th. Skip Lockwood started his second inning of relief by walking Gary Carter. Two outs later, Lockwood looked like he might be able to get the last out, but he gave up three singles in a row to make the score 6-4.

Ultimate Mets Database fan favorite Mardie Cornejo came in to pitch. He gave up a single to Ellis Valentine, which made the score 6-5, but then he got Dave Cash to fly out and seal the win for the first place, still undefeated Mets.

After this game, Mardie Cornejo was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a save. I'm surprised the Mets didn't send him down to the minors that very day.

The 1978 Mets lost their undefeated status later on this day, dropping their record to 3-1. Amazingly, they still held a share of first place until April 22, when they were 9-6, a half game ahead of the Expos.

On this sunny brisk Monday afternoon,my day was darkened by the announcement that Craig Swan was pitching. I couldn't believe this fat loser was still a Met and not Seaver. But what the WOR-TV audience was pleasantly surprised by, and Bob Murphy couldn't bear repeating, was Craig's Swan Dive (my term) in poundage. What I witnessed was a new pitcher ready to come into his own. With this brilliant performance, he proceeded to become the second Met to lead the NL in ERA, although like most Met pitchers a victim of gross nonsupport. Despite a career that ended prematurely due to arm injuries, Swannie became one of my all-time faves - and it began on a day where I loathed him as late as 2 PM.

Koosman got ejected for trying to bean Rick Reuschel. As Doug Flynn said Reuschel hit Henderson and Koosman tried to hit Reuschel--in the head. Flynn said he never saw a pitch go between a head and a helmet---Reuschel ducked. When Koosman was ejected he said to Flynn, "Maybe I should quit. I never miss."

This was not televised,so I remember Reuschel's beaning of Steve Henderson visually as I listening to the radio. It was a historic Mets moment, because Hendu was never Hendu again. He was hit in his front elbow, and the consequences were perceptible. The player who was the key to the Seaver deal, who started 1978 where he left off from his very good rookie campaign became an opposite field hitter with limited power. Already an inadequate left-fielder, now he's a one- dimensional hitter. The Mets should've offered him to any AL team as an excellent part-time DH, for which they might've received value. Possibly to the Yanks for Ken Clay?

This game marked the end of Ken Henderson's epic 7-game Mets career, so memorable that I have no memory of this game, only read about it recently. I never noticed his departure due to the ignorable impression he left on me for those precious few days. I only recall a veteran named Keith or Ken (Could it have been Harrelson?) playing RF only because the Mets couldn't find anyone else. It wasn't Harrelson because I would've made the instant name association to Buddy. But the connection to Steve Henderson is not lost on me: the immediate game before, Steve suffered a career altering beaning courtesy of Rick Reuschel. Ken Hen sustains a fateful foot injury running into the RF wall, which can also tie him to the other gem we got for Seaver,Pat Zachry. Your 1978 NY Mets: the Clown Paupers of MLB - starring the Hendont's!

This was a weeknight game that a buddy and I took the subway to. It was freezing. Goofball Ed Ott hit an extra inning Homer and we went home cold and disheartened. Sort of emblematic of the '78 season. Luckily, we got an express bus back to the Flatbush/Nostrand Avenue Junction which provided us some solace as well as comfort for our frozen feet.

Until I looked at the box score I didn't even recall that the great Bert Blyleven pitched an 11 Inning Shutout. All I remember is that doggone Ed Ott

It's going to games like this that make one a true lifelong Met Fan. It's games like this that make '69,'86 & '07 that much sweeter.

Very, very memorable game in my childhood. We arrived very early for the game and watched the Reds take batting practice. Although our seats were on the first base side, I wandered all the way down the leftfield line to see if I could get some autographs. After elbowing my way to the field, I watch as Dan Driessen hit a foul ball down the left field line. A Reds rookie 3B at the time, Ray Knight, reached down to retrieve the ball and flipped to right to me. I ran back to my seats holding the ball with both hands. The only sour note of an otherwise perfect day was that the Redlegs beat the Mets and the Reds' starting 3B, Pete Rose, hit three HRs. Great day to be at the Big Shea nevertheless, and Ray Knight would eventually return and make more than one Mets fan happy.

Mets were winning 6-1 early, Reds came back to kill us, 14-7. Pete Rose hit 3 home runs in the game, only time in his career.

Very memorable game from my childhood. I didn't see it in person, but instead watched the whole thing on NBC's Saturday Game of the Week. For whatever reason, I was a big Pete Rose fan. Yes, indeed he hit 3 home runs, but in addition he had 2 singles, going 5 for 6 on the game. I believe Cesar Geronimo also had a pair of dingers for the Reds.

To follow up on Tom N's note above, I went back and looked at my scoresheet from this game and Geronimo only had one homer, leading off the 4th inning, and that cut the Mets lead to 6-2. But his next time up, in the 5th, he doubled to drive in 2 and tie the score at 6-6 and the Reds were on their way to a one-sided win. Driessen and Griffey also homered for the Reds.

I remember that Rose's outstanding game this day brought the first cheers for Pete at Shea since the '73 brawl. New Yorkers always appreciate an outstanding performance. And that set the stage for Pete's return to Shea in July when he had tied Tommy Holmes' NL hitting streak mark and was in hot pursuit of DiMaggio. Rose got big cheers at those Shea games, which drew the biggest crowds of another dismal year in Flushing.

I was 11 years old when I went to this game. I was also a Cincinnati Reds fan living in New Jersey - pretty rare at that time - so I was thrilled that we got seats right next to the third base bag, about 20 rows up from the field. I brought with me a banner I had made that read "No One Knows Who's Better Than Rose." After Pete struck out in the first inning, my brother was taunting me because he liked the Mets. But after Pete hit his third home run of the game, as he rounded third base he tipped his batting helmet to me because I was jumping up and down holding my banner. When we got home that night, my mother (who stayed at home) said she saw me on TV twice that day (after Rose's second and third home runs). I was in heaven! Years later, I became a sportswriter and had the opportunity to interview Pete when he came to NJ to see his son play with an independent league team. When I said to him "The first time I ever saw you play in person, you hit three home runs," Pete smiled and said "April 29, 1978." He put his arm around me and then asked "But do you remember what I did in my first at bat?" - to which I answered "Struck out" - he retorted - "Against who?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Nino Espinosa" Man... the guy is a walking baseball museum of memories. I hope that someday he gets into the Hall of Fame!

I was 13 years old at Shea with my Dad who was a big Pete Rose fan because of his hustle. We were sitting on the first base side Lodge or Mezz - I remember the third homer was a line drive that went over the right field fence like a rope! Dad always rooted for my Mets, but we both appreciated Pete's performance that day. I remember the crowd gave him a great ovation. We both wound up at Shea the night he tied Tommy Holmes hitting streak - what an amazing ovation he got that night! Memories of Dad and the Mets - it doesn't get any better for me now as a 45 year old father of four little ones!

The only game out of hundredsI have been to that I remember going to with my Mom. Rose was a machine that day!

What I remember before Rose's performance was Nino Espinosa. It summed up the frustration Mets fans had with him: so good and so bad. He was amassing so many strikeouts as to make Joe Garagiola exclaim "some piece of pitching by Espinosa" -only to watch him get knocked out in the 4th. The Mets gave him a 5-run lead, exemplifying why losing pitchers are not always the victims of poor teams, but variably a reflection of poor pitching.

One of the most memorable games I ever attended. My brother and I just happened to decide to go to the game that day (no mean feat coming from the Bronx by way of mass transit).

Pete Rose hit 3 HRs! I could not believe it.

When he came up later in the game, my brother and I (no Rose fans at all) stood up to applaud even though the Shea faithful still hated his guts for the Harrelson fight in '73. Hey, I had to give it to him. It was a tremendous performance.

Bobby Valentine hit his last major league homer in this game. It came off Phil Niekro.

I was going to college at Ohio University and gathered a group of friends to see my beloved Mets at Riverfront that night. We had good field box seats midway into right field. The locals laughed at me in my Mets jacket, but Mike Bruhert pitched really well and I had the last laugh. Unfortunately, I got lost driving the sleeping group of students back to OU in Athens. It took me forever, but is was worth the trouble. I was really tired in the early morning classes the next day.

Lenny Randle became the first Met to score 5 runs in a game in this extra-inning contest.

First time I saw Keith Hernandez. I thought Pat Zachry was a good pitcher on a bad team.

St Louis RHP Silvio Martinez made his first major league start and threw a one-hitter against the Mets. The only hit was a Steve Henderson leadoff home run in the seventh inning. The Mets got their other run on a walk, infield out, and two wild pitches. George Hendrick had a three-run homer for the Cards.

Martinez pitched two 1-hitters and two 2-hitters in 1978, but finished the year with just a 9-8 record. In 1980 he went 15-8 for the Cardinals, but was out of baseball after the 1981 season due mainly to elbow problems.

Yep, I remember this one very well. I was 13 and about to graduate from the 8th grade. My friend's father treated us by taking us out to see the Mets play the Cardinals at Shea. We had great seats, field level behind third base. Little did we know that we would nearly witness a no-hitter by a pitcher making his major league debut, which really would have been something. The very late '70s were a dark, dark time for the Mets.

My memory of watching this game was that the Mets announcers weren't sure if it was his major league debut or not! As the game progressed they found out that it was his first start, but he had pitched in relief prior; at which point they started to wonder who had thrown a no-hitter closest to his major league debut, which led to a discussion of Bobo Holloman. Can you imagine in this day and age, announcers not having info on every pitch thrown by a pitcher in his career, let alone whether or not he had pitched in the majors yet?! And, by the fifth inning a graphic would be up on the screen of all the no-hitters thrown by rookie pitchers and in which start they did it!

This game was on Monday Night Baseball. I was just a kid so I never made past the 5th inning, and I had already given up. (rare for me in those days, I usually would "Never Say Die" until the last out. But I gave up and missed a great ending.

I was 9 years old and it was my second Mets game. The Mets were down by 6 by the middle of the game but inched up throughout the later innings. I can still see Tim Foli rounding third in the 9th inning on a throwing error to score the winning run. The crowd went crazy!

Joel Youngblood connected for his first major league home run in this game. It began the bottom of the fourth inning and tied the score at 2-2. Joel hit this homer in the 183rd game and 273rd at-bat of his career. One season later, Youngblood was the Mets' team leader in home runs with 16.

I found an old photograph of me (12 years old) & my brothers & my dad at this game today, but don't remember much else. Evidently, it was a warm sunny afternoon and we sat in left field over by the visiting bullpen. Dollars to donuts Doug Flynn had nothing to do with our 1 run that day.

I remember going to this game as a kid. My dad took me and my brother. It was Jacket Day at Shea and they gave us this plastic Mets jacket! In the game, I remember Tim Foli made 4 errors at SS...both Giants runs were unearned.

First NY Met Game ever. I went with the whole family on Rain Jacket day. Vida Blue was tough that day. Fond memories despite the tough defeat.

My Dad took me to this game. I was 6. He had taken me to a game earlier that year that Ed Kranepool won on a walk-off pinch hit homer. It was awesome. Eddie got the same opportunity in this game, and I thought we had it in the bag -- walk-off pinch hit homers were just what Ed Kranepool did. I was shocked and deflated when he grounded out to second. Maybe my first coming-of-age baseball moment -- Casey sometimes strikes out. RIP, Ed Kranepool!

I was at this game and had front-row box seats down the left field line. I got Bill Atkinson's autograph before the game, but I just missed getting Andre Dawson's. He stopped signing after he reached the section next to mine.

Is this the game when Montanez, with 2 out, hit a ball over the wall in left center where Robinson stuck his entire arm over the fence as he hit the wall? Montanez circled the bases and sat down in the dugout, thinking he had a homer. Then Robinson got up, jogged in to the second base ump, opened his glove and flipped him the ball. Greatest catch I ever saw... Confirmation, anyone?? Thanks.

My friend and I were sitting in the second row next to the Bucs dugout. John Milner, who manifested a propensity for sulking as a Met, was a few feet away in the on deck circle in extra innings. We were really giving him a hard time, but he was listening and responding by shaking his head "yes" or "no" to our questions. We asked, "do you want to come back to New York, John?". He responded with an emphatic "No", stepped to the plate, and hit a grand slam over the center field fence. As the ball carried out, my friend exclaimed "Oh no, anybody but Milner!"

This probably was the best game the Mets played in '78, purely based on one play—Pirates outfielder Dave Parker colliding with John Stearns at home plate. From what I recall, I think Parker was trying to tag up on a fly ball and that the out-calling collision ended the game. I'm sure Bob P. or someone can check that one out on Retrosheet or something.

I wish I saw/scored this one, but I didn't. I did, however, see the replay of the collision that Sunday. Wow! According to my memory, Stearns basically was the Rock of Gibraltar in that he didn't waver during contact.

Hope Channel 9 or the Mets still have the complete game of this. Would like to see it in its entirety one day!

Joe, thanks for the introduction!

Yes, this was the game, and yes, it was the final out of the game.

Going to the ninth on this Friday night in Pittsburgh, the Mets were down, 3-2. John Stearns led off with a double and one out later pinch- hitter Ed Kranepool singled to tie it up. After Pirates catcher Ed Ott dropped a foul pop by Len Randle, Len tripled to right field to give the Mets a 4-3 lead. Joel Youngblood singled to make it 5-3, and a Steve Henderson single plus an error by Dave Parker made it 6-3.

In the bottom of the ninth, Frank Taveras and Omar Moreno singled with one out, and Dave Parker followed with a triple. Parker represented the tying run with future Met coach Bill Robinson at the plate. Robinson hit one to RF Joel Youngblood, who made the catch and threw home where the collision happened. Stearns held the ball and Parker fractured his cheeckbone. Game over!

I was thinking about this game the other day. I was a senior in high school in '78 and John Stearns was by far my favorite Met. Dave Parker was probably the most feared guy in the Majors that year and had previously run over a couple of other catchers. He tagged at third base and took aim at Stearns. I guess he didn't know that John was a Star defensive back at The University of Colorado who had been drafted by the Bills. So here comes Parker and John has the ball, gets low, and just explodes into Parker! Parker ended up with a broken jaw or cheekbone and Stearns was standing up, the "Bad Dude" had given me a little redemption in an otherwise dreadful season.

I tried to find the John Stearns/Dave Parker play on YouTube, but so far no luck.

Like Raymond I have been searching for a video of the Stearns-Parker collision for years and years. My recollection is that I listened to this on the radio but I'm not sure.

I'm encouraged by Joe's recollection of seeing a "replay of the collision that Sunday". I'm holding out hope that there may yet be footage of that amazing play somewhere after all.

Cheers,

Jim

This was the first grand slam I ever saw the Mets hit. Lee Mazzilli hit one in the bottom of the 8th on a 3-2 pitch. I was 9.

It was a very chilly night for July 4. It was a twi-night double-header, my Uncle Pete and I (he who gave me the gift of being a Mets fan) attended the game together. We sat in out usual seats, Section 3, mezzanine, behind the plate. I bet you they cost no more than seven bucks at the time.

I remember the first game vividly. The Mets loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth and the count went to 3-0 on Mazzilli. I remember turning to my Uncle and saying, "C'mon Maz, just take a pitch here." I'm cloudy as to if it was the 3-0 pitch he pulled out to Rightfield, but I am quite sure it was on a 3 ball count. It was always so vital to the psyche, to win the first game of a doubleheader. I can still see Lee Mazzilli with his fist up in the air as he circled the bases.

The second game the Mets lost late 3-2, and once again if memory serves correctly, none other than Tim McCarver had a big hit; I want to say a two run homer that was the difference in that game.

There were no fireworks after the game, I don't think the Grucci tradition had stsrted yet and or they had the fireworks on a different night.

Tim Cronin, the earlier memory of this game by Jim Konopacki is correct. It was actually the bottom of the eighth when Mazz hit the grand slam.

As for game two, it was Jose Cardenal--pinch hitting for Bud Harrelson--who hit a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth off Craig Swan to give the Phils the split.

My most notable memory of the first game of this July 4 (Independence Day) twi-night DH in the 1978 season was at its outset when a lady named Kathy Krems sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the outset, and boy, did she sing a high note late in the performance. She would also sing the "S.S.B." at the outset of the 1st game of the N.L.C.S. between the Astros and Phillies in Philadelphia at the conclusion of the 1980 season as she also delivered that same high note late in that performance. The Phillies would would that nail-biting N.L.C.S. 3 games to 2 and would go on the beat the Royals 4 games to 2 in the 77th World Series to become Major Leasgue Baseball's world champions for that 1980 season.

My memory of this game is that I got up to get some ice cream and a foul ball landed in my seat......nuff said.......

This was a tough game. Mets Starter Tom Hausman gives up 6 runs and the Mets are down 6-0 going into the 7th or 8th inning. In the bottom of that inning, the Mets rally for 7 runs to take a 7-6 lead, only to see Paul Siebert come in the 7th inning and give the lead right back to the Cubs.

My second ever Mets game, and my second Mets shutout. Old-Timers Day. My sister swooned when Lee Mazzilli went deep to lead off the bottom of the 1st. That was all the scoring we would need.

I was at this game. Eartha Kitt sang the national anthem and did such a bad job that half of the crowd was booing, and the other half was laughing.

On this day, Kooz exacted his revenge on Seaver. They both pitched well...as usual.

This was Seaver's second game aginst his old teammates. In 1977, He bested Kooz at Shea, but in this game, Kooz won although Seaver was victimized by two unearned runs. It was his only 1978 appearance against the Mets. He was 5-3 against the Mets during his six years with the Reds.

The Mets recorded their first victory ever over Tom Seaver in this game. It was also Jerry Koosman's 140th and final win as a Mets pitcher.

I was 6 years old and at this game as a Reds fan and a huge Johnny Bench fan. In the 6th inning, my dad caught a foul ball off the bat of Bench and handed it directly to me. In November 2019, over 41 years later Bench came to my home area as part of a local baseball fundraiser. During a Q & A session, I told the story in front of 1000 people and he signed the ball! It all started in section 204 in Cincy on 7/16/78.

Skippy Lockwood became one of the few Met relievers ever to hit a home run in this game. Mets had lost the first game of the doubleheader but came back to win the nightcap with Skippy pitching the last three innings.

I was at this midweek afternoon doubleheader. A rare good day for the Mets as they swept. I remember that the latest incarnation of Lassie entertained between games.

My brother, my cousin, and I were at this double-header. I was 8 years old, and I remember it so vividly, because my brother caught a foul ball hit by the Astros' Terry Puhl. Mets won the 2nd game in their last at bat and I believe Willie Montanez scored from first on a long double.

Remember listening to this doubleheader on the car radio as our family drove to Cape Cod -- until the signal started to wane the further we went east. Earning the sweep gave this 13 year old fan at the time great cause for optimism.

I went to this game with a few friends on a Monday night at Shea as Pete Rose was trying to tie the modern-day NL record by getting a hit in his 37th consecutive game.

Rose was 0-for-3 when he came up against his former teammate Pat Zachry with one out in the seventh. Rose singled to left and then after a walk to Joe Morgan, George Foster singled Rose home to give the Reds a 3-2 lead. Zachry was taken out of the game and kicked the dugout steps, breaking his toe and ending his season.

The Mets tied the game in the seventh, but Skip Lockwood gave up another single to Rose in the ninth and Mike Lum followed with a two-run homer for the win.

When I got home, I couldn't find a parking space outside my Bronx apartment despite circling the neighborhood for about ten minutes, then I got a ticket for running a red light because I was so frustrated looking for a space that I didn't feel like waiting for the light to turn green. At least I didn't break my toe.

One of my first Mets games. Great one because not only did the Mets win, but I got to see Pete Rose get a hit in his 38th consecutive game, breaking the then- NL record.

One of the highlights of the '78 season was rooting for Pete Rose the only time of my life when he got the big hit. Then booing the hell out of him in his other at bats! I still got the pennant I bought that day, "Do It, Pete, Do It!" Was there the night before too, with my free Dairylea tickets!

This was the game in which Pete Rose extended his hitting streak to 38 for a new modern National League record. The previous mark was set in 1945 by the Braves' Tommy Holmes, who just happened to be working in one of the Mets' offices at the time. Holmes was on the field to congratulate Rose and pictures were taken of them together right at first base just after it happened.

Charlie Hustle came through, continuing his incredible Hitting Streak. Never thought he would be cheered at Shea Stadium, though.

Johnny Bench hit his 300th career home run off Nino Espinoza in the fourth inning, but the Mets coasted to a rare easy win.

Pete Rose got a hit in his 39th straight game with a fifth inning double.

Manager Joe Torre and utilityman Bobby Valentine were both ejected from this game by Joe West in the bottom of the seventh---and Valentine wasn't even playing!

With nobody out and a runner at first, Enos Cabell grounded into a routine 6-4-3 double play (it seemed), but West claimed that Doug Flynn was guilty of the "neighborhood" play and was not on the base, so he called Dave Bergman safe at second.

Torre came out to argue and was tossed out, and I guess Bobby V was holding a conversation from the bench inviting West to Connecticut to open a restaurant with him.

I remember this game was featured on ABC's Monday Night Baseball with Howard Cosell and Keith Jackson calling the game. Seemed so weird to see the Mets featured in a nationally televised game during those days. Another night another loss but at 12 years old I remained ever faithful.

I was 7 years old in the summer of '78, and my mom took me up to Canada for a vacation that August. The Mets happened to be in Montreal at the same time we were, so it was an opportunity to see our team on the road.

My memories of this game are very hazy. It was a night game, and we sat on the third base side, maybe midway up the stadium. I remember the Mets scoring a lot of runs and winning easily; for all these years I misremembered their run total as 11 instead of 10! The only incident I remember during the game is that someone from the Mets got caught in a run down (I think it was between first and second, but I'm not even sure of that), and the Expos had some sort of amusing animation that played on the outfield scoreboard for such an occasion.

I must have worn a Mets cap and/or shirt to the game, because walking back to the car a boy of about 10 came running up to me, gushing about how great the Mets are. I was confused by this, because he was wearing Expos paraphenalia, but his mother explained that the Mets were his second favorite team.

I'm sure I've been to well over 100 games at Shea in the years between, but that's still the only time I've seen the Mets play in another stadium.

Anyway, that's my complete recollection of Mets game 2721. A fondly-remembered little snippet from my childhood. Pretty vauge stuff, but hey - I was only 7 and this was a quarter of a century ago! I may be the only person who remembers anything about this game at all!

I remember being at this game on a Saturday afternoon. 10 -yrs old at the time. John Denny only gave up 1 hit and it was an infield hit by John Stearns on what from what I can recall was a questionable call. It wasn't late in the game so it didn't stand out as ruining a no hitter but it turns out being the only hit the Mets got that day.

Howie, You're right. Stearns' single came leading off the seventh on a grounder toward second base. Mike Tyson fielded it and threw to first baseman Roger Freed but first base umpire Paul Pryor said Freed took his foot off the bag. The play was ruled a single, the first Mets hit of the game. But they had aleady scored a run: in the fourth inning the Mets put together a walk, groundout, and an error by Garry Templeton (AKA a vintage 1978 Mets rally) for their only run of the game. So that might also be why the single didn't stand out as ruining the no- hitter. Had the Cardinals' Gold Glove first baseman--Keith Hernandez--started the game, this may have been a no-hitter for John Denny!

And speaking of "vintage 1978," a whopping 8,658 fans attended this Saturday afternoon game.

As an eight year old, I attended this weekday matinee with my baseball camp, sitting upstairs in the cheap seats. The 1978 highlight film shown on SNY features this game. Joe Torre was wired for sound and it's cool to have a keepsake.

On the film, you can relive how with 2 outs in the top of the 9th, the Mets blew their 1-0 lead when San Diego's Derrel Thomas hits a 2 run homer. Typical for the late 70's Mets.

I actually have a tape of this game. No, not of the broadcast of the game... a tape of the GAME. I brought with me a small cassette tape recorder with me to Shea this day, and turned it on as I sat in the stands with my dad. (For some reason, I thought this might be illegal, so I kept it hidden in a paper bag.) Although the quality is not that great, you can clearly hear Jane Jarvis playing "Meet the Mets" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The tape lasts for a couple of innings.

(Speaking of Jane Jarvis, whatever happened to organs at ballparks? Next to seeing this incredibly beautiful expanse of bright greens and browns in front of me when I entered Shea, hearing the organ fill the park was the greatest thrill. Now all they do is play recordings of dopey rock tunes at bust-yer-eardrums decibels.)

This day was also "Happy Days Day" and you can hear Bob Murphy introduce the cast down at homeplate. They played a few innings of softball against the Mets' wives. It was also "Roy Campanella Day" that day, where they honored Campy and he spoke a few words. I got it all on tape!

In addition to hearing the PA announcer announcing all of the Mets and Dodgers names for each at bat, you can also hear the vendors hawking their wares nearby. And evidently one guy was right nearby, because you hear him say "45 cents, please." Geez, talk about a piece of history--what can you get at a ballpark these days for 45 cents?

Anyway, as I recall, Lockwood was fantastic that day, but the Mets ended up blowing the lead in the ninth and lost. To make things worse, most of the Shea faithful cheered at the last out!

Apparently I was at this game too. I was eleven years old and I remember the Mets lost but I thought the margin of defeat was much greater. I seem to recall Vic Davalillo hitting a pinch- homer. True? I guess I'll find out when the box score is up.

Since I was eleven, and watched Happy Days religiously, it should come as no surprise that I remember more about the Happy Days vs. Mets Wives softball game the actual baseball game.

1. Henry Winkler pitched for Happy Days.

2. Happy Days won 10-0.

3. Someone from Happy Days hit a pop-up on the infield and Sharon Zachry made the catch. Pat Zachry, who was umpiring, "fainted" in shock.

My mom has told me this was the first Mets game I ever went to. I don't remember much of it, (I was 4) but whatever I saw made me a fan for life. I joke that my loyalty began in utero as my mom was pregnant with me during the 73 season as I was born the day after their last home game. Undoubtedly, I watched their upsetting loss to the A's, but I learned loyalty and how to root for the underdog. Now only if I could get a copy of Jim's tape.

I was 12. Thrilled to be back at Shea. Sitting in the Mezzaine behind first. Blue on the mound for the red-hot Giants. Koosman pitches very well for the Mets. Randy Moffitt, Billie Jean King's brother, gets the "w" in extra innings for the Giants. But for me the real treat is watching Willie Montonez flip the ball behind his back on put outs at first.

In this game, Lee Mazzilli became the first Met switch-hitter to hit homers from both sides of the plate in the same game.

This had to be the greatest game Kevin Kobel ever pitched - and thanks to my cousin Laura providing the tickets, I was there, age 12, on a cool night at Shea (with barely 2,000 other people).

This was the first baseball game my dad took me to when I was nine years old. I still have the ticket stub in a photo album. We were up in the loge section, and all the pics I took show the Mets and Phils as different colored ants. Bake McBride hit a lead off homer and I spent the remainder of the game watching the scoreboard and looking for the WOR-TV cameras.

I remember this game well. I was 13 and some friends and I got together to go to the game before the end of the year. The Mets were about to complete the second year of the 1977-1983 Dark Era and people were staying away from Shea in droves, especially considering that the Yankees had been to the Series in '76, won the Series in '77 and were about to win another in '78. We were able to get amazing seats behind the first base dugout. I had never sat in that section before. Unfortunately, Silvio Martinez was amazing for the Cardinals (it was his ML debut IIRC) and the Mets scratched out two infield hits for the whole game. Things were bad for us Mets fans then.