I was in high school at the time and had tickets for this game. I was going to get out of school that day because I was planning to be "sick." However, the transit strike ruined my plans. I didn't have a driver's license, and my friend had his license but didn't have a car, so we had no way of getting to the game. I still have the unused tickets.

I was 9 years old and this was my first Opening Day game. I remember being so excited the night before that I couldn't sleep.

Transit strike. Eight of us car pooling from LI. Decide to play hookey, get drunk, go harass KINGMAN. Seats in LF. One of us boyz lived in same building as DK in Forest Hills in '76. DK was nasty to him always. Buddy screams at KONG before game, "You suck!" Kong homers, trots out to LF, looks over. More rant, "Bite me you jerk!" Another long poke. Still staggered and undaunted, buddy boy suggests that KONG do something that is biologically impossible. KINGMAN walks over between innings and flips him the bird and sez "You little f^#k, one more word from you and I'll show up on Dartmouth St and rip your d*#k off."

Funny stuff.

Went to this game with my 8th grade class from Clinton Twp school district in NJ. I think we were the only ones there. At the time the crowd which numbered only a bit over 2,000 was the smallest crowd in Shea Stadium's history. At least the Mets won! I remember it was a sunny but chilly day for us all up in the upper deck. We did have a lot of fun though.

I took every game so seriously when I was a kid. Mets were up by 8 runs in this one, and Neil Allen blew most of lead. I went psycho and ripped up all my Mets pennants and pictures that were hanging on the wall in my bedroom. My parents banned the Mets from our TV until I could promise not to take the losses so hard.

The Mets blew a 9-1 lead in this game which is a team record for the largest lead blown in a loss.

I'm actually a Phillies fan and I stumbled across this site through a link from a discussion board while talking about the Bo Diaz grand slam game from 1983. Since this game was one of the most memorable from my youth I decided to share, though considering it's coming from a Phils fan perspective I'm hoping it won't offend anyone.

I was 12 years old when I attended this game at the Vet with my dad. As luck would have it, we ended up sitting right in front of 2 Mets fans who had made the trip down for the game. The Mets exploded for 6 runs very early and by the 4th inning were ahead 8-3. I remember feeling about as low as possible about the game and in my ears was the constant chatter of the Mets fans behind us. "See, that's why the Phillies always choke. They have no pitching. They have a fat leftfielder. Their third baseman is overrated" and so on and so on.

When the Phils scored 4 in the fifth to tie the game at 8 they had basically quieted down other than the occasional derisive comment about the Mets bullpen. Keith Moreland put the Phils in front 10-8 with a pinch hit 2 run double in the 8th and later that same inning Mike Schmidt, the overrated third baseman, iced the game with a grand slam, his second homer of the game.

As that homer cleared the fence our Met fan friends were up and on their way to the tunnel and my dad and I only stopped screaming at the top of our lungs long enough to wish them a nice trip home. Times like that are what makes you love sports. Again, great site and thanks for letting me share my memory.

Mark Bomback picked up his first major league win in this game. It was his first start for the Mets and his second major league start overall (he had started one game in September 1979 for the Brewers). Mark had also relieved in three games for the Mets before making this start.

Bomback allowed one run and eight hits over seven innings at the Vet against the soon-to-be World Champion Phillies. Mike Schmidt had two hits and a walk off Bomback.

The Phils had two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth with Ed Glynn on the mound for New York but then Garry Maddox doubled and Schmidt walked. Jeff Reardon came in to try to get the save but first he walked Greg Luzinski to load the bases. The Phillies had no bench players left so they sent up pitcher Randy Lerch to bat for pitcher Dickie Noles. Lerch at that point in his career had a lifetime average of .199 with nine doubles and four home runs in less than 200 at bats. But Reardon struck him out and the Mets, despite being outhit 12-7, won the game, 3-2.

In his third major league start--and second for the Mets--Mark Bomback pitched a two-hit shutout against the eventual World Champion Phillies. It was the only shutout of Bomback's career.

Mike Schmidt had a leadoff single in the second for the Phils, and Garry Maddox had a leadoff single in the seventh. Bomback also walked six batters in the game.

Randy Lerch gave up just one run and four hits in seven innings but was tagged with the loss. Dan Norman had an RBI single in the fourth, and the second Mets run scored on a Larry Bowa error in the eighth.

Pete Falcone struck out the first six batters in this game, which tied a major league record at the time. He handled the Phillies' big hitters with ease, but lost on a home run by light-hitting Luis Aguayo.

I was at this game, and I remember Aguayo's home run. It barely made it over the left field fence. Dan Norman leaped but he couldn't catch it.

Ray Burris took a hard-luck loss in this game in typical early-80's Mets fashion. The only run scored when the Padres' Willie Montanez got caught in a rundown off third base, but John Stearns's throw hit the baserunner, allowing him to score. Unfortunately, the Mets were mired in a hitting slump at the time, and that one run proved to be an insurmountable lead.

This was Pat Zachry's first game back after missing most of the previous season with an injury. He received a nice round of applause from the fans when he came in from the bullpen.

The Reds were up, 7-0 in the third inning, creaming Pete Falcone. The Mets chipped away but could not get any closer than two runs until the bottom of the eighth, when they got a two-run homer from Joel Youngblood and a passed ball to make the score 10-10.

Neither team threatened again until the top of the 14th inning, when Harry Spilman doubled with two outs and runners at the corners to give the Reds a 12-10 victory. The teams combined for 40 hits in the game.

Future World Champion Met Ray Knight homered twice in the fifth inning of this game. His first homer broke an 0-for-15 streak and came leading off the bottom of the fifth against Mark Bomback. Later, with Ed Glynn on the mound and the bases loaded with two outs and four runs in, Ray hit a grand slam to give the Reds a 14-4 lead. Ken Griffey also had a three run homer in that inning for the Reds.

In the long history of the Cincinnati baseball franchise, Knight was the first player ever to hit two homers in one inning for the Reds.

Big Reds fan (because of Tom Seaver) living in Brooklyn at the time. I was in 4th grade and played sick to see this afternoon game broadcast on WOR. The Mets led 6-2 going into the bottom of the 9th when the Reds rallied for 4 runs, including a 3-run pinch-hit home run by Harry Spilman. The Mets pushed across a run in the 10th for the win. Incidentally, I remember Denis Potvin scoring an overtime goal against the Flyers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals the night before. Big Islanders fan as well.

I recall that Neil Allen had an unusually good fastball in this game, and was getting lots of swings and misses. The Mets' announcer (I think it was Bob Murphy) commented that he was "throwing bullets."

My friends and I switched to this game right after the third period of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals had ended. The Islanders were about to go into overtime and the Mets were just coming to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning. We watched during the intermission and got rewarded when Elliott Maddox hit a two-out grounder just past Chris Chambliss's glove to drive home the winning run. Even with our minds more focused on hockey at that moment, we were very excited to see it.

With one 5-4 victory in extra innings now complete, we went back to hockey and hoped for another in sudden death. Bobby Nystrom scored the biggest goal of all-time a few minutes later. While celebrating the Isles' Cup championship, we thought of the Mets and realized that both teams went past regulation and won by the same score. What a cool thing this was! Maddox's single didn't have quite the same impact of what Nystrom did, but we still toasted both Elliott and Bobby on the greatest Saturday afternoon of our lives.

I was at Shea and it was one of those brief moments where we were actually playing well and were competitive. I was 17 years old and had brought a friend of mine who was a huge Yankees fan. I can still see it in my mind's eye from the right field stands when Ron Hodges hit a game winning single past the 2nd baseman in the bottom of the 12th after the Pirates had gone ahead in the top of the inning.

I felt so proud that my team wasn't a joke. It was an awesome moment. I remember my friend saying after the game winning hit, "There's not enough room in NY for two good teams." Thanks Ron Hodges, wherever you are.

I remember this game:

Mazzilli leads off game with a double off left field wall, Mike Easler hits 2 home runs. But Mets Win

Just one minor correction to the earlier posting by "Mets Win": Mazzilli had two singles in this game and led off the bottom of the first by grounding out to second base.

Living in Brooklyn and in the 4th grade at the time, my father takes me and my 7-year-old sister to the game with one of our neighbors. Big crowd, pulled into the parking lot just minutes before the game started. Amazingly, my father walked up to the ticket window and bought four box seats down the third base line. Four nice college guys from Pittsburgh are sitting behind us. (Pirates are defending champs at this time.) My sister, in her first baseball game, makes a point of sticking it to the college guys each time the Mets score and at the end when they win. Left halfway through the second game to make it home in time for dinner.

I believe there was a bench clearing brawl in this game. Zachry drilled Ron Cey and Cey waddled out to the mound and off they went...

I was visiting my mother in Connecticut when I got a job teaching summer school back in my district in Northern Virginia. I was planning to see the Mets on my visit and my sudden wave of good fortune did not send me immediately back to Virgina. I had to see the Mets first. It was a great pitcher's duel and was deadlocked at 2 after 9. In the 10th Mike Jorgenson hit a grand slam homer to win the game 6 to 2. My adrenline was pumping so hard through me that it kept me awake for the next three hours on my way home to Virginia. I got home at 6:00 AM, took a shower and taught my first day of summer school. It was worth it.

I was 11 years old and my Grandfather got tickets first row behind the Mets dugout. When Jorgensen hit that Grand Slam in the 10th to win it, me and my brother were jumping up and down on top of the dugout like they just won the World Series. I went to a lot of games at Shea in the early 80's and I have forgotten most of them, but that moment I will never forget.

Jorgensen's homer was a great moment in my LIFE! Hey, I caught the ball!! I brought it to Shea the next night to get his autograph on it. Pete Falcone was signing autographs and took it into the clubhouse for me, and brought it back, signed by Jorgensen. By some chance, if someone out there just happens to have a video tape of this home run, (they used it later in the season in commercials for Fireworks Night) please email me!

I was home from college and there with friends sitting along first. When Jorgy jacked it we were jumping around, I was hugging strangers. My friends gave me grief, but I didn't because the Mets won and it was a happy recap.

I remember this game well. I was just shy of 17 and being able to drive to games now with my cousin who just got his license. I remember sitting in the right field boxes, this was a great game pitched by Swan. I remember watching Jorgensen's home run sail over our heads, I believe into the loge boxes in right field above the auxiliary scoreboard. Nice catch to David. It was a real thrilling win, which didn’t happen often back then. I remember looking up at the scoreboard and there was only one other game played in a majors that day. A day game and it was between the Orioles and A's and ironically that game was also won by a walk off grand slam by Tony Armas in the 14th inning.

One of three or four Mets games I attended with my Dad, God rest his soul. The crowd went bananas - Dad & I were under the mezzanine, so we couldn't follow the mostly line-drive trajectory of Mike Jorgensen's walk-off grand slam, but we saw it land in the seats near the right field foul pole! So fantastic to hear Bob Murphy's call of this play on YouTube more than 40 years later! ("Ah, The Magic Is Back at Shea!" - followed by the Happy Recap.) This is probably THE moment when I embraced the Mets as my team for life. This is a terrific website - thanks for helping us relive these memories!

Was at this game with my dad and remember there was a buzz at Shea. The victory the night before had brought the Mets one game under .500 (a big deal for mid-June).

There was a huge crowd, in part because it was a promotional date. Kids got a vinyl poncho which I proudly wore. Never mind that it was hot, and sunny, and I was sweating like mad...

Of course the Mets lost, and the rest of the season was a downer.

The day after Steve Henderson's dramatic walk-off home run. The stadium was filled with excitement. My dad took me to this game as one of my graduation gifts from grammar school. Nothing dramatic about this one, I can tell ya!

This Friday night game was actually the night BEFORE Steve Henderson's walk-off homer, not the night after. (I think both of the earlier posts about this game belong under the Sunday, June 15 game.)

On this night Vida Blue shut down the Mets, allowing just four hits and one unearned run to improve to 9-2 on the year (he finished the year 14-10).

Milt May had a fourth inning homer off Ray Burris, and it was the 9,000th home run in the history of the Giants' franchise.

My parents were out and my 79-year-old grandfather went to bed early while I was downstairs watching the game forever known as "The Steve Henderson Game." Nice hit by Claudell Washington up the middle set it up and after Henderson hit it out, I remember banging both hands on the walls in spontaneous ecstasy. I feel bad, in retrospect, if you can imagine a 79-year-old man rising about six inches, startled, out of his bed wondering what the racket was!! My grandfather wasn't sick, fortunately, but it startled the heck out of him. Sorry, Gramps. But it was a joyous finish to last a lifetime, one of the best Met moments ever and certainly the best from 1977-Seaver's return in '83.

What an unbelieveable game! It was Fathers's Day, and I was there with my parents and sister. "The Count" of Montefusco was pitching a perfect game and leading 6-0 into the 6th. The Mets finally broke through but trailed 6-2 heading into the 9th. With two outs and nobody on they loaded the bases, then scored two on a single by Claudell Washington. That is when Henderson came up (who had struck out 3 times in the game) and deposited a game-winning HR off the bottom of the scoreboard in RF. The "crowd" (what was left of them) went crazy. I was only 15 and it was one of my first recollections of a big Mets win. Plus we were sitting over the Mets dugout in the 8th and 9th since so many people left. It was a great night.

I recall this game was played on a Saturday night and since this was June 14 and since I am Jewish, the Sabbath didn't end until around 9:20 so I only caught the tail end of this game. But what a tail end! This was one of those moments that every Met fan of a certain age (12 in my case) remembers. One of the top ten home runs in Mets history.

I was 19 years old, and was at this game with a friend who was a Yankee fan. For some reason, we decided to stay-despite the lopsided score-till the end. My recollections are that Claudell Washington's hit in the ninth inning was his first hit as a Met(he had been traded to them recently) and that Steve Henderson had either 0 or 1 home runs on the year prior to his final at bat. I also recall that everyone-my Yankee fan friend included-was hugging people in the stadium that they didn't even know.

The thing about this game was that it capped 8 wins in ten games to put the Mets within a game of .500 and only 6 games out in the NL East. Given the new ownership that year, some fans thought maybe the light was at the end of the tunnel and the Mets might even get in a pennant race (they could still remember 1973). Alas, the Mets lost the next day and went to the west coast to lose six more in a row and reality settled in. It would be four more years before they became a true contender again.

I was in the apartment which me an my family lived in. My parents had gone out for night and sister was in bedroom watching TV. I remember Steve Henderson getting dusted back on the pitch then getting back up crushing the next pitch into the Mets bullpen. It was an exciting moment in which the Mets gave us a glimmer of hope in the bad years.

I was at this game - truly one of the most amazing ever. I was also at the game they won against the Dodgers earlier in the week - also with a walk off home run, ( by Mike Jorgensen). For a week, we thought this team was actually good.

This is my favorite regular season game of all time. Not much I can add that was not already mentioned. Pure joy when Henderson hit that home run! HENDU CAN DO! If I remember correctly, fans stayed in seats until Hendu came out of the clubhouse and stepped on to the field for a curtain call.

This is one of my most memorable Mets games of all time. We walked through the gate to the mezzanine level in the top of the first - just as Rennie Stennett was rounding the bases after hitting a three run homer. The Giants held a 6-0 lead into the late innings behind the "Count" Montefusco, but the Mets chipped away and down 6- 2 in the bottom of the ninth, Claudell Washington singled up the middle for two runs and then Hendu bombed an opposite field three run home run into the right field bullpen to win it. I remember Jack Clark punching the wall in disgust and the crowd - what was left of it - going absolutely wild. As we were walking down the ramp after the game everyone was chanting Lets Go Mets at the top of their lungs. I'll never forget it.

I was at this game and made the unpardonable mistake of leaving early. I didn't want to miss the LIRR train back home and have to wait around for the next one. Besides, there was no way they'd come back in this one, was there?

I learned my lesson; I'll never leave a Mets game early again. There's always hope in baseball. Maybe not much, but some.

That lesson came in very handy during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series

Thank you, Hendu!

I took my wife to this Mets game with some friends of hers. I remember she was really excited (the most she can get excited about Mets Baseball) and was chanting the whole night: "HENDU CAN DO! HENDU CAN DO!"

Heard this "classic" on the radio in my Dad's old '70 Duster. We were going over the Route 37 bridge to Seaside to my grandmother's old summer house. All my dad's brothers were there just flabergasted at the win. I don't remember if Murphy or Albert called the shot. It also showed that times at Shea were going to change. The new ownership at the time gave a lot of Mets fans hope for the future. I believe that about 400,000 more showed up than in 79.

This game was on a Saturday night and I watched it while baby-sitting for the 5 year-old kid across the street and I fell asleep in the 7th or 8th inning when the Giants had a 6 - 1 lead thinking this would be just another dreary Mets' loss but when I woke up I saw pandamonium on the field and the camera constantly on Steve Henderson and it wasn't long before I'd learned that the Mets had won this game 7 - 6 with 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth capped by "Stevie Wonder's" 3-run homer!! I was totally amazed and in shock that the Mets had won this game but I was also a little down that I had slept through all the heroics (and there was no Sports Center or Baseball Tonight back then that showed countless replays) and I still kick myself for falling asleep during one of the Mets' great comeback victories of all time.

This was the greatest game I'd ever been to. I was 14. Ripley knocked down Henderson on an 0-2 pitch, then he hit the next one out. Bedlam. Unless I'm mixing my memories, it was seat cushion night, and they were flying all over the place - with a bunch stuck on the screen above home plate. People were screaming down the ramps after the game - I'd never seen anything like it at Shea. A day or two later, they had a special Kiner's Korner-type show on Ch. 9 to recap the game. What an impact - they lost their next 7.

I will always remember this game for the simple reason that I did even get to see the game winning home-run by Henderson. I was over my Grandparents house watching the game with my folks and the Mets fell behind early and my Dad decided it was time to go home after the 7th inning was over, since as he put it, there was no way in hell that the Mets are going to come back and win this game. I pleading with him to watch one more inning, but he won out and we left. When I got home, my Dad put on the news and we saw the stunning result. My Dad then told me that since he kept me from witnessing the surprise result, that he would take to me the game the next day. We drove from Jersey only to find out the game was sold out and we drove back home.

Our family had always referred to this as the 'Flag Day' game. We had such a great time at this game. We arrived early for Giants BP. Saw the Mets make a great comeback. I'll never forget the scoreboard 'HENDU CAN DO' then 'HENDU DID DO!' I was never a fan of Steve Henderson and resented him because of the Seaver trade, but we were so happy for him that night. This was one of the few bright spots in what is probably the darkest era in Mets history. Another memory of this game, I remember seeing Cluadell Washington playing for the Mets wearing #15 with no last name sewn on the back of his shirt. This may have been his first game as a Met.

This was my most cherished game I've ever attended at Shea, I had loge seats (under the overhang), so I had to bend down to see Henderon's game-winning home-run go over the wall. Even though the Mets were no-hit for 6+ innings, I had a special feeling that the Mets would do something, and boy did they!!

WOW! I just found this site and realized you could look up individual games. Anyway, this is the first one that came to mind. I was 10 years old, watching it on WOR channel 9 I believe, Henderson's HR capped an unbelievable comeback. The fans stayed and waited til Henderson came out of the clubhouse--showered, in street clothes, 45 minutes later, for a curtain call. Games like that make you truly appreciate what it means to be a real Met fan, never giving up and getting the occasional reward for sticking with them thru those lean years.

Now here's a game they should run on SNY as a Mets Classic. Hendu was my favorite Met at this time, and, being a kid, I thought this incredible win somehow meant the Mets were a great team - as if it was worth 15 wins in the standings or something.

I wasn't even alive at the time, but I've heard so many stories and seen the highight of Henderson's homer so many times that I'd pay good money for SNY to play this game as a Mets classic. If any SNY execs read this site and have access to this game, you have many older Mets fans who'd kill to see it.

I will third the motion for SNY to show this game on SNY Classics. I was twelve years old and watched this game on WOR and I still think it is one of the most exciting games I ever saw.

I fourth the motion for this game appearing on SNY Classics

I was 15, and an absolute die-hard fan - an incredibly exciting win. Note that in 1980, only power hitters hit HR's to the opposite field. I did not think Hendu's shot was leaving the ballpark when it came off the bat, and that made it even more stunning.

Funny, I remember watching this game on TV like it was yesterday - and it was the summer after my sophomore year in college. I was 20, and suddenly now I'm 50, lol...

Interesting note to the postgame celebration was Fred Wilpon coming out onto the field wearing plaid pants in front of the Mets dugout to shake hands with Hendu. This of course was the first year of Wilpon/Doubleday ownership.

I remember this game so well. Someone mentioned that this game was on Father's Day. It was not. It was either a Friday or Saturday night. When Henderson hit that HR I jumped up and down screaming in joy. My mother looked at me like I was nuts. Amazingly it was Henderson's first HR of the season.

It had been a long time that a Met fan could celebrate except for Opening Day.

I remember this game vividly. I was 10 and a half and was sitting in the upper box seats behind home plate. My sister was getting married the next week. She and her future husband took me to the game.

For many years, my family shared season tickets with my uncle's family and although we would go to 25 games a year during the late 70's (lean times, for sure), my father was famous for leaving early (8th inning). I can remember missing exciting endings of games and hearing them in the car on the way home on the radio. It always bugged me that we would leave early since there really was no traffic to try and beat in those days.

Anyway, my siblings and I made a pact that we would stay until the very end of games, which we still do today. Thus, even with a 6-2 score, my sister and I decided to show the new addition to our family that Met fans are loyal and stay until the end. Wow were we rewarded!

Claudell's sweet swing drove a perfect single up the middle and suddenly this rally was real! Had to be his first hit as a Met because he had just joined the team and they didn't even have the uniform ready. He was a no-name number 15.

The tying runs were on base and I remember the sign as the new pitcher warmed up: "Hendu Can-do." When that ball got out of Shea, we went nuts! I could not believe it! "Hendu did DO!"

We stopped at Bell Blvd White Castle on the way home! What a night.

I listened to the 9th inning on the radio... I was supposed to be in bed but I was rooting for the Mets to pull it out. I remember the pitch before Henderson hit it out, he was knocked down by a pitch. The thing about Henderson was that he always had a tendency to hit the ball hard after getting knocked down... I remember cheering when he was knocked down because of that. Next pitch BOOM! It was like a scene out of The Natural.

I was 17 and at this game with my parents. We sat on the field level past first base in short RF. Falcone was AWFUL early and we left after the 8th inning. So I am driving home to Mt Vernon up the Hutch north when HENDU CAN-DU on the radio. I start screaming and cheering as I am driving! My parents were also! Great memory. This was one of those games that gave us fans hope. We were so starved. This was the foreplay for the release that was about to happen several years later.

I was at the game with my first cousin. I remember the very, very small crowd going wild when they rallied in the 9th. It was as if they had won the WS. What makes it really special to me is that cousin spent a lifetime battling alcohol and drug abuse. He died young as a result. I have a lot of bad memories of the ways that he wasted his life, but I have a few really good ones. They all center around our mutual love of the Mets. I guess that the father-son story in "Field of Dreams" isn't that far off - for men of past generations baseball was the one thing you could share with guys who were very different from you. Sometimes my wife (who isn't from NY) asks why I don't start rooting for the Yankees. I guess a big reason is that the association with family (my Dad was a big baseball fan as well) gives the Mets a pretty permanent place in my heart.

As the years go by, my VHS tape of homemade highlights from 1980 means more and more to me, because I had the luck to have the machine (mostly) running during this ninth-inning comeback. I watch this home run about once a year. Amazin'.

What I remember most was attending this game with several of my friends and convincing them to leave early because I said "the game is over."

I cannot repeat the language I heard from them when they called me later that evening. We laughed about that for years!

What I remember most about the game was a young Fred Wilpon coming into the dugout to give Steve Henderson a high five after he hit that 3-run home run.

I was 16 years old and at the game with 4 of my friends and it was the most exciting ending to a game I had ever been to. The craziest thing was riding home on the 7 train afterwards, I somehow got our entire train car singing God Bless America since it was Flag Day. My friends never stopped talking about it. I kept the flag they gave out at the game as a good luck charm and had it with me in 86 during game 6.

When I’m reminded of Steve Henderson, my 1st thought is “Tom Seaver”, plus the other 3 (and then Dave Kingman via the trade to the Cubs). But if nothing else, he’s worth every memory for one swing of his bat, capping a comeback victory that left the Giants belittled, the CockyCount of Montefusco humbled, Allen Ripley “not believing” and Metville in their happiest since the 1973 NL Pennant. My lasting image of Steve taking a curtain call to a stunned and frenzied crowd (also happy for not giving up and leaving) leaves me nostalgic - it prefigured 1986, thus the 1980’s had begun on this Flag Day Night. The sale of the franchise in Jan, and a revival after a 9-18 start by a young team -reminiscent of 1969- this Sat. night gave rebirth to Mets Fever, spreading the next day to biggest crowd since Seaver’s return in 1977. Though the team continued to struggle under the new ownership, this event marked the coming-out party for Mets fans, re-emerging from under the shadows of King George and reclaiming NYC as a 2-team town.

Larry, I just want to point out that Dave Kingman was traded to the Padres, not the Cubs, on the same day as the Seaver deal. As for this game, it was a memorable one to those of us who were yearning for a Mets rebirth. Henderson's homer came at the end of a four-batter sequence with the team only one out away from defeat - just like a certain World Series game six years later. It started with Lee Mazzilli's single that scored Doug Flynn to cut the Giants lead to 6-3. Frank Taveras walked and Claudell Washington (who had just been acquired and still had no name on the back of his jersey) singled to drive home Mazzilli. Steve then slugged his first homer of the season for the big victory. I remember Tom Hausman reaching down to catch the ball in the Met bullpen and then jumping for joy. The fans and the rest of the team shared the same emotion.

Later, Henderson came out of the dugout to salute the crowd and high-fived Fred Wilpon himself! Just three weeks after the Islanders won their first Stanley Cup, I saw this as part of a rejuvenation process of the entire New York sports world.

Scoey, I think the trade Larry was referring to was the one that brought Kingman back to the Mets after the 1980 season. Henderson went to the Cubs in that deal. However, Steve's big homer to end this game was a thrill that capped a four-RBI night for him and made him a hero to Mets fans. It also brought his batting average to .341 on the year (third in NL at the time) and gave the Mets their eighth win in their last ten games. The team seemed to be heading for immediate pennant contention in its first season under new ownership, but it wasn't meant to be.

I remember listening to this game on my transistor radio. A friend of mine and I went to the local park to have a catch, and brought the radio with me. When Henderson came up, I predicted, "He's going to hit a home run." When he did, my friend gave me a look of incredulity and disbelief mixed with happiness.

Our whole family went to this game as an early Father’s Day present for my Dad. (Father’s Day was the next day.) Going to the bottom of the 9th, it was 6-2 Giants. And with 2 outs, the game looked over. Then Mazzilli, Taveras, and newly-acquired Claudell Washington reached, bringing Steve Henderson up with 2 outs, 2 on, and the Mets down 6-4. Then BOOM! And pandemonium. When we finally got out of Shea, it was a wild scene in the parking lot. Horns honking. Fans screaming. I’ve never seen anything like it.

The postscript: The Mets’ win brought their record to one game under .500 (27-28). The next day, they were shut out by Bob Knepper. They never again approached .500 for the rest of the year. Henderson’s walk-off was the pinnacle of the 1980 season.

The day after Steve Henderson hit a dramatic, game- winning home run in the bottom of the 9th. Figures when I finally got to see them they were shut out!

I was 7 years old. My first baseball game - sat in the 5th row right behind 3rd base with my dad and older brother. Unfortunately, we got shut out.

I believe it was before this game that the Mets took part in a filming for the TV show "Eight is Enough". Eight players (what other number should there have been) appeared in the episode of the show titled "And Baby Makes Nine."

The real star of the day, though, was someone who was not in the show. Claudell Washington, acquired earlier in the month, made team history. He became the first Mets' left-handed hitter, and third player, to hit three home runs in one game. This performance was more than enough for a win.

On a day when his new teammates went Hollywood, Claudell put on an act that was much more entertaining than a prime time drama.

Now this game I do remember. It was perhaps one of the most memorable games I have paid to see. Washington did hit the three home runs in his signature performance. I should have known that Dave "Gopher Ball" Goltz was pitching in that game. Myself and my friend were among a smattering of Met fans at the game, and the home crowd as usual left the stadium REAL QUICK!

This was the game the Dodgers held 'camera day' on the field before the game - the players would make the rounds from the 3rd base dugout to left field, center field and around to right, with fans allowed on the field to photograph them from up close. Great fun!

My Dad and I came to this game, it was our 3rd Dodger game and we hadn't seen them win one yet. This would not be the day! I remember Claudell Wasthington's dingers clearly - at least one of them went out down the right field line not far from where we sat.

Two previous entries for this day mention interesting things. Prior to the start of the game, fans took pictures of Dodger players in Camera Day activities while a taping for 'Eight Is Enough' was going on in the Mets bullpen. The ballpark scene in that episode of the TV series has the PA announcer saying that it's Camera Day at Dodger Stadium just before the focus is shifted to the Mets.

In the game itself, Claudell Washington was the one who grabbed center stage. He hit three home runs to lead the Mets to victory. If the Eight Is Enough crew had just decided to film actual game action for the show, Claudell would have become an instant celebrity!

This television appearance is a forgotten part of Mets history. It could have been either an idea of the show's producers or an attempt for publicity by the team's new ownership in its first year. However it came about, it was the Mets' one moment in the spotlight during a long, rough period between the 1973 World Series and the start of the Davey Johnson regime. The 'And Baby Makes Nine' episode of Eight Is Enough can be found online and should be considered Must-See TV for Mets fans.

This game was just posted on YouTube today; I'm listening to it now. The recording is the Dodgers' broadcast which means an enjoyable time listening to broadcasting legend Vin Scully.

So now I'm back in the summer of 1980 and Pacella just got the hook. Vin Scully counted every time Pacella's hat fell off. It fell off 23 times in an inning and two thirds. Homeboy needed a smaller hat.

Vin got really excited every time the hat fell off. It was cute.

It's funny how I don't remember what I had for lunch 3 days ago but I can remember listening to part of this doubleheader from the friendly confines on WMCA-AM 570 as I spent a fantastic sunny Wednesday afternoon in my cousin's backyard pool. I also got yelled at for dunking my cousin Meredith underwater due to the fact that she's had a history of earaches and she didn't have any ear plugs on.

John Pacella started this game. My dad and I spent much of the game counting the number of times Pacella's hat flew off his head in mid-delivery due to the torque in his motion.

First game of a DH. I think the Mets were only about 5 games behind the Expos at this point so it was a big DH. It was a giveaway game, advertised as receiving "a Cream Filled Cake" as only Murph could say. Turned out to be a Twinkee! Twinkee Twi-nighter! The left field field level and Loge had a huge twinkee fight mid game. Oh, thr game...Mets score late and often, I think a Joel Youngblood 3-run job capped a big late inning, to win, close the gap to 4 and set the stage for a memorable game two.

My memory of this game was the Twinkee give away day. They were giving away a case of Twinkees to whoever was sitting in a randomly picked seat. The person that won was sitting above me on the third base side of the field. Sitting below me was a Expos fan with his nice white Expos jersey. You know how New York fans are; don't come to our home and be wearing the opposing teams jersey. Shortly after the case of Twinkees were delivered to the gentlemen that won them, there were Twinkees flying past my head right for the guy in the Expos jersey. A major Twinkee fight was going on and I don't think the Mets ever had another Twinkee give away day to my knowledge.

After a thrilling first game (see previous post) game two started with the Expos grabbing a two run lead in the first....Joel Youngblood hit his second homer of the DH in the bottom of the first to give the Mets the lead. Next pitch was right at Mike Jorgensens head. Remember, Mike was beaned and severly hurt earlier in his carreer while with St. Loius. With that, John Streans come flying out of the doughout and bowls over the pitcher and starts a wild brawl! Several fights, several ejections. Mets lose by a run as Mazzilli lines out with the bases loaded....This DH is still memorable 20 years later!

I was 12 years old when my dad and I attended this game. We had field level box seats, third base side. I'll always remember this one because it was the first time I ever saw a brawl in person at a game. I remember the Mets had taken the first two games of this series and had scored four runs off Bill Gullickson. I remember Jorgensen walking out toward Gullickson, with his bat pointed at him, then Stearns charging out of the dugout at Gullickson. The fans were going NUTS and started the "Let's Go, Mets!" chant during the fight. Most of all, I remember a fan coming out of the stands and kicking Expos' outfielder Ellis Valentine squarely in the behind, then running away. My dad, who didn't like my cursing at anything, probably was either too caught up in the excitement, or sympathized with my anger when, as Gullickson walked off the mound after that and I yelled at the top of my 12-year-old lungs, "YOU SON OF A @!%@#!"

The game after the big brawl the night before. I'll never forget this: John Stearns's first at- bat, Scott Sanderson knocked him down with a fastball right at his dome, ordered by Montreal manager Dick Williams in retaliation for Stearns's charging the mound the day before. All the Mets were standing on the top step, as if awaiting Stearns's orders to go brawl again. Stearns didn't retaliate, but the Mets won the game anyway.

I went to this game,

5 runs by MTL in top of 10th, ugly alot of errors

This was the very first MLB game I ever attended. Have been a die hard Mets fan from this date forward.

I played centerfield on the NY Playboy Bunnies team at half time against the Bayside Federal Savings Bank for a charity fund raiser. I met Lee Mazzilli that day and after he saw me he hit 2 home runs! Whatta man!

One hot summer day and early evening! I do remember before the start of this the second game of the double header that the Playmate bunnies came on the field for their softball game in a hot air balloon! Leon "Bull" Durham creaming a pitch over the rightfield wall and into what I believe was the Mets players parking lot. Looking into the WOR-TV booth and seeing Ralph Kiner. Later that night I watched the news as I was staying with my cousins in Avenel, N.J. and they said that a fan had jumped off the mezzanine earlier that morning and commited suicide. What a tragedy as that still sticks in my head almost 26 years later. Overall a great day for two Met games as they won both!

I remember being at these games, being pretty young I honestly can't remember the Playmates or the balloon which is sad. Maybe I got up between games and was too busy running around to notice. I do remember Durham's HR which someone here mentioned went into the players' parking lot, as I recall, it actually broke Alex Trevino's windshield. Maybe the longest HR I ever saw at Shea.

I too remember being at these games. Bomback pitching a complete game and Durham's bomb stand out the most. After the games my friends and I stuck around and finally made our way out onto the field. Shocked that no one chased us off we explored both dugouts, my buddy scoring a cracked Bobby Bonds bat from the Cards dugout and I got a broken Jerry Morales bat from the Mets dugout. Leaning against the 410 sign in center field and looking back towards home plate was a cool site. As I recall this was the last day of the home stand and the outfield fence was painted, changing from green to blue, before the Mets returned from their road trip.

I was at that DH too. And yes Charlie, the Durham homer was one of the longest homers I ever saw hit at Shea. I also remember a crazy play that must have happened in game 1. The Mets had a runner on 3rd, the Cards pitcher threw a wild pitch but instead of caroming away, it bounced right back to the Card catcher and he tagged the Met runner out.

Just 11 days after the legendary brawl with the Expos, the Mets very nearly threw down in this game, too. It happened after Lee Mazzilli took Al "The Mad Hungarian" Hrabosky deep. The two were jawing at each other as Maz circled the bases. Just after reaching home plate, Maz handed his glasses to the bat boy and went out to dance with Hrabosky, but it was broken up moments later. This symbolized an exciting summer in which the Mets - albeit four years prematurely - were starting to show the rest of the National League they would no longer be pushovers.

43-43.... The Mets are playing .500 ball in July. At a mere 4.5 games out, the Mets are contenders. The magic is back!

Of course, they lost the next game and it was all down hill from there. But Joe Torre's Mets were never better.

This game will long be remembered (by me) for my call of the home run by Hector "Heidi" Cruz. Cruz was a light hitter who had zero home runs to that point in the season -- the type of hitter that often turned into Babe Ruth when facing Pete Falcone. So with the Mets up 3-2 in the sixth, Falcone lets a couple of runners on, and Cruz steps to the plate. I turn to my brother and say, "This guy's gonna hit one out." As predicted, Cruz smacks a three-run homer, making me look like a prophet. It was Cruz's lone homer of the season.

This was the only game of a four game series that the Mets won in Cincinnati, and they banged out 20 hits off four Reds pitchers.

Roy Lee Jackson, making his first start of the 1980 season, and only the seventh start of his major league career, struck out twelve and retired the last nineteen batters he faced. Jackson allowed three runs and three hits in his first 2.2 innings, then was unhittable the rest of the game. He struck out at least one batter in every inning, and got Dave Concepcion, Dan Driessen, Ken Griffey, and Ron Oester twice each.

Exactly 5 weeks after the Saturday Night Miracle at Shea, probably the most memorable Mets pitching performance of 1980, by a perennial late 1970’s late season callup. In retrospect,it was the precursor to Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden (unfortunately,Scott with the Astros). Roy Lee and Mike were teammates for years. Whatever Roy Lee was throwing in Cincinnati on this early evening was similar to whatever Scott adopted with Houston. It is forever agonizing that for Roy Lee Jackson, this was his last Mets win, and for Mike Scott this level of performance with a strikeout pitch that was oblivious to him (I assume he was there that night) became routine years after the Mets gave up on him. RLJ should’ve shared that pitch (“forkball”?) with any other Mets pitcher who could throw it. Nonetheless, another slice of Mets history we won’t forget!

After digging into it a bit with some research, this was the first game at Shea with the blue walls and National League team logos in the newly painted outfield fence. Before this, Shea obviously had green walls since its opening in 1964.

As for the game, Pat Zachry threw a shutout and the Mets were still staying on the outskirts of the playoff race before fading away in August.

I remember this was a really hot day. The guy sitting next to me was not only keeping track of his boxscore in his program but was also keeping track of the number of times John Pacella's hat would fall off after he delivered his pitch. We had great seats down near the field but I think I suffered heatstroke as I really felt sick all the way home.

Forgettable game , except that I had box seats and witnessed the pathetic sight of Dan Norman flailing away in the Mets pathetic attempt to turn him into a switch hitter.

Also seem to recall that assinine burro mascot of theirs from the 80's taking a dump on the warning track. Mettle was its name I think.

I was at this game. Pat Zachry almost lost his shutout in the ninth inning. Biff Pocoroba hit a ball that would have been a home run if it had stayed fair.

This was a Friday night contest at Shea that my brother Michael, his then-girlfriend Carol, and my cousin Rosemarie went to. Apart from myself, none of them were big baseball fans. For the time, I guess this was the strangest combination of people that I accompanied to a Mets game in person.

During the match, there was a man of Spanish descent sitting two or three rows behind us in Loge (we were directly behind home plate). All he kept saying was, "Let's go, Astros" in a heavy accent. He just wouldn't shut up. My brother was so annoyed with this fan that he was thinking of actually going up there and beating the hell out of him. But I persuaded him not to, saying that I was here for the game and that I'm not going to get into any embarrassing situations resulting in my missing a Mets victory. My brother decided to give peace a chance and calmed down.

Although the Astros put up a quick four-spot against Pacella, I figured the Mets would still have a chance to win; given that this was the period in 1980 where they went 47-39 and were looking pretty competitive. I was right. Lots of excitement abounded after Steve Henderson hit one of the Mets' 61 homers to lead the Amazin's to the comeback win and shut that Astros fan up for good.

When I recall this game with friends and fellow baseball fans, I refer to it as "Hot August Night at Shea" because of my brother's anger at that fan as well as the Mets' comeback victory.

I went to this game as a kid. Me, my dad, I'm trying to remember if my cousin went too. Definitely up in what were then the basically empty green seats. Great comeback after a tough start.

The things that stick in your mind. The Mets had come from behind the previous two nights to win. On this Sunday afternoon, they fell behind and began to rally. Steve Albert blurted, "it wouldn't be right if the Mets didn't have to come from behind!" In one of the earliest examples of my baseball intuition, I knew that was the wrong thing to say. The Mets lost. They shouldn't have fallen behind. Shut up Steve Albert, wherever you are.

The Expos won this game despite three triples by Doug Flynn, who tied a modern major league record.

The win was number 1,000 for Expos manager Dick Williams. The Expos fired him a little more than a year later.

If I have the right game, I think Hendu's HR in the ninth was an inside the park job. Listened to this one on the radio on the back porch.

The Mets won this game to improve their record to 56-57. Several times during the summer, they got to within a game of .500 but never could reach it. Still they were hanging around the middle of the NL East and fans were truly hopeful under the new ownership.

Unfortunately, after this game, they next lost seven in a row and had a dismal finish of the season to finish 67-95. The only thing that made the end of the 1980 season bearable was that they brought up Mookie, Hubie, and Wally from AAA in September to play everyday.

This was also Joe Torre’s last full season as manager as the 1981 season was shortened by the strike.

I remember this year well, I thought the Mets had finally turned the corner, they came into the game with a 56 - 57 record. The Phillies demolished the Mets and the team was'nt the same all year, finishing 11 - 38.

My first Mets game ever. I got Bob Apodaca's autograph.

I recall being so excited that they could be a ahead of the Phillies after this series... and then, not so much.

We went to this game for Marc's 12th birthday with Matthew Hershkowitz, he now lives in FLA. Manny Trillo hit a HR and it took a long time to get out of parking lot that night.

I was 17 at Shea and the Mets could pull ahead of the Phillies with a sweep. There was this feeling that we had finally turned the corner and were going to be competitive again. New owners too! Well... I remember watching John Pacella get completely rocked and his hat would fall off on almost every follow through. We completely fell apart as a team. Another one of those sad Mets fans moments - thinking....our pitcher not only is awful but he can't even keep his hat on his head! Dream over again.

After flirting with .500 and maybe even competitiveness if not actual contention for most of the season, the Mets drop both ends of a double-header to the Phillies capping a five game sweep. I was there, in the upper deck with my pal Eddie, where we drowned our sorrows in a box full of Twinkies. The magic was gone.

After staying within 1 game of .500 into mid- August and still within striking distance, they got clobbered 5 straight by the eventual champs, the Phillies, thereby putting the nails into their coffin and ending any hope they had for 1980. But after 3 miserable seasons in the late 70s, this stretch during June through mid-August under new ownership was a glimmer of hope for the future.

The Mets tie it up in the bottom of the ninth on a pinch-double by Joel Youngblood, then they don't score again over the next nine innings.

In this 18-inning game there are ten intentional walks, just one short of the major league record. Claudell Washington is intentionally walked three times, and Dave Winfield and Joel Youngblood are intentionally walked twice each.

This game was the first MLB game I ever attended. My mother and father took my brother and me to this game 23 years ago. Now, this past September, I had the opportunity to take my dad to a MLB game, along with my wife and my 3 month old son. Baseball is a wonderful family tradition.

Ed Lynch's first game. He could only improve.

The Mets had been flirting with .500 until mid- August when they fell apart. By September 1st, there was nothing to do but think about the future and they called up from Tidewater Wally Backman, Mookie Wilson, and Hubie Brooks who were their top draft choices of 1977 and 1978. The team was on the west coast and none of the three rookies got into the September 1st game, probably because of travel time. But Mookie and Wally started in this game on September 2nd and got three hits between them. All three of them got much playing time over the last month of the season.

Believe it or not I was at this game with a friend who had moved to LA. This was the first time in Dodger Stadium and it was strange rooting for the Mets as the home team challenged for a pennant. It also was the first time I had seen the Dodgers at home since I was a kid and my dad took to me to Ebbets Field. What struck me was the different setting the Dodgers now played in, compared to playing at Ebbets Field. Even though it was close most Dodger fans left in the 7th inning. I remeber seeing Mookie that night as well and I then followed them down the coast to San Diego.

This game ended an awful stretch for the Mets, where they went 3-25. Horrible. The once- promising 1980 situation of June through mid-August came tumbling down hard.

The Mets defeated the Cubs to end their thirteen-game losing streak on this day. Ed Lynch got his first major league win and Roy Lee Jackson pitched the final three innings for his first career save. This was also the last of seventeen straight games in which the Mets failed to hit a home run.

Lee Mazzilli homers in the seventh inning for the Mets. It is the first home run by a Met in 175 innings, or almost three weeks.

Of course, the next Mets homer comes two innings later when Steve Henderson hits one with two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth for the 10- 7 win.

Dave Kingman had two homers for the Cubs.

This was my first ever Mets game. I was there with my dad and sister. My dad bought tickets at the ticket window that day and we sat in the Loge behind home plate. The attendance that day was 10,003. We always joked that we were those 3. Remember the Lee Mazzilli HR like it was yesterday and the amazing comeback in the 9th inning.

One of the most exciting games of the year. Joel Youngblood smashes a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 10th to win the game! A little-remembered fact about this game was that it broke the least-attended games record in Mets history. And to think I was there. It was a Monday day game. I remember walking out of the park thinking this was one of the most exciting games I saw and got to share this with less than 5,000 other people. Now that is what I call hardcore Met fans. The ironic thing about this was the Mets broke this attendance record a few days later with even less people at the game. 33 years later I still bleed blue and orange. Lets GO METS!

This was the smallest crowd in the history of Shea - about 1,800 on hand for the action. It was a day game. The crowd was so sparse, I could hear Dave Parker shouting from his perch on the dugout railing. He was wearing a warm-up jacket and listening to a Walkman.

Stve, you're right...the official attendance was 1,754 for this Tuesday afternoon game as the Mets picked up their seventh win of the month of September against 21 losses. At this point the Mets were 22 games behind the first place Expos, and the Pirates were just over .500 and eight games out of first place.

The Mets scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to win the game, with the lead run scoring on a sac fly by Alex Trevino.

The starting lineup for New York featured three rookies who were all called up that September for their first taste of the major leagues: Mookie Wilson, Hubie Brooks, and Wally Backman.

Final home game of the season. Fan Depreciation Day. Cold, rain, drizzle.

The Mets held their "All-Star Relay Rallye" of two balls, one marked "A", the other "N," racing across the instant replay screen. If your scorecard matched the winning ball, you usually got a small souvenir. This time, they gave away a free souvenir to all fans, but we couldn't hear what it was. So Andrew sent me down, down, down, the stairs in the upper deck, to the refreshment stand, where they handed me...a free cup of ice cream.

Then back, up, up, up, to our seats under the overhang, in the rain, fog, cold, and drizzle. I handed him the ice cream. "Bon appetit," I said.

"Team is crazy," Andrew said, echoing Choo Choo Coleman.

That was the 1980 Mets.

When your friends taunt you about an opposing relief pitcher hitting a grand slam off your guys, it's never fun.

For most of the summer, the Daily News ran a box in the sports section called "Mets vs. Maris" as the team struggled to hit 61 home runs for the season. Hubie Brooks' first big league tater, in this game, allowed the Amazin's to tie Roger's then-single season mark.

I thought Hubie hit number 61 in the final game of the year. Guess I was wrong.

Thought of an interesting situation: What if the Mets had brought up Hubie, Mookie, Wally, and Ed Lynch in July when they were competing as opposed to September? Obviously, a pennant would have been unlikely, but I think if those guys were there, then the Phillies don't sweep them in that five-game set in August. Plus, I think they would have been in the 73-win range. I think they were more ready for the bigs than what was originally thought.