The Miracle of 1969

It was 40 years ago, and it yet to me it seems like yesterday.

All my friends at school were Baltimore fans, while I rooted normally for ST.LOUIS, but this was a crappy year for the Cards, and there were these other guys, the New York Mets, and they didn't suck that bad this year.

All during the spring, and summer and the back
into September, it was all about how easy it was for the Orioles to win the Series, a veritable cake walk.

Well, you get tired of hearing this, so you lash out , at least at 14 years of age , you don't think twice, so I told Paulie, and his older brother Jimmy that I thought the Mets could beat the O's, and boy that caused quite a laugh. I wasn't even sure I had said, but all through September in school I had it thrown back at me. " What an idiot !", "Mets Suck", " You're Nuts".



So it's late September, we just get our class photos taken and I hear again the Mets Suck chant as we stroll back to the classroom, so I remember reading Milt Dunnell, a longtime columnist with the Toronto Star write that the Mets might have a chance toi beat the Atlanta Braves, so I retort that I would wager my lunch money on the Mets getting to the Series.


Then the darnedest thing happened, they won, and easily, Seaver and Koosman, Gentry, Nolan Ryan, Tug McGraw were all dominant.

Then they lost Game 1, the O's and Dave McNally mowed down the Amazin Mets.

All seemed lost, or at least according to the fates.

Then they made the most incredible plays, and Koosman won, and Seaver did, an Al Weis hit the ball, and Ed Charles made great stops, Agee and Cleon Jones, and Ed Kranpool dove for balls, and it was contagious and infectious. Great plays begat more great plays.

Suddenly a week into the series, there were no taunts in the hallways, and the same dudes were not making eye contact.

It was actuall fun to got to school, like when the Leafs were winning cups in the 60's.















They strung 4 straight gems, and the 100 win Orioles were vanquished 4 games to 1.

I walked tall for a week, and me , a Cardinals fan, soon to be an Expo fan, was taking credit for the upstart Mets. The Mets would return in 1973, with Willie Mays in tow, at 41, but bowed to the A's and Reggie. Still another chance to reflect on what was a miracle season.

It was 40 years ago ( sounds like a Beatles intro ) and it seems like yesterday.

This blog is dedicated to Joe Costa, a good friend of mine, a true blue Mets fan.

Joe's Mets were the 1986 version, of Knight, Mookie, Strawberry and Gooden

Joe's Mets of 2009 have a rough year, and with Johan Santana the latest casualty, I thought I remind him ( he reads me occasionally that he should "Believe in Miracles"