tim daiss
June 10, 2001
October, 1969, I was seven years old and fell in love with the Braves. But, as they did for a decade and a half, they broke my heart. Though favored, with more veterans, than New York the Braves were simply outclassed. T. Daiss, Savannah, Georgia

Richard Beattie
July 13, 2004
My father tricked me. I was a Met's fan from the start- and now I was 11. I had a broken wrist that fall. My folks went under the cover of a check-up at the Doctor. Mom took me in to Dad's office in Brentwood and then we were to go to the Doctor. Dad asked me "Do you think the Mets will win?" and I said, "Yes- I know they'll win!" He laughed and held up the tickets- and I remember saying "You're kidding!" We headed off to Shea. Parking was so bad that day that Dad sheeplishly said- "I don't think we can find a parking space." Well I started to cry and he found one pretty fast. When we got to the gate we heard a crack of the bat and the crowd groaned. Henry Aaron hit a massive home run off of Nolan Ryan. But the Mets roared back. Gentry relieved Ryan- and the crowd poured on top the field. I asked my Dad if we could get some turf- and that's where he drew the line. My younger brother has never quite forgiven me for going to game three of the first NLCS. But I never will forget what my Dad did for an 11 year old with a cast on his arm.

Hot Foot
June 7, 2023
Richard, it's not my style to email posters on this site directly, so I'll just say here that although you wrote your post on this game in 2004, I have to say that it made me cry.

I only read your comment on this game after my post on the previous game had been published. Reading your story of your dad's surprise led to an emotional outburst, a kind of a purging of the mourning for my father that I have kept inside for over four years now. I never cried when my dad passed in 2019, but my tears after your post made up for that.

Your wonderful story of your dad surprising you with tickets to this game is one of the heartwarming stories I think I have ever heard in my life, just because it reminds me of that special connection that baseball can bring between young boys and their fathers.

Honestly, before 1986, I was a momma's boy and therefore somewhat distant from my dad because he was working so much, but the 1986 Mets brought us closer together. We went to eight games that year.

Being a single dad (after December 1986), he didn't have the means to surprise me with playoff tickets like your dad did, but I remember in 1988, he and and my uncle took me to the game for my birthday (a tradition that started in 1986) he had the Shea Stadium scoreboard wish me a 'Happy Birthday' (along with about 10 other names).

It was just before the 7th inning I think, and I needed to go to the bathroom or get a soda or a pretzel and was about to go down the ramp, but my dad stopped me and made me look at the scoreboard, and it flashed HAPPY BIRTHDAY (with my name after in all caps) and that is a memory I will never forget.

It must have been great to see this game in person. I'm just as envious as your brother, but also extremely thankful that you shared your story so that it can be an example to all dads out there of the best a dad can be.

Ed V
August 9, 2024
I remember coming home for lunch from Catholic school, 2nd grade in the Bronx, and my father and 2 uncles getting in the car and heading to the Big Shea. One of the uncles worked on Wall Street and got his firm's tickets. My dad told me years later that after they went over the Whitestone they found a spot in the marina and walked over since the parking was difficult. They did the same for the Jets Chiefs playoff game over 2 months later. I remember rushing home two blocks and leaving my grandmother in the dust to watch the last inning and change!