National League Standings, September 20, 1981
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE SEPTEMBER 20, 1981 GAME:
David Phillippi
February 6, 2002
My dad brought me to this game on my birthday. Mets were just starting to put together a decent team with guys like Mookie and Hubie. Mets were winning 5-4 in the top of the 9th when Mookie ran down a long fly ball, seemed to catch it, then dropped it as he crashed into the wall. Cards took the lead 6-5. In the bottom of the 9th, Frank Taveras got on with a walk or single, then stole second base (maybe moved over by the pitcher). Then Mookie came up with 2 outs and hit a home run almost over my head in the right field boxes and just over the right field wall by the pole. My dad wanted to leave early and convinced me to at least stand near the exit. That's why I NEVER leave a game before it's over. All the way back on the train, the fans were buzzing about the Mets actually contending for the division that late in the season.
tom g
May 27, 2002
This was one of the best games I ever went to. Mets trailed 5-0, finally tied it up, and then Tito Landrum hit a triple and scored on an error by Mookie Wilson on the same play in the top of the 9th inning. Then in the bottom of the ninth, Mookie hit a 2-run home run off of Bruce Sutter to win the game 7-6.
tom g again
May 27, 2002
The guy david who wrote on 2/6/02 was wrong about several aspects of this game. Mets did not lead 5-4 and blow lead in 9th. Look at linescore of game. They trailed 5-0 in 3rd, then tied up game, then Landrum hit the triple that Mookie made the error on in 9th to give Cards the go-ahead run. Tavares hit a double in the 9th with 2 out and no one on, barely making it safe to give Mookie his at-bat, which he then hit the 2-run home run off Sutter for the win.
Bob P
May 27, 2003
The Mets had TWENTY-TWO hits in this game! They went down 1-2-3 in the first inning, then they had at least two hits in each remaining inning, including 6 hits in the 7th inning, when they tied it 5-5.
Mookie and Hubie each had 4 hits and John Stearns had 3.
Pete
November 3, 2006
I attended this game and still remember Ron Hodges catching Mookie's homer in the Mets' bullpen. The stands were pretty well empty by that point. Actually, they were probably pretty well empty when the game started too. This was also one of the first few games that Garry Templeton played for the Cards after flipping off the St. Louis fans (remember Whitey yanking Templeton down into the dugout?) Shea booed him mercilessly every at-bat. That was probably the best thing he ever did for St. Louis as they traded him for Ozzie Smith shortly after that.
The thing I remember most about this game is Mookie pumping his fist as he rounded 1st base and everyone that was left in the stands was absolutely delirious. People were hugging people they didn't even know, the team mobbed Mookie at home and the celebration lasted a good 5 or 10 minutes on the field. It was one of those few times in the early 80's that you felt like they were beginning to turn it around. There was hope and Shea was beginning to come back to life.
Mike M
October 7, 2008
I found it. I always remember a game with Mookie hitting a game winning HR off Sutter. Wasn't at Shea though. I was 10, sitting at home watching on WOR-TV. Vividly remember the closeups of Sutter then Mookie back to Sutter then Mook crushing it
Lawrence
February 13, 2013
My dad was a Cardinal fan, and as a youngster I rooted for them too. In 1981 I was working at NY Life in the pension plan department, and my boss assigned me a plan for a travel agency called Cardinal Travel. Dal Maxvill was one of the owners, and when I first spoke with him, I began the conversation by telling him that I remembered his triple in Game 7 of the 1967 World Series in Fenway against the Red Sox. So he left me 4 tickets for this game. Drinking beer, falling behind 5-0, and sitting with Cardinal fans, I stood up and hollered "The Mets are going to win this game!" People laughed at me. Now it's bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, and people are leaving, so I stand up and holler "Hey, where are you going? The Mets are going to win this game!" Same reaction from the people around me. After Taveras gets on and Mookie atones for his error by hitting his 2-run homer, I felt vindicated. But I never heard from Maxvill again.
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