National League Standings, May 31, 1998
METS FANS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE MAY 31, 1998 GAME:
Lee D
May 28, 2010
GF and I were there. Ungodly hot day. We had seats on the field level, so they had the temporary metal floor stands. Combined with the heat of the sun on the 90+ degree day, and the heat from the Astroturf, it made for major discomfort.
Mets take an early 5-1 lead. I'm cheering, quite happy that my Mets are doing so well. Some fat Phillies fan in back of me says something like, "Stop cheering against my team." I said, "I'm not, I'm cheering for my team." He said something like STFU. Phillies come back to take the lead 6-5. He starts getting overly obnoxious and in my face and stuff. I'm thinking, "Whatever." Mets then take the lead and wind up winning the game 8-6.
The gentleman, as the game is just about over, asked me, "If you're such a huge Mets fan (I guess he was calling me a bandwagoner or something), who was the manager before Davey Johnson?" I look at him dead in the eyes and say, "Frank Howard." He turns around in a huff and says, "smartass."
Dan the Man
April 28, 2011
Was at this game when I was just a freshman in high school. Really can't remember too much what happened in the actual game but I must be one of the few Met fans whose had nothing but positive experiences with the old Vet and the city of Philadelphia. Then again these were the days when the old Vet was at least half full of Met fans and the Phillies were always in last place. No one in Philly cared about the Phillies back then. I should have appreciated those times more as the roles between the Mets and Phillies has certainly changed since then.
Dave VW
January 11, 2024
I went to college at Rowan University in Gloucester County, NJ, which was only about a half hour drive from Philly. So I, too, went to many Mets/Phillies games at the Vet ... but not this one. I was still a junior in high school at the time up in Bergen County.
Bobby Jones had one of his worst starts in 1998, lasting just 4 innings and allowing all 6 Philly runs. Thankfully, the Mets had the better bullpen, as the combination of Brian Bohanon, Mel Rojas and John Franco threw 5 shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits. Meanwhile, Phillies pitching was downright awful, allowing the Mets to collect a season-high 19 hits. Mark Leiter -- Al's brother -- gave up a 2-run single to Bernard Gilkey as soon as he came into the game in the 8th, which proved to be the deciding blow. The win was the Mets 9th straight, which was their longest streak of the season, and the team's longest since 1991. It also gave the Mets their first 3-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1995.
Now it's your turn! Tell us what you remember of this game:
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