Mookie Lights Up Late 1981

[G-Fafif]

Sprawling video highlights here of the game written about here (Game 039 on The Happiest Recap) and other related (and non-related) events from September 1981, as the Mets competed for a division title in their own way.

Come in at 6:50 for the game in question but the whole thing's an incredible time capsule.

Oh yeah, I can post it here:

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[DocTee]

That was great. Best 20 minutes of my day (so far)! Thanks for sharing.

Len Berman conflating Hubie and Mookie, and Ralph referring to Ron Hodges as Gil. Classick.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Right from the top, Hernandez's defense against Stearns' hustle and speed out of the box is Metliness etched in lightning. Extras gigawatts for Kiner futzing Keith's name.

[G-Fafif]

DocTee wrote: Len Berman conflating Hubie and Mookie

Oddly enough, Mookie conflates Len Berman with Chris Berman.

Whereas Hubie conflates Len Berman with Len Matuszek.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ralph conflated Hubie Brooks with Hubie Blake.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That was completely awesome.
* Pat Zachry's insane windup
* A rare sighting of Ed Lynch wearing No. 34
* A really bad day in LF for Phil Roof (normally a catcher IIRC) allowing Frank Taveras' ridiculously risky attempt to stretch.
* Ozzie Smith as a Padre

[G-Fafif]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That was completely awesome. * Pat Zachry's insane windup * A rare sighting of Ed Lynch wearing No. 34 * A really bad day in LF for Phil Roof (normally a catcher IIRC) allowing Frank Taveras' ridiculously risky attempt to stretch. * Ozzie Smith as a Padre

This was a different roof: Gene Roof.

Look closely at the road unis: The numbers are serif, which I had no recollection of.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Who's that catching the ball in the bullpen?

(answering my own question) : Ron Hodges!

[G-Fafif]

Ron Hodges. Used in the game, pinch-run for, went out there and warmed up relievers. What a teammate!

[batmagadanleadoff]

That link leads to this link (below) of Darryl Strawberry clocking the clock at Busch Stadium:

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[batmagadanleadoff]

.... and Darryl hits the ring of lights on the top of Olympic Stadium -- Opening day 1988

[youtube:1hn60ai1]qQHporpaZnc&feature[/youtube:1hn60ai1]

[Guest Edgy DC]

How aggressive was the Kingman shift that Gene Roof (Phil's brother) was in position to make the catch when Kong ripped it down the line?

The cutaway was badly timed, but it seemed like a terrible call at the plate (and bad positioning) by Dick Stello, who I don't remember. (Looking him up, holy crap, he was married to busty exoctic film star Chesty Morgan.)

I didn't see it when I was 13, but you get a pretty good look at how the still-hitting-well Rusty Staub (as alluded to in another thread) is out of his depth at first, failing to handle do handle-able balls in the dirt. I'm surprised no AL club wanted to trade for him in order to DH him.

Great catch by Maddox at the 371 sign. No wonder Ralph loved his defense so much.

I hadn't realized the Templeton/Smith swap was also a number swap. Templeton wore 1 also.

I hadn't recalled that Neil Allen had switched to 13 as early as 1981.

What is going on in that Cardinals game in minute eight that the Mets have 18 hits but only five runs to show for it? Hubie leads off the ninth with a high chopper. Hit number 19. Knog singles through the hole. TWENTY! Any more runs? A popout to Herr and a GiDP say no! What an unproductive game!

Then down 6-5 in the tenth, Taveras pulls the aforementioned double on Roof. Twenty one! Sutter starts doing what people did to Mookie his whole career, including game six against the Sox, giving him breaking balls at his ankles. Kablammo! Mookie lights up the brand new apple. I think I read an interview where Mookie said this was his fondest memory, even moreso than the bleeder down the line to Buckner.

Terrible pre-Bill Webb direction panning the field-level seats and missing Mookie's curtain call. What the hell was Mike Howard doing in that game anyhow?

In Edgy Heaven, Doug Flynn and Mookie Wilson are always the special guests on Kiner's Korner. Shit, Staub too. Mook is still breathing heavy in the studio with Ralph.

What does Flynn's shirt say? Is it another Woody shirt?

[DocTee]

From that Darryl Opening Day clip:

1. 'Spos unis a thing of beauty. Shame the DC incarnation of that team doesn't wear red-white-blue (OE: tricolor caps)
2. Tim Wallach looking skyward in disbelief as Darryl rounds third.
3. Groucho Marx was a Mets trainer?

[Guest Edgy DC]

That was the first game with the roof on, and hadn't it been there, it might have been the first and only homer to escape the big O.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

McCarver sounding very much like Darryl Waltrip --a lot more Southern twang than he shows today.