Ten Years Present & Accounted For

[G-Fafif]

Ten years ago today, the lights went out in New York City. The Mets and Giants were slated to meet for the final time that season that night, but it was kind of dark. So they postponed. And then they cancelled. The game had potential home-field ramifications for the eventual NL West champion Giants, but the last-place Mets weren't keen to make it up at season's end, especially since Shea was about to be set up for Bruce Springsteen's long-awaited concerts; initial word was they'd have to fly their miserable selves to San Francisco from Miami, where they were finishing their futile season on September 28, but the Giants were ultimately the ones carrying the onus to come to New York from L.A. before having to zip back to San Fran for their playoff opener versus the Marlins. They passed, electing to finish a half-game behind the Braves (against whom they had the better head-to-head mark) for best overall NL record.

Moot point: Marlins beat the Giants in the NLDS.

Anyway, that was the last time the Mets wound up with a cancelled game, one that was never made up. They've been quite diligent about playing everything ever since. In fact, only the 2003 blackout game and the final road game of the year before in Pittsburgh -- cancelled in the face of Hurricane Isidore -- are the only two games the Mets haven't made up since the conclusion of the 1994-95 strike. They may not win 'em all, but the Mets sure as hell play 'em all.

[Ceetar]

That was 10 years ago? Why do I keep thinking it was 2004?

I was in Intercourse, PA in Amish Country. It was quite the shock when we started driving home and we crossed back into a cellphone reception zone.

We played mini-golf in Allendale, PA and grabbed the last hotel room at a Holiday Inn where the air conditioning was set for like 55.

[Ceetar]

last game not played in MLB was a Nationals-Dodgers game in 2011.

interestingly, that may have cost the Nats a protected pick for 2012.

[Guest themetfairy]

I was talking to some new neighbors who had moved in next door. The lights flickered. I mumbled that PSE&G was ridiculously unreliable (in the time since then they have put in newer cables, and have improved) and didn't think much of it until I went back to my house and saw the news coverage of the blackout.

[Edgy MD]

I bet Fman was in Intercourse during the blackout too.

[G-Fafif]

Had tickets to that cancelled game, btw. Since they were from a friendly company's season tickets, there was no raincheck to exchange unless that specific game was going to be played. I was sick as an incredibly sick dog at season's end, so I wouldn't have taken advantage of the theoretical makeup. If there was cachet to August 14, 2003, I suppose that unused ticket might be worth something. I'm guessing it's around here somewhere.

Waited out blackout in the apartment of two very generous people that night, briefly turning on radio to hear MFYs taking over WFAN, as they were on the road and playing, while WCBS was attending to its breaking news function.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Had field level front row tickets, behind home plate, behind the screen for that game. I've still got the tickets. They're somewhere around. Did not know that that was the last canceled Mets game at Shea, and in fact, ever, not to be rescheduled. Was working on a big work related project on the computer for hours when the lights went out. Lost all of my work. No save work.

[ashie62]

I though we had been attacked again.

[Fman99]

Edgy MD wrote: I bet Fman was in Intercourse during the blackout too.

I do not have a specific recollection of this outage or its local effect. It was not one that I'd be able to distinguish from the 3-5 annual short-term power losses we get due to weather issues up here.

Having said that, most of my blackout stories are WAY dirtier than the rest of you.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's insane that it was 10 years ago.

I loved that blackout. As Gfafif prolly remembers, I tried getting out of our building by walking the fire escape but ran out of steps a few floors up so had to come all the way back. Walked home over the 59th street bridge. I had my portable radio as usual and so was a valuable guy as I made my way though the streets providing updates to strangers.

Was amazed to see how quickly guys dragging wagons full of flashlights for sale just materialized.

My only regret was that I meant to go to the ATM that day and hadn't.

[Lefty Specialist]

Was at work in the city when everything went dead. The office went eerily quiet without the hum of airconditioning or computers. Then suddenly there was a series of loud noises...'BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!' as the electromagnetically held-open fire doors slammed shut on every floor of a 12-story building. Scared the living bejesus out of me.

Yes, in those days, the first thing you thought was 'Uh-oh, terror' but it was quickly pretty obvious from the news that it was no such thing. On the street in Manhattan there was a bit of a party atmosphere, with amateurs directing traffic at stop lights. Then spent 4 hours crushed in a small Lexus with 6 other people trying to get through the Holland Tunnel to Jersey. Since the automated air circulation was off line, only a few cars could go through at a time to prevent carbon monoxide from building up. Fun times.