By: Nickybhoy
Disclosure: I am a poor writer and I am aware. This is more about me sharing my passion and stories than trying to be a proper writer.
There has been much controversy on this side of the pond over the past week surrounding the writers decision not to vote one single player into the Hall of Fame.
This was not a surprise to all as some expected such action as this was the first time members of what is being called the "Steroid Era" were up for vote. Clements, Bonds and Piazza have all been SUSPECTED yet not proven to have taken performance enhancement drugs and it seems the writers have made their statement not to elect them first ballot, which statistically they all should be.
However, what was more shocking to me was that Craig Biggio, not ever suspected of wrongdoing, was not even elected in despite collecting over 3000 hits in his career.
So baseball fans are arguing over if this was fair or not and it is opening up the steroids discussion once again.
I will not get into any of that shite as I know that Mike Piazza is going to Cooperstown and probably sooner rather than later, however, but I also know that he is already there in the hearts of Mets fans.
Since the trade that brought him here from the Florida Marlins in 1998, Mike Piazza took the New York Mets from pretenders to contenders. Over 30K showed up for his first game to watch him go 1-4 with a double. While not a superstar day, to get 30K people out to Shea in the mid to late 90s was sign itself that the Mets just did something right..
Piazza went on to hit big homer run after big home run for the Mets but there was one home run in general that really put him in the hearts of New York Mets fans...and even non Mets fans forever.
The date was September 21st, 2001 and Baseball was ending its 2 week suspension of play after the 9-11 terrorist attacks in Downtown Manhattan. Our world for the past two weeks was that of mourning and shock.
No one really even cared that MLB was cancelling games left and right, however, when announced that the games would start up again, it so happened that the first sporting event post 9-11 in New York would be the Mets vs the Braves.
For myself, I have just sat through one of the worst few weeks of my life. In late August we found a dear friend of the family dead and had just finishing burying him when my Uncle was one of the firefighters killed at the Word Trade Center. After weeks of funerals and services, I HAD to go to a baseball game. There was no doubt in my mind.
I did not know what to expect in terms of crowds and as the game started, I realized, that many other New Yorkers needed baseball as well. Only a game like Baseball could help heal our city from its darkest days.
The game was a huge fanfare and in a rare touching moment in the rivalry, before the game the Mets and Braves took to the field for a pre game embrace. It was a sign of solidarity and a sign of compassion and that some things are more important than a game.....but lets not kid ourselves, when that first pitch went across the plate, it was back to being Mets vs Braves.
In the 8th Inning with the Mets losing and Mike Piazza came to the plate. As you all know, Mike hit a home run that sent the Shea Stadium crowd into complete bliss. A bliss that has been building up in us all for 2 weeks and we were just waiting for the right moment to release. We got that moment, We finally got to cheer again, we finally got to be normal again.
Baseball once again has gotten us through tough times and this time it was Mike Piazza to get us there. Mike Piazza who since coming to the Mets was a fan favorite, for a few moments made us all forget what has been going on in the world. The power of Baseball.
Mike Piazza....while he might not have gotten voted in by writers, he was voted in by the hearts of New Yorkers long before.
Here is my top 5 Mike Piazza Home Run countdown.
5. Mike Piazza hits a 482 foot home run against the Yankees at Shea Stadium
4. 1998 Pennant race vs Billy Wagner.
There is no video but it was a tight pennant race and Piazza hit a 3 run home run in the 9th inning to take the lead. The Mets came into the inning down 2-0. The best part of this home run was that it was also his career number 200.
3. Three run shot vs Braves.
They scored 10 runs in the 8th inning to come back and beat the Braves in a great regular season game. This game was late June but it felt like Late September
2. 1999 NLCS Game 6.
The Mets were down and stormed a come back and Piazza blasted this one to tie the game. We lost this game, but was still a clutch home run.
1. September 21, 2001
As discussed above. I posted a 3 minute portion of a documentary to give you a sense of what the night was like.
