Tank's Vlog Special 35 years ago

Frank the Tank is the creator of the Sportsecyclopedia.com

It was 35 years ago. I was nine, it was the first season I fully got into baseball. I hade been to a game at Fenway Park in 1983, the Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of the season 7-4. There were four home runs, and sitting in Centerfield as a seven-year-old was more interested in watching fans climb the Green Monster to get a ball. To me, Fenway looked like an old factory outside, as my father mocked Carl Yastrzemski when he came to the plate.

Now I was at Shea Stadium for the first time, the Mets were 2-0 after two thrilling wins over the Cardinals. I had recently got the Topps sticker book with Dwight Gooden on the cover. There was a buzz over the arrival of Gary Carter, as the sign outside Shea Stadium said ''Catch the Rising Stars''. Unlike the first game, I saw this was a pitcher's duel. The only run came on a home run by Gary Carter in the fourth inning as both Mario Soto and Bruce Berenyi were on the money. 

Berenyi allowed just one hit in seven innings, a first-inning single by Pete Rose. Rose very unpopular by Mets fans who chanted Pete Rose sucks and booed every at-bat, lingering from his fight with Bud Harrelson in 1973. Berenyi would strike out six batters before Doug Sisk took over allowing two hits, including one to Rose to earn the save as the Mets won 1-0 and had a new fan. 

In the 35 years since the Mets have given me a lot of heartaches but it was this day that changed my life forever.