Mets Walk-Offs And Minutiae

Continuing our series of essays tying in various aspects related to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. We've talked in the past about the signs indicating that its your year and how so many events foreshadowed the end result for the 1986 New York Mets, but those same mysterious powers were at work for a couple of other baseball teams that season. That's what I like so much about that particular season. My fellow bloggers over at Faith and Fear in Flushing are relating, on a weekly basis, their favorite thoughts about that campaign and I encourage you to indulge them every Friday. I don't know what their topic of choice is this week, but I'm going to write about one of my favorite 1986 games, one that I've never even seen, other than in boxscore form. If you thought the Mets comeback on October 25, 1986 was improbable, fasten your seatbelts, as a wise man once said, for one that surpasses it in terms of amazingness and includes a couple of Metsian blasts from the past.

January 31 is the best birthday in baseball. You know why? Because it's the birthday of Jackie Robinson, a baseball pioneer of great courage and fortitude who stood up to racism and oppression and paved the way for those who followed his path. Because it's the birthday of Ernie Banks, a man who loved baseball so much that he'd always rather play two. The 512 career home runs were a pretty good reason why. Because it's the birthday of Nolan Ryan, a pitcher of great strength and endurance, who sent 5,714 batters muttering and cursing back to the dugout in frustration. Because it's the birthday of Charlie Robertson who showed that perfection can be attained (see Tigers vs White Sox, April 30, 1922) even in the face of mediocrity (see a 49-80 career record). Because it's the birthday of Duke Maas, Pinky Hargrave, Stuffy Stewart, Steamboat Williams, Goat Cochran, Honey Barnes, whose presence reminds us of the wonder of the nickname, to have fun with the sport, and to