The Subway Series

It’s Subway Series time again! I have to say I’m a fan always have been. Of course, I have some great memories of the raucous atmospheres, granted mostly at the Old Yankee Stadium and at Shea.

I remember sitting with my brother (a Mets fan, God love him) at Game 2 of the 2000 World Series, when Mike Piazza tried to “hit,” Roger Clemens with his bat. I also remember taking my son Ryan to a game when he was six or seven. Back then he would root for both teams, but he had his favs on both teams. When the Mets would come to bat he would wear his Robin Ventura T-shirt but when the Yanks came to bat he would switch to his Jeter shirt.

I was bartending during the 2000 World Series and my partner was a Mets fan. So, we agreed to be civil during the games. Game one was a Saturday night and Elton John was at Madison Square Garden, so we were packed. Every guy — and gal — wanted to watch the game. Elton actually stopped early so people could leave. As the bottom of the 9th inning started, the Yanks are down 1-0, Paul O’Neill walks and later, as he scored the tying run, this nice older couple sat up to the bar.

My partner, who shall remain nameless, picked up a napkin coaster and threw it at the bin behind the bar, which was below the couple. Not baseball fans obviously, they shrieked because they thought he was throwing it at them. I looked up and the Yankee fans were cheering and there was a shower of beverage naps floating to the floor.

In Game 6 when the ball that Piazza hit, which I was sure was gone, landed in Bernie’s glove, my partner kicked what he thought was an empty bin. It wasn’t empty, but it broke the tension. We are still friends to this day.