Today is May 8, 2007.
The Mets officially became known as the Mets on May 8, 1961.
Players who made their Met debut on May 8, include Cliff Cook (1962), Mike Phillips (1975), Chico Walker (1992), Cory Lidle (1997) and Alex Escobar (2001).
John Maine made his debut in general on May 8, 1981. I celebrated by watching Fernando Valenzuela edge Mike Scott 1-0.
I'm 0-2 at Shea on May 8. Twelve years after Fernandomania washed over me in Flushing, I saw the Mets record their very first loss versus the Marlins, 4-2, on May 8, 1993.
I'm 1-0 in other ballparks on May 8, having seen the Mets best the Diamondbacks in Arizona, 4-2, on May 8, 1999.
The last time the Mets won on May 8 was, in fact, May 8, 1999.
The Mets are 16-21 overall on May 8 despite winning every day on this date between 1962 and 1966, including a doubleheader split in '66. Since that start, the Mets are 11-20 on May 8.
The Mets played one other doubleheader on May 8, losing two at Candlestick Park on May 8, 1977, the second game of which they were losing 10-0 in the seventh when it was called for rain. The Mets filed a protest regarding the decision to stop playing or play at all; I vaguely recall they had the protest upheld but it still wound up a 10-0 loss.
I received my first replica Mets batting helmet on May 8, 1971.
Jon Matlack should have been wearing protective headgear on May 8, 1973. He was struck by a line drive off the bat of the Braves' Marty Perez and sustained a hairline fracture.
The New York Mets were joined by a second reigning champion in New York when the Knicks won their first world title on May 8, 1970.
The only Mets who have homered on May 8 in this century are Mike Cameron (2005), Desi Relaford (2001) and Edgardo Alfonzo (2001).
The Mets traded Jay Hook for Roy McMillan on May 8, 1964, twenty years before releasing Dick Tidrow on May 8, 1984.
There has been no Mets game on May 8 ten different times.
But there is one tonight, May 8, 2007. So I would kindly ask my co-blogger, born on May 8, 1969, to see if he can get us a birthday gift that we can all enjoy after the clock strikes midnight.
(Fancy way of saying Happy Birthday Jace…now go see if you can do something about this absurd May 8 drought.)
Happy birthday, Jason! I echo your co-blgoger's sentiments in hoping you get a nicely-wrapped, beautiful W. Oh hell, any W will do, shiny or not, with ribbon or without. It's the thought that counts.
Awww. Thanks. I can't believe I never knew Mike Phillips made his debut on my birthday.
That 1977 doubleheader loss on my eighth birthday must have been scarring. I'd say that's the kind of thing that could mark a kid for life, but then I was already a late-70s Met fan….
Afterthought: He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named hit his first career home run on tMay 8th, and his 745th (and most recent – for now) on May 8th.
Happy afterbirthday, Jason!
PS – What do Steve Nash amd David Wright have in common? They both had a double double last night.
Hi Greg,
A few other fun and not much fun facts that happened on May 8th:
Germany surrendered in 1945.
Janet McTeer born in 1961.
First James Bond film “Dr. No.” made it's U.S. premier in 1963
Construction workers attack anti-war protesters near Wall Street in 1970.
Nixon announced placing mines in major North Vietnamese ports in1972
American Indian Movement members occupying the Pine Ridge Reservation at Wounded Knee, South Dakota surrendered in 1973
Of course, if Jason wasn't born on May 8th there would go the bonding that resulted in “Faith And Fear In Flushing”.
To say nothing of Harry Truman's birth in 1884 (and my writing him a letter on his last birthday in 1972, to which he/his staff responded a month later).
What are the odds that Howie Rose would go on at length about May 8 on the FAN during the game? Happy Birthday, Jason!
Hey Greg,
One thing I have noticed is that the Mets seem to be having greater success in PacBell as compared to Candelstick..Do you agree? I would dread those west coast trips for years, all three cities!! I no longer have that fear..I think I finally lost that fear in the 10th inning of game 1 NLDS 2000. Daryl Hamilton's clutch double.
I'm still working my brother -in- law for those tickets and you are # one on the consideration list..Looking forward to seeing Senior Sosa tomorrow..Enjoy
Rich
Rich,
I think mostly the Mets have gotten better these last two years, the first two years we ever won series at the Phone Booth (save for the 2000 NLDS, which should count exponentially more).
Got “Crazy '08” on your recommendation. Hope to trade Merkle stories while booing the Barrys.