In 2009, Flashback Friday commemorated the milestone anniversaries of previous Mets seasons ending in 9: 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999 with a series subtitled I Saw The Decade End [1]. Here, for handy reference (a year after the fact, because I sort of forgot to give it its “Best of FAFIF [2]” cataloguing treatment last December), is a guide to the epic Mets days of ’69 and ’99…as well as the lesser Mets days of ’79 and ’89. Remember: you don’t need to make the playoffs to generate a good story. Click on any for whichever trip back in time might intrigue you.
1999
Our Days Got Numbered [3]: Cosmetic changes are all around
Team Building Exercise ’99 [4]: The unlikeliest Met, from the vantage point of 1988
Wallworthy [5]: Why some things are bigger than titles
Never Gonna Win Another Game [6]: An eight-game losing streak that feels much longer
Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough [7]: The Mets who stayed crunchy, even in milk
The Fab Four [8]: The Best Infield Ever coalesces
Freaks and Geeks [9]: Setting September’s stage
Baseball’s Most Magical Date [10]: October 3 comes to its logical conclusion
Prelude, Playoffs & Postscript [11]: Whacking the Diamondbacks
A Beautiful Ride [12]: Coming up short against the Braves
The Days After [13]: Picking up the pieces
Amazin’ Medley [14]: A musical homage
1989
Showing Some Fight [15]: Darryl takes on Keith, while I take on beverages
Last Summer in Long Beach [16]: Getting around to coming of age
Dykstra & McDowell for Samuel [17]: Potentially advantageous trade goes horribly awry
Intermittently Sweet Music [18]: Frank Viola, not quite the answer
As Mookies Go & Eras End [19]: Exiting the Eighties
1979
When Shea Would Go ‘Boom!’ [20]: Fireworks Night explodes in Flushing
Generation Pre-K [21]: Going cheap, going young
The Willie Mays Bridge [22]: Spanning New York’s National League generations
Livin’ It Up (Friday Night) [23]: When Mets vs. Yankees was as much conjecture as rock vs. disco
Dock Ellis to Doc Gooden [24]: Counting our lucky All-Stars
Dave Kingman Appreciation Day [25]: Surrendering three homers, gaining one win
¿’79 or ’93: Cuál es Mas Mal? [26]: Which wretched season is more bad?
1969
Before & After [27]: If it occurred before I met the Mets, it hardly counts
Living in the Moments [28]: How does a miracle lose its currency?
Donn of a New Era [29]: Clendenon makes an impact
Duffy Deserves His Ring [30]: The ultimate backup catcher
Born Again [31]: Before there was Jimmy Qualls, there was Don Young
It’s A Family Affair [32]: Uniquely Met immortals
Rites of Passage [33]: Bar Mitzvah in the morning, Old Timers at night
You Never Forget Your First [34]: Why 1969 still resonates
Across The Decades
Don’t Pitch to Kevin Young [35]: A fan born in 1969 revels in 1999
Rickey and Jesse Would Always Know How to Survive [36]: A Met rookie from 1979 crosses paths with a Met star from 1999
Euphoria and the Infinite Sadness [37]: The long and winding road from 1969 to 1979