In my opinion, and of course I am a bit biased, Game 6 of the 1986 World Series was the greatest World Series game ever played. There have been other amazing Game 6 games, as well as a slew of other great World Series games in general, but no one ever thought the Mets would have staged one of the greatest comebacks in baseball.
This is a classic argument I get into with Yankee fans. They like to show off the 27 rings and talk about domination, and that’s fine and dandy, but what I always get them with is which one of those games is better than Game 6 of 1986? A couple of answers I get right off the bat is Reggie’s three home run and I let them know it’s been done before and now I can add King Albert from a few nights ago. It is a great feat, but it’s been done before. Then you have Larsen’s perfect game with Berra behind the dish, and though that may never happen again, you still knew the Yanks were going to win. That performance was one of the best ever in baseball, but still not the same.
The Mets have only made it to the promised land twice since 1962. In 1969 the Miracle Mets were led by Gil Hodges all the way from nine games out in September to their first championship and into their hearts of all National League New York fans. Let’s not forget New York lost both National League teams only 12 years earlier, so back then this had to be a even greater excitement being the dark side was the only game in town for a while.
1986 found the Mets sitting on the throne of New York for most of the year winning 108 games. Of course they were favorites to win the whole enchilada, but even those thoughts were a faint memory in Game 6. One out away from breaking the great Curse of the Bambino, the Red Sox were handed their worst loss in franchise history, while the Mets just played their greatest. “Behind The Bag…”
October 25th, 1986 is a date that will always be in the minds of all TRUE DIEHARD Mets fans. It was the day we jumped higher than any other day in our lives. The day we were so proud to wear our colors. The day we were able to say were truly kings of baseball, not just New York. Happy Anniversary!