New York Mets: 5 Memorable Moments in Franchise History

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Former Mets catcher and Hall of Fame member Mike Piazza address the media during a press conference prior to having his number retired prior to the game between New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field.

Jul 30, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; Former Mets catcher and Hall of Fame member Mike Piazza address the media during a press conference prior to having his number retired prior to the game between New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports /

Mike Piazza’s Post 9/11 Home Run

In a piece that appeared in Sports illustrated, Ted Williams once said this about Mike Piazza, ‘‘Mike hits it harder than I did when I was 16. I guarantee you, this kid will hit the ball. I never saw anybody who looked better at his age.”

In 1997, Piazza and the Los Angeles Dodgers were locked in a bitter contract dispute that resulted in a three-way deal with the Florida Marlins that flipped him to the Mets. The rest, as they say, is history. He quickly jettisoned to being the man in the Mets’ lineup. More importantly, Met fans freely gave him his due and he was granted the respect he never felt he had with the Dodgers.

He was never more welcome in New York City than in the days and weeks following the attack on the World Trade Center. Immediately, all sports shut down their schedule while America took a deep breath before exhaling and returning to some semblance of normalcy. It was only fitting that New York City would take center stage on the night that America’s Pastime returned.

And it was just as fitting that the Mets future Hall of Famer would take center stage answering the call that night with one of the most dramatic home runs in the city’s history. Relive that moment now.

Next: Strawberry A Mammoth Home Run

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