Greatest Sporting Event I've Watched

The 30-Year Cardboard Blog posed an interesting question this week: "What is the Greatest Sporting Event You've Ever Watched." It doesn't have to be in person, it can be an event you watched on TV and you remember all the details.

I like to think I haven't seen it yet, but if I have witnessed my greatest sporting event, it's Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

I remember my parents going bed when Dave Henderson hit the home run to put the Red Sox ahead. They gave me the parental, "sorry James, maybe the Mets will do it next year" line. Lately, I've been using that same line on my boys, but that night, I refused to believe it.

I lived in a townhouse in south New Jersey at the time. My best friend was a Mets fan. We lived about 10 minutes from Philly, so you were a Mets fan or a Phillies phan. I remember thinking how terrible my 7th grade classmates were going to make fun of me and my best friend if the Mets lost that game to the Red Sox. I could hear Joe and Tony giving us all kinds of grief about the Mets. Even though the Phillies that season never smelled the post-season, I was preparing myself for a school day of ridicule.

The first two Mets were easy outs, including one of my favorites, Wally Backman. Then, my favorite player at the time came up - Gary Carter. Wow, this was going to be a terrible day at school coming up. Not only was I going to get made fun of for the Mets losing, but Carter was going to make the last out. When Carted lined his hit to the outfield I felt like the weight of the world had almost been lifted off my jr. high shoulders. Even if the Mets lost, at least it wasn't Gary Carter that ended.

We all know how it ended of course. I've watched the game on DVD and video more times than I want to admit. I remember sitting in the living room, just me, my dog and my Mets hat when Ray Knight scored on Mookie's "slow roller to first."

I know I woke up every neighbor when Ray Knight was escorted to home by Buddy Harrleson. I know I scared my dog with my yelling. I know I threw my Mets hat all over that room. I remember it perfectly.

I hope that isn't my greatest sporting event memory. I hope I get to live through an event like that with my kids.