Originally Posted by
Arthur Schechter
For this 46-year old Mets fan, "the greatest game ever" was played on July 4th 1985 in Atlanta between the Mets and Braves.
I can remember the '69 & '86 World Series triumphs (and they were great with breathtaking moments), but post-season games are often romanticized and glorified simply because of their importmance. However, to a guy who has seen more baseball games than I could count (and still wants more), this Independence day contest stands out as the all-timer in my book.
The night game was delayed by two lengthy rain delays. Then, it went extra innings. (I think "free baseball" are the two most beautiful words in the English language, with the worst two being "rain out").
The momentous event of the game came in extra innings. The Mets took the lead in the top half and Atlanta was down to its last out. The Braves had used up all their position players and were forced to utilize weak-hitting relief pitcher Rick Camp. The unimaginable happened as Camp homered off Tom Gorman to prolong the game. I can still see the shock on Len Dykstra and Danny Heep's face as the ball sailed over their heads in left-center field. The play reminds me of what makes baseball the greatest game in the world. It still surprises and delights and yes, frustrates. One-time Cardinals pitcher (and malaprop-king) Joaquin Andujar had an expression for moment's like this. He was quoted to say baseball comes down to one word..."youneverknow").
I also recall New York's Keith Hernandez hitting for the cycle, Darryl Strawberry getting ejected for arguing, and Ron Darling mopping up in the 17th or 18th inning to record the final out against ironically enough... Rick Camp.
The game ended at 3:53am local time with the Mets winning 16-13. Because of the holiday, fireworks were scheduled after the game. Sure enough, the remaining fans at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium were treated to the pyrotechnic show just before dawn. Needless to say, the sleeping citizens of Atlanta thought the Civil War had returned to their fair city.