1956. Just one year after the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in the World Series for the first time in six attempts, they lost again. Two years later, the Dodgers and Giants both left the Big Apple. The New York Mets began operations in 1962, but another Subway Series at the Fall Classic level was decades away.
Many were hoping to see it in 1999. But the Mets, unable to finish above Atlanta in the National League East in those years, were also unsuccessful against them in the National League Championship Series. The Yankees took care of the Braves though in four games, beating them for the second time in four years, and third time overall.
2000 MLB Postseason
With both Bay Area MLB franchises having won their divisions in 2000, fans out west were hoping for a replay of the 1989 World Series. But, both lost to their New York counterparts in the divisional round. The Mets conquered San Francisco 3 games to 1, and the A's, though they gave the Yankees a scare in game 4 of the ALDS (beating them 11-1 in the Bronx), they allowed six runs in the top of the first inning of the finale, losing game 5 at home, 7-5.
In the LCS's, the Mets avoided a second straight October date with Atlanta, thanks to the St. Louis Cardinals sweeping them in the other NLDS. The Yankees however earned a rematch of a postseason series some fans had been waiting five years for. They were set to face the Seattle Mariners, who, in the 1995 ALDS, came from behind in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat New York, after trailing the best-of-five series 2-0.
The Mets, being the National League's wild card entry, went to St. Louis for the first two NLCS games. They won both, and then came back to Queens, lost game 3, but won 4, and 5 to clinch a world series berth for the first time since 1986. The Yankees took more time with Seattle, needing a sixth game to finish them off, but did, and before a sold out crowd in the Bronx. They were reaching their fourth world series in five years, and with the final out, NBC's Bob Costas, a New York native, proclaimed "start spreading the news, New York, New York!"
Yankees-Mets World Series
Oh how delightful it was to be in New York in the fall of 2000. The beach towels, clothing, stickers and other novelties pitted the number 4 train (Yankee Stadium route) against the 7 (which takes to Shea Stadium). Some households with a fan mix of both team were split up, as many spent nights with more favorable neighbors.
The first game brought millions of eyes to televisions, and a few tens of thousands were fortunate enough to get tickets. In game 1, the Yankees scored first, but not until the sixth inning. A David Justice double of Met pitcher Al Leiter scored both Chuck Knoblauch and Derek Jeter, to make it 2-0 Yanks. The Mets though would counter with three runs in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Knoblauch saved the night with a sacrifice flyball that scored Paul O'Neill. The game was tied 3-3, and headed to extra innings. Pinch-hitter Jose Vizcaino hit the game winning RBI in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Yankees a 4-3 win, and 1-0 lead in the series.
Game two featured arguably the most memorable moment of the series. In the first inning, Mets' catcher Mike Piazza broke his bat swinging at a Roger Clemens pitch, and with the barrel end of the bat flying out Clemens' way, he picked it up and threw it at Piazza, almost hitting him. Neither player was ejected, yet the incident has stayed in the minds of millions, even today.
Offensively, the Yankees gradually built up a 6-0 lead that they took into the ninth inning with them, and almost squandered. Piazza hit a two-run homer off Yankee reliever Jeff Nelson, making it 6-2. Several batters later, Jay Payton hit a three-run shot off Mariano Rivera, making it 6-5. The Yanks however recorded a third and final out, when Rivera struck out Kurt Abbott looking. The Yankees got out of a jam, and made their series lead 2-0, ahead of a travel day that required no travel.
Game 3 in Queens was the Mets' lone victory of the series, a 4-2 win which gave fans of the blue and orange something to cheer about. The Mets took the lead with the two go-ahead runs in the eighth inning. In game four, there was no scoring after the third frame, yet the Yankees were ahead 3-2 at that point, and things ended up that way.
Finally in game 5, things were tied again going into the ninth inning. Luis Soho hit a single to center field that scored both Jorge Posada and Scott Brosius. The Yankees led 4-2, and needed three additional out to win their third straight World Series title, fourth in five years, and 26th overall.
They did, and the rest is history. The final out was a pop fly hit by Piazza to center field. Yankee fans across the world rejoiced. Met fans did a number of things, including hang their heads down in dejection and disgust.
The Subway Series fever didn't end there though. The Yankees' ticker-tape parade was held Monday October 30, 2000, and passed by an estimated 3 million people in Manhattan.
While some fans say the 27th ring is the hardest to get, other say the greatness of the New York Yankees remains in the future.
