9th Inning Stunner!
By Phil Speer
The New York Mets were putting up a valiant effort, trying to beat the mighty Yankees for the second day in a row. It seemed no matter what the Mets did, the Yankees responded, as if they had a master plan. But at the last possible moment, the Mets rallied and won the game, 9-8!
It was as if the Mets had been talking to Stone Cold Steve Austin before the game. Wait a minute … that's exactly what happened!
For the second game of the Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium, the Mets brought in the World Wrestling Federation Champion to throw out the first pitch.
"Guys are excited to meet him," said pitcher John Franco. "They want to see how big he is in person and open up a can of whoop ass on him!"
Before he even showed up at Shea Stadium, dozens of fans were waiting outside the Mets offices, hoping to get an autograph or a picture.
"I don't have tickets," said Karen Lewis of Bayside in Queens, who had been waiting outside since 7:30. "I just came here to see Stone Cold."
Austin took a chartered limousine Friday night after a Federation live event in Philadelphia, arriving in New York at 1 a.m.
He showed up at Shea at 11:15 a.m., clad in the new Stone Cold baseball jersey, cut off shorts and black boots. Immediately upon arrival, he was presented with a custom made Mets jersey. Beneath the Mets logo on the front was his official number: 3:16! The back featured "Stone Cold" embroidered across the top and his number printed below.
"Have they got my contract ready yet?" Austin jokingly asked as he changed into the jersey.
"This is a good little piece of business here," Ausin said of the jersey. "Mets 3:16--this is quality. I'll take this to the office and make this an inspiration for another one of our shirts. I've got a pretty good jersey selection, but I like the New York stuff."
Changed into his new jersey, Austin made his way onto the field to mingle as the Mets took batting practice. He chatted with manager Bobby Valentine -- a resident of Texas and a native of Stamford, Conn. -- general manager Steve Phillips and pinch hitter Matt Franco, a fact that would become more noteworthy later. He snapped pictures with Mr. Met, the team mascot, and a few fans that were somehow able to score field passes.
"We're glad to have him here in case a brawl breaks out," Phillips quipped. "He's in a Mets uniform so we can run him out there to throw some Yankees around. There are a lot of times in the clubhouse the players have wrestling on and I know he's one of their favorites."
Austin warmed up with Mets batboy John Bommarito, 18, of the Bronx.
"This is amazing. I mean I watch all the time," Bommarito said, clutching a baseball Austin had signed for him. "All my friends are gonna be like 'holy cow,' especially now that I got this [the baseball]. Oh, this is awesome!"
Even though Austin was a guest of the Mets, a few Yankees came over to chat with him. They included Chad Curtis, who asked him the meaning of Austin 3:16, and Derek Jeter, who requested tickets for the next Federation event at Madison Square Garden, on Aug. 28 (and Austin promised to hook Jeter up).
Austin also made his way to the Mets clubhouse and signed "Expect No Mercy" T-shirts for Orel Hershiser, Bobby Bonilla and Ricky Henderson, among others. He also spoke with Luis Lopez, Mike Piazza, Benny Agbayami and Todd Pratt -- all of whom are especially big WWF fans.
"We really appreciate him coming out, and especially for the Subway Series," Pratt said. "It's a good thing, not only for the WWF but for Major League Baseball."
According to announcer Michael Cole, Pratt and Lopez were playing around on the field before Austin arrived, flexing their muscles and giving each other stunners! You'll see that footage and clips from the entire day next week on Superstars, and on other Federation programs as well.
"It's good to have him hear and I'm very excited," said Lopez. "Now that we're playing it's kind of hard [to keep up with the WWF]. My brother in Puerto Rico tapes all of the shows for me."
Before heading out to hurl the ceremonial first pitch, Austin retreated to a special suite the Mets had set up for him, complete with cookies, fruit, soda, juice and, of course, a cooler full of cold ones! In this case, it was Natural Light, and Austin held off until "late" (12:45 p.m.) before he cracked open his first can. Austin shot a special video for the Mets, that the team will air on its giant television before home games.
"This is Stone Cold Steve Austin of the World Wrestling Federation," the Rattlesnake says to the camera. "I'm ready for action. The Mets are ready. Are you?"
Austin walked toward the field, and after the glass broke and his customary theme song blared from the loudspeakers, he trotted out to the mound and raised his arms like he's done so many times in Federation arenas. Mets fans and Yankees fans don't agree on much -- but they were united in their support for Stone Cold as all 53,792 at Shea Stadium rose to their feet and gave the champion a thunderous ovation.
Mike Piazza stood behind homeplate awaiting the ceremonial first pitch from Austin, but the Rattlesnake insisted that Piazza kneel into catchers position. Austin shook off a few signals from the All Star before delivering a heater that was right over the plate, albeit high. Still, Austin took pride in the fact that his offering didn't hit the dirt, like it had when he threw out the first pitch in Kansas City last May.
Austin shook Piazza's hand, and then raised his arms again to another deafening cheer. Rafael D. Morffi, the assistant director of media relations for the Mets, was impressed by the ovation.
"It was one of the loudest I've heard in my few seasons at Shea," Morffi said, comparing it to reactions for Jerry Seinfeld at the Subway Series last year, and for New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who tossed out the first ball Friday night.
Once the game got underway, Austin was escorted to his seat -- third row along the first base line -- and he watched the first few innings of the game before catching a flight to Indianapolis for Sunday Night HEAT.
"I was wondering what kind of reaction I would get," the champion said. "This is a baseball crowd. I got a good reaction from Kansas City a couple of weeks ago, but today was show time. It was a hell of a response and that always makes you feel good. I'd love to come back and do it again."
The game itself seemed to be lifted out of the pages of the Vince McMahon-Stone Cold Steve Austin saga, with the Mets playing Austin and the Yankees (at least for one day) playing Mr. McMahon.
The Yankees would jump out on top, and the Mets would come back. The Yankees would have a little something up their sleeve, but the Mets would again respond. In the end, the Mets got the last laugh as Matt Franco lined a two-run single to right field with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth. Remember, it was Franco who went out of his way to meet Austin before the game. And the pinch hitter wasn't the only Met to play exceptionally well after meeting the Rattlesnake. Mike Piazza, who had a brief conversation with Austin inside the Mets' training room, absolutely annihilated a pitch, knocking it completely out of Shea Stadium and into the adjacent picnic tent near left field. It was a three-run home run that put the Mets ahead by one in the seventh inning. Did these Mets get a little motivation from Austin before the game?
The Rattlesnake said he'd love to return to Shea Stadium one day. After their dramatic victory on Saturday, don't be surprised if the team tries to add Austin to its permanent roster.
This post came from wwf.com
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