Shea Stadium from the Chronology

May 18, 2005 - Mets groundskeeper Pepe Valila is arrested as part of a $360 million Mafia gambling ring. Valila will admit to placing bets within Shea Stadium for two Mets employees and will be suspended today from his $80‚000 a year job and later fired. Mets clubhouse manager Nick Priore is named as one of the Mets employees placing a bet.

Aug 14, 2003 - A major blackout in the Northeast causes the cancellation of the Mets-Giants game at Shea Stadium

Jun 28, 2003 - Led by Hideki Matsui the Yankees sweep a day-night doubleheader from the crosstown Mets‚ winning the 1st by a score of 7-1 at Yankee Stadium and the nightcap‚ 9-8‚ at Shea Stadium. It is the 3rd time in history that two teams play two games at two different stadiums in the same day. Matsui has a grand slam in game 1 as Roger Clemens shuts down the Mets. Matsui has 4 hits in game 2 ans he is on base 9 out of 10 plate appearances. For the second time this season‚ Alfonse Soriano leads off with a homer and a teammate follows with a HR. This time it is Jeter who follows suit.

May 16, 2001 - At Shea Stadium‚ the Padres Rickey Henderson leads off with a home run‚ extending his ML record for leadoff HRs to 79. This is more than twice the total for the #2 and #3 players on the list Brady Anderson (44)‚ and Bobby Bonds (35). San Diego scores 4 in the 1st and holds on for a 5-2 win.

Jul 8, 2000 - The Yankees whip the Mets by identical 4-2 scores in both ends of an unusual day-night doubleheader. With the 1st game played at Shea Stadium and the nightcap at Yankee Stadium‚ it is the 1st time since 1903 that 2 teams played 2 games in different stadiums on the same day. Dwight Gooden wins the first game with a 6 inning effort in his first start since returning to the Yankees. Roger Clemens wins the night cap and precipitate a near brawl when he drills Mike Piazza in the helmet with an inside fastball. Piazza suffers a concussion.

Apr 15, 1998 - The Yankees defeat the Angels‚ 6-3‚ in an afternoon game played at Shea Stadium. The Mets defeat the Cubs‚ 2-1‚ in a night game‚ marking the first time in history that American and National League games are played in the same park on the same day.

Apr 13, 1998 - A steel joint‚ weighing several hundred pounds‚ falls through a roof panel at Yankee Stadium‚ destroying a seat located between 3rd base and home plate. Luckily‚ the Yankees are scheduled to play a night game‚ and no fans are in the stadium at the time. Emergency inspections are scheduled‚ and the game against the Angels is canceled. The final game of the series will be played at Shea Stadium‚ while next week's series against the Tigers is switched to Detroit.

May 11, 1996 - At John Franco Day at Shea Stadium‚ the veteran reliever celebrates by being ejected in the 5th inning following a vicious benches-clearing brawl between the Mets and the Cubs. The brawl‚ which lasts 18 minutes‚ starts when Mets' P Pete Harnisch reaches around ump Greg Bonin to punch Cubs' C Scott Servais. There are 9 ejections‚ including Servais and Harnisch‚ who will receive an 8 game suspension and a $1‚000 fine for his punch. Mets bullpen coach Steve Swisher‚ also ejected‚ will get a 2-game suspension. Fortunately for the Mets‚ Rico Brogna was only punched‚ and he hits back with his 2nd homer‚ to win‚ 7-6 in the 9th inning‚. Brogna adds a triple and double on the afternoon. In 1996‚ NL umps will toss 101 players‚ a decrease of 11 tosses from 1995; AL umps will eject 75 during the year‚ down from 93 in 1995.

Jul 7, 1993 - Mets P Bret Saberhagen throws a firecracker under a table near reporters at Shea Stadium‚ but no one is hurt.

Apr 5, 1993 - At Shea Stadium‚ the Colorado Rockies make their NL debut‚ losing to the Mets by a score of 3-0. Andres Galarraga gets a pair of hits for Colorado but is thrown out in the 9th trying to stretch a single. David Nied takes the loss‚ giving up a homer to Bobby Bonilla.

Mar 27, 1992 - A lawsuit is filed against Mets P David Cone by 3 women charges him with exposing himself to them while in the bullpen at Shea Stadium.

Apr 3, 1989 - The Mets win their 11th consecutive home opener 8-4 over St. Louis at Shea Stadium. New York has won on Opening Day in 18 of the last 20 seasons. Dwight Gooden is the winner‚ helped by a home run by Howard Johnson.

Sep 27, 1987 - Shea Stadium is packed with 48‚588 fans to see the Mets clobber the Pirates 12-3‚ making the Mets the 2nd franchise in ML history to break the 3 million barrier in season attendance. St. Louis will also draw 3 million fans this season.

Aug 9, 1987 - With help from Lee Smith‚ Scott Sanderson beats the Mets‚ 6-3‚ at Shea Stadium. The loser is Doc Gooden‚ who snaps his 10-game winning streak against the Cubs. He'll start another streak of 12 wins.

Jun 5, 1987 - Dwight Gooden returns from drug rehabilitation and allows one run in 6 2?3 innings to earn the win as the Mets beat the Pirates 5-1 at Shea Stadium.

Dec 19, 1986 - Michael Sergio‚ a Mets fan who parachuted into Shea Stadium during game 6 of the World Series‚ is sentenced to 100 hours of community service and fined $500.

Oct 27, 1986 - The Mets win game 7 of the World Series 8-5 at Shea Stadium. 3B Ray Knight‚ whose leadoff home run off Calvin Schiraldi in the 7th inning‚ triggers a 3-run rally‚ is named MVP. Schiraldi is pinned with his 2nd straight loss‚ the only pitcher ever to lose games 6 and 7.

Sep 17, 1986 - The Mets clinch the NL East Championship with a 4-2 win over the Cubs at Shea Stadium as Dwight Gooden tosses a 6-hitter. The Mets will win 108 games this season‚ most in the NL since the 1975 Reds.

Apr 9, 1985 - In his first game as a member of the Mets‚ catcher Gary Carter hits a solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give New York a 6-5 Opening Day win over the Cardinals at Shea Stadium.

May 9, 1984 - Umpire Joe West ejects 2 television cameramen‚ SportsChannel cameramen Al Friedman and Doug Zimmer‚ from Shea Stadium when they allow the Mets to view replays of a controversial play at the plate in which Hubie Brooks is called out. The Mets beat Atlanta‚ 3-1‚ with Ron Darling getting the win.

Sep 30, 1980 - The smallest crowd in Shea Stadium history (1‚754) watches the Mets beat the Pirates 3-2.

Aug 26, 1979 - At Shea Stadium‚ the Reds Tom Seaver shuts out the Mets‚ 8-0‚ for his 11th consecutive win.

Jul 27, 1979 - The Cubs top the Mets at Shea Stadium‚ 4-2‚ behind Dave Kingman's 2 home runs.

Aug 20, 1978 - Los Angeles beats New York 5-4 at Shea Stadium‚ but the real hitting occurs before the game when Dodgers Don Sutton and Steve Garvey engage in a clubhouse wrestling match. The two had been feuding for a long time‚ but newspaper remarks by Sutton about Garvey's All-American image sparked the brawl.

Aug 21, 1977 - Tom Seaver makes his first appearance in Shea Stadium as a member of the Reds‚ and pitches a 6 hitter to beat the Mets‚ 5-1. Tom Terrific strikes out 11‚ has a double at the plate and scores twice.

Jul 17, 1977 - At Shea Stadium‚ Lenny Randle comes to bat in the 6th against the Cubs Paul Burris‚ when New York City is hit by a power blackout at 9:34. Randle will finally ground out‚ but it won't be until the game is completed on September 16. The Cubs win‚ 5-1.

Jul 27, 1975 - In the first of a twinbill at Shea Stadium‚ Red Sox CF Fred Lynn makes a great running catch to save the game for pitcher Bill Lee. Lee wins‚ 1-0‚ and then Roger Moret completes the whitewash with a 6-0 nitecap win. The losses seem to finish the Yanks pennant hopes and Bill Virdon's managing job.

Jun 13, 1975 - The Yankees Elliott Maddox‚ hitting .305‚ is sidelined for the remainder of the season with torn cartilage in his knee. The injury occurs in a fall on the wet Shea Stadium turf during a 2-1 win over the White Sox.

Jun 10, 1975 - The Yankees sponsor Army Day at their temporary home‚ Shea Stadium (Yankee Stadium is being refurbished). During a ceremonial 21-gun salute‚ glass is splintered‚ the park is filled with smoke‚ part of the fence is blown away‚ and another part is set afire.

Dec 3, 1974 - The Mets trade ace reliever and Shea Stadium favorite Tug McGraw to the Phillies in a 6-player swap. Don Hahn and Dave Schneck go to the Phils while New York receives OF Del Unser‚ C John Stearns‚ and P Mac Scarce.

Apr 6, 1974 - The Yankees open their two-year stay at Shea Stadium before a crowd of 20‚744. 12-year-old Teddy Kennedy‚ Jr.‚ flanked by his father and Mayor Abe Beame‚ tosses out the first ball. Missing from the ceremony is George Steinbrenner‚ indicted two days ago for illegal campaign contributions. Greg Nettle's two-run homer in the 4th off the Indians Gaylord Perry opens the scoring and the Yanks score 4 more times to win‚ 6-1. Charlie Spikes scores the only Cleveland run in the 9th following a triple off starter and winner Mel Stottlemyre. Perry‚ who is warned once for an illegal pitch‚ is the loser today‚ but he will win his next 15 decisions.

Sep 25, 1973 - The Mets beat the Expos 2-1 on Willie Mays Night at Shea Stadium. "The 'Say Hey' Kid" had announced his retirement 5 days earlier.

Sep 15, 1971 - At Shea Stadium‚ Mike Jorgenson hits a 2-out single in the 7th to break Burt Hooton's no hit bid‚ and Ken Singleton follows with a homer to tie the match at 2-2. But Billy Williams clocks a pinch homer in the 9th and Hooton finishes the 3-2 victory with 15 strikeouts‚ notching his first ML win. In opener of the twi-night DH‚ Bill Hands beats Jerry Koosman‚ 6-2. Hands starts the Cubs' scoring with a 2-run single in the 2nd.

Apr 6, 1971 - The Mets win their first opener ever at Shea Stadium‚ beating the Expos‚ 4-2‚ in 5 innings. Heavy rain and wind cuts the contest short. Tom Seaver is the winner over Morton.

Aug 22, 1970 - Johnny Bench has a 2-out‚ 2-run double in the 9th to give the Reds a 3-2 win over the Mets at Shea Stadium.

Oct 6, 1969 - New York rallies twice and wins the first NL Championship Series. Tommie Agee‚ Ken Boswell‚ and Wayne Garrett hit HRs and fans swarm the Shea Stadium field after a 7-4 win.

Sep 8, 1969 - At Shea Stadium‚ the Mets top the Cubs 3-2 on Tommie Agee's 2-run HR. Jerry Koosman beats Bill Hands and strikes out 13 Cub batters. Chicago has now lost 5 in a row and leads the Mets by 1 1/2 games.

Jul 9, 1969 - With one out in the 9th‚ Chicago's Jimmy Qualls bloops a single to left-CF‚ the only blemish on Tom Seaver's 4-0 near-perfect win before a record crowd (59‚083) at Shea Stadium.

Jul 28, 1968 - At Shea Stadium‚ Reds pitchers Jim Maloney and Clay Carroll combine on a one hit‚ 5-3‚ victory. Maloney gives up a run-scoring double to Cleon Jones in the first inning and then is lifted in the 6th after walking 3 batters. Carroll gives up two run-scoring grounders‚ but pitches 4 hitless frames.

Jun 2, 1968 - Sweeping a doubleheader 6-3 and 3-2 at New York's Shea Stadium‚ the Cardinals take first place. They will remain atop the NL the rest of the season.

May 2, 1968 - During a 3-0 loss to the Mets‚ Phillies reliever John Boozer is ejected in the 7th by umpire Ed Vargo at Shea Stadium for throwing spitballs during his warm-up pitches. After the first time he goes to his mouth‚ the umpire calls a ball‚ even though the batter was not in the box. Manager Gene Mauch comes out to argue and orders Boozer to go to his mouth on the next two pitches as well‚ earning both Boozer and Mauch ejections. Mauch protests the game. Boozer is only the 2nd ML pitcher to be ejected from a game for throwing spitballs. Dick Hall‚ who replaces Boozer with a 3-0 count on Bud Harrelson‚ gets him to ground out. Nolan Ryan notches his second career win. Tomorrow‚ National League President Warren Giles will rule that a pitcher shouldn't be charged with a ball while warming up. If a pitcher touches his mouth while warming up‚ he would be required to dry his fingers before delivering a pitch to the batter.

Apr 19, 1968 - Nolan Ryan of the Mets becomes the 6th pitcher in NL history to strike out the side on 9 pitches. But Los Angeles wins 3-2 at Shea Stadium.

Aug 4, 1966 - Pinch-hit HRs by Mets John Stephenson and Ron Swoboda make the difference in New York's 8-6 defeat of the Giants at Shea Stadium.

May 13, 1966 - Giant Jim Davenport's 17th-inning HR beats the Mets 5-4 before 56‚658 fans‚ the largest night crowd ever at Shea Stadium. The first-place Giants (22-7) now have 12 straight wins.

Jul 23, 1965 - Dick Stuart homers in a ML-record 23rd different park when he connects at Shea Stadium in Philadelphia's 5-1 win. His park mark will be topped.

Apr 12, 1965 - Don Drysdale slugs his 2nd opening day homer‚ this one a 2-run shot off New York's Al Jackson. LA wins 6-1 at Shea Stadium.

Jul 7, 1964 - Johnny Callison's 9th-inning 3-run HR off Dick Radatz caps a 4-run rally and gives the NL a 7-4 win in the All-Star Game at Shea Stadium. This evens the series at 17.

Jun 21, 1964 - On Father's Day at Shea Stadium‚ Jim Bunning fans 10‚ drives in 2 runs‚ and pitches the first perfect game (excluding Don Larsen's 1956 WS effort and Harvey Haddix's 1959 overtime loss) since Charlie Robertson's on April 30‚ 1922. Philadelphia beats the Mets 6-0. He also becomes the first pitcher to win no-hitters in both leagues‚ and Gus Triandos becomes the first C to catch a no-hitter in each league. Bunning throws just 90 pitches in winning his 2nd no-hitter. The next time Bunning faces the Mets he will shut them out‚ the first no-hit pitcher this century to do that. The Mets don't fare much better in the nitecap as 18-year-old rookie Rick Wise wins his 1st game and gives up just 3 hits for an 8-2 win. Johnny Klippstein comes on in the 9th. The Phils increase their NL lead to 2 games over the Giants.

Apr 17, 1964 - Before 48‚736 fans the Pirates defeat the Mets 4-3 in the first game played at Shea Stadium. Bob Friend is the winner over Cuban righty Ed Bauta. Friend was also the winning pitcher in the last game ever played at the Polo Grounds before the Giants moved west.

Jul 7, 1958 - At the NL meeting‚ William Shea outlines plans for a $12 million stadium at Flushing Meadows‚ the eventual site of Shea Stadium. NL President Warren Giles appoints a committee to study the possible expansion of the league to 10 teams.