By Dylan Butler
“I hope the Yankees win,” he said. “I just wanted to be a part of all this. It is fun.”
The center of the sporting universe and the hottest place to be in Queens Tuesday night was at 126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing as the first Subway Series in 46 years shifted tracks from the Bronx to Queens for at least two games. It was the first time in 14 years Queens has been home to a World Series game.
Since both teams clinched a berth in the World Series early last week, the first-ever Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees has had a stranglehold on the city.
For more than a week, it has been the talk of the city. In offices and in schools, on the subway and in convenience stores, fans of both teams have voiced their opinions on who is the best baseball team in New York.
Politicians have even gotten into the act as Queens Borough President Clare Shulman and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone (D-Astoria) placed bets on the series with Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.
The Subway Series has also been a home run economically for Queens, which is expected to make $18.1 million per World Series game at Shea. Some fans have shelled out upwards of $4,000 for a ticket to the Subway Series, while others whose pockets are not as deep have packed into many of the borough's sports bars over the weekend, especially on Bell Boulevard in Bayside to watch the games on television and to root with their fellow fans.
There was a carnival-like atmosphere outside Shea before Tuesday night's game. The Club MLB road show that was set up in the parking lot behind centerfield had fans waiting on line to take a swing in the batting cage or toss a ball in the pitching cage.
Eddie Camacho was one of those who participated in the festivities. He went to all but one of the Mets' post-season games this year, but the Woodside resident just could not afford a ticket to Tuesday's game. But that didn't stop him from taking the No. 7 train to Shea.
“I came early to enjoy the atmosphere. You never know when it's going to happen again,” he said as he waited on line for the pitching cage. “I came out, I'm going to buy a program and go home and watch it on TV.”
Camacho wasn't the only one to take mass transit to the stadium Tuesday. As daylight fell and game time crept closer, larger and larger droves of fans walked down the ramp at the Willets Point/Shea Stadium stop of the No. 7 train.
Joining the thousands who took the Subway Series literally was Giuliani, who got off the Flushing-bound No. 7 train at about 7:45 p.m. As he walked down the ramp, the mayor who was wearing a Yankee jacket and hat, was met with mixed emotions. Fans of the Bronx Bombers cheered and chanted, “Let's Go Yankees,” while Mets fans booed Giuliani.
But in the midst of the committed Mets and Yankees fans, Bayside resident Shevar Creeden had an usual take on the series.
“I'm a Yankee fan, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Mets win,” he said.
Jamaica resident Lara Ewen was one of the few fans who was not sporting a hat, sweatshirt or jersey to tout her favorite team. Not because she didn't have an opinion. She was waiting on line to buy her World Series merchandise.
“I was born in 1969 and I've been going to Mets games since I was too young to know the difference,” she said. “Presumably I was here in '69, although I don't remember it and I flew up to Boston for the 1986 series. They better win tonight, or I'm going to kill them.”
Merrill Kazanjian from Bayside was 8 years old the last time the Mets were in the World Series and said his parents made him go to sleep before he could catch the dramatic end of Game 6, when a Mookie Wilson groundball went through Big Buckner's legs as the Mets came from behind to win the game and stay alive.
While he said he has regretted missing that moment for the rest of his life, Kazanjian was lucky enough to get his hands on a ticket to Game 3 of the Subway Series, courtesy of Lawson Bowling, his history teacher at Manhattanville College.
“This is incredible,” he said as the two cooked up shish kebabs in the parking lot. “I'm just absorbing the atmosphere. This is a beautiful stadium and home to the most exciting team in sports.”
Valerie Laverty from Bayside was making her first trip to Shea Stadium in a long time.
“I was 7 years old the last time I was here,” she said, admitting she was supposed to be in night school. “When I get older, this is something I'm going to tell my kids I was there.”
Steve DiMuro, also from Bayside, said he only watches baseball at Shea when his favorite team is in town.
“I don't enter this stadium unless the Yankees are here,” he said. “I'm a little nervous though because they spanked the Mets the first two games and I don't want to be here if they lose.”
