08 Nov

found …

… while rummaging through a desk drawer, two scoresheets from Jackson Mets games, one from 1985, the other from ’87. A treasure trove for the true baseball fan. The past instantly comes alive on these sheets. In the ’85 game, the JaxMets beat Tulsa 3-2 in 16 innings. The game lasted 5 hours, 25 minutes and ended at 1:01 a.m. The Mets won it when a bases-loaded, one-out fielder’s choice ground ball by Randy “Moose” Milligan scored Stanley Jefferson. Unforgettable. Eight players who would reach the big leagues played for the Mets that night, including Barry Lyons, Greg Olson, Dave Magadan, Kevin Elster and Mark Carreon. Tulsa’s No. 3 hitter was Ruben Sierra, who went 0-for-5 with two walks. In the ’87 game, the JaxMets beat Tulsa (again) 6-5, scoring six runs in the bottom of the ninth. It was an incredible game, one easily recalled from a quick glance at the scoresheet. The Mets scored all their runs with two outs. They went into the ninth with just two hits; they got four in the final frame, including Marcus Lawton’s single that scored Dan Winters with the game-winning run. Other memorable players who suited up that night included Gregg Jefferies, Steve Phillips, Joaquin Contreras, Rick Lockwood and Ed “Smoke” Pruitt. Tulsa’s No. 6 hitter was Juan Gonzalez, who went 0-for-4. Keeping score at the ballpark has become a lost art. And that’s a shame. Finding two old scoresheets in a desk drawer tells you why.

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