memory lane

Old Jackson Mets fans surely remember Kevin Elster. He played a pretty slick shortstop at Smith-Wills Stadium back in 1985 and ’86, helping the JaxMets win a Texas League title in ’85. He didn’t hit much for power — four homers total in his two stints in Jackson. But he’s in the news today because of a feat of power. Before San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night, the only player with a hat trick of that sort at the Giants’ ballpark was Elster. He did it in the very first game played there in 2000 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Barry Bonds never hit three there. Kevin Elster did. Amazing. Elster hit just 88 home runs in a big league career that stretched from 1986-2000 and only once hit more than 10 in a season. But that one day he caught lightning in a bottle.