Midtown bars were packed Tuesday with die-hard Mets fans and local celebrities like “Pin Man” and Mila the Iggy, and while the game party was full of optimism, supporters were heartbroken. Even though I'm used to it.
At the Playwright Irish Pub, beer flowed for free, bartenders poured a purple liquor called “Grimas Punch” and strangers cried together. There, every screen showed the Amazons defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. .
According to party organizers, there was only one word to describe the atmosphere: “Electric.”
“The place was crazy, Mets fans wall to wall, crazy. You'd think we'd win the World Series,” Darren Meenan, founder of the infamous 7-line army, told the Post. spoke.
Meenan, who started the season with “zero expectations,” was just short of planning a blockbuster party after his team's heart-stopping, roller-coaster performance Monday earned them a spot in the wild-card round of the MLB Playoffs. There were only 24 hours.
The 35th Street Pub serves as the club's home base for the Mets' away games during the postseason. That means the Seven Line Army hasn't been to the playwrights since the team qualified for the playoffs in 2015.
Since then, the Mets have advanced to the postseason only three times, two of which were watched by the Seven Line Army on the Citi Field turf. The Mets fell short every time.
On Tuesday, that history of heartbreak visibly disappeared, as nearly 200 fans screamed, hollered and sang together to celebrate every little run, catch and strikeout.
Some of the franchise's biggest names joined in on the frenzy, including “Pin Man” Nick Giampietro, “Cowbell Man” Eddie Bozon, and the viral Italian greyhound Mila the Iggy. This summer, I ate hot dogs on the Jumbotron.
“I wanted to hang out with a lot of Mets fans because I know we're loud and hungry,” Giampietro, 66, of Howard Beach, said while wearing the iconic shiny brooch. .
“It's a different kind of energy. It's like we're all one family now — no Yankees fans here!”
The first floor of the pub was so crowded that people who were drinking had to spill out onto the street. Normally, owner John Doherty opens both floors of the Playwright to the Seven Line Army, but that night he had promised the second floor for a vice presidential debate viewing party — and he made a reservation. He told the Post that he regrets it.
“We love having them. They're great fans and they're here for the same reason, which is to win. The energy is great,” Dougherty said.
“Win or lose, the fans are rooting for the Mets. They all come together as one, and they all leave as one.”
And the revelers were well prepared for the possibility of the match ending in yet another heartbreak.
Aidan Hughes, 29, of Astoria, told the Post the Mets had a “second to none” chance to win the game, but he was there to support the team no matter what. Ta.
“Being a Mets fan for almost 30 years, I feel like my expectations have been somewhat tempered. I'm a realist, but it's certainly possible to advance to the next round and play the Phillies. I think so,” he said.
The Wild Card Series will be held for the fourth time since Seven Line Army launched the club in 2012. The group was born out of a clothing line of the same name that Meenan, 43, launched three years ago out of pure love for the team.
Meenan estimates that a group of die-hard Mets fans fills three sections for every home game at Citi Field, averaging 1,000 butts in the seats per game.
Members attend games all over the country and are four balls away from visiting all 30 MLB stadiums.
While a few Seven Line soldiers were lucky enough to be at American Family Stadium on Tuesday night to watch the game in person, Meenan stressed the importance of staying united at home and cheering on the Metsies from afar, with 200 A nearby fan responded to the call.
One couple gave up on going inside, but instead of going to another bar down the street that was also playing the game, they decided to hunker down at the playwright's outdoor dining table and follow the game on their laptops. did.
“It's been a really, really, really fun year for our team. I try to enjoy every moment of it, but I enjoy it the most when I experience it with other people,” Bay Ridge's Karen said.
The energy was high all night, but reached chaos levels in the third inning when Jesse Winkler's two-run triple and Starling Marte's run gave the Mets a 3-0 lead.
Chaotic joy rose again as the Mets enjoyed a five-point outburst that carried the team to victory throughout the rest of the game.
There was even more commotion when Winker's pinch hitter, J.D. Martinez, hit a two-run homer, securing the first win of the series.
Fans were scheduled to return Wednesday night to cheer the Mets on to Game 2 — a game they hoped would lead to another victory and pave the way to a World Series bananza.
“The first day, someone came up to me and asked me about my level of optimism. And I said, 'I have no expectations for this team.' If they make the playoffs… I would be surprised and certainly happy if I could. ”And they did. It’s been a really crazy year,” Meenan said.
“I look at a lot of good times and weird things that happen with this team, and it's unlike any team I've seen in my life. I'm almost 44 years old. This season has been a roller coaster. But I couldn't be happier that they at least got to this level and we'll see what happens after that.”
