Finally, 38 Years Later …..
Cubs’ Schadenfreude — Having endured the Cubs’ 1969 implosion at the hands of the Amazin’ Mets, you’ll have to excuse me for not reaching for the kleenex yesterday when I learned that the 2007 Mets had completed a collapse like no other. I reckon that Philadelphia Phillies fan Ben Keeler was similarly unsympathetic.
The 1969 Cubs supposedly rate the 5th worst collapse in major league history. I disagree; it should be at least few notches higher. I don’t think that any team with a double-digit lead has ever suffered through a net swing of about 19 games in their final 50 — from something like 11 games up to eight games out at the end.
But the 1969 Cubs isn’t THE worst blowup. That honor should belong to the aforementioned Phillies, who in 1964 blew a 6.5-game lead with 10 to play.
Don’t worry too much, Mets fans — The Cubs, known unaffectionately to many as the Manila Folders, still have plenty of time to reprise the playoff disasters of 1984 and 2003. Maybe this time it will happen against the Phils. Or could this finally be the year?
THe Mets played dreadful, but the Philles played great down the stretch. People will always remember the Mets side of the story, but the Philly side is just as good.
Comment by Ben Keeler — October 1, 2007 @ 7:05 pm
#! Ben, very true. I would say 2007 makes up for 1964, but the Phils already did that with Pete Rose in 1980 (can’t believe it was that long ago).
Comment by TBlumer — October 1, 2007 @ 7:38 pm