The Mets' Hammer

As you can see, I am reliving some of my early days as a Met fan. I talked previously about Rusty Staub and that got me to thinking about the “Murderer’s Row,” the Mets had when I first started watching. They had Rusty batting third (#4), Cleon Jones batting cleanup (#21) and John Milner batting fifth (#28).

I was thinking about this and noticed a comment on a previous post of mine about John Milner. Well this really got me thinking about the Met’s Hammer. Yes, at the time, “The Hammer” was the nickname used to refer to “Hammerin” Hank Aaron, but the Mets had their own hammer as well, John Milner.

I always liked Milner and though he was a class act and a good ballplayer, not great, not Cooperstown material, but good. One of my favorite John Milner stories actually occurred after the Mets had traded him away. I believe he finished his career with the Montreal Expos.

Well, I was at a game where the Met were playing the Expos. Late in the game, Milner was introduced as a pinch hitter for the Expos. Sitting a few rows in front of me were a father and son and the father started booing Milner as he was introduced (because he was coming up for the opposing team), turned to his son with a big smile and said, “That’s how you treat them”.

I couldn’t help but think to myself, “You moron, do you know who this is. This is John Milner who always gave his all when playing with the Mets.” I don’t know if this father did not know Milner from his Mets days, or just did not care. Either way, I was thinking it was wrong.

My father, when taking me to ballgames, always taught me to appreciate the players on the opposing team. I did not have to cheer them, or like them. Certainly I did not have to rout for them, but I had to respect them.

Maybe growing up I would have wished that my father would have been more like the father of this little boy and taught me to boo and give opposing players a hard time. Now, however, I am very glad I was taught differently. I still get frustrated when opposing players make nice plays against my team or do things that hurt the chances of the Mets to win a ballgame, but I have learned to appreciate and enjoy the game on a different level, quite possibly a level that the little boy sitting in front of me never will. And, certainly, I always try to show my appreciation for former Met players, even though they are no longer wearing the blue and orange.