The Mets have an Amazin’ weekend planned for their most recent championship team.
A celebration to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1986 World Series, during which the Mets toppled the Red Sox in seven games, will last throughout the three-game series, beginning Friday, against the Dodgers at Citi Field.
To help gear up for the big weekend, here’s a glance at the contributions of all the Mets pictured in the 1986 team photo, taken earlier in the season at Shea Stadium, plus a pair who weren’t pictured that day. Players are listed from left, starting in the back row after equipment manager Charlie Samuels.
Lenny Dykstra
The center fielder known as Nails was a reliable hitter in the regular season (.295 average) and postseason (.300 average). His most memorable moment came in Game 3 of the NLCS, when his two-run home run to right won it in the bottom of the ninth.
Barry Lyons
The first-year catcher played in just six regular-season games for the Mets, but was not on the postseason roster.
Randy Niemann
Despite a strong regular season (3.79 ERA in 35 2⁄3 innings), Niemann did not see postseason action.
Rick Aguilera
The righty went 10-7 with a 3.88 ERA, mostly as a starter. Moved to the bullpen for the playoffs, Aguilera pitched five scoreless innings in the NLCS, but allowed four runs in three World Series innings. Still, he got the win in Game 6.
Ed Hearn
Another rookie backstop, Hearn saw 136 at-bats in the regular season but wasn’t utilized in the playoffs.
Kevin Mitchell
The future 1989 NL MVP was just a rookie at this point. Although not a regular in October, his two-out base hit as a pinch hitter in the 10th extended the Mets’ famous World Series Game 6 rally.
Bobby Ojeda
Ojeda finished fourth in NL Cy Young balloting after going 18-5 with a 2.57 ERA. His mound mastery extended into the postseason as the Mets won each of his four starts while he pitched to a 2.33 ERA.
Howard Johnson
HoJo’s greatest days were still to come. After batting .245 with 10 home runs in the regular season, he failed to reach base in the playoffs.
Rafael Santana
The Mets light-hitting shortstop was solid in the field. He did drive in one of eight runs in the World Series-clinching Game 7.
Wally Backman
One half of the Wild Boys — along with Dykstra — the second baseman batted .320 during the season and had six hits against Boston.
Tim Teufel
The righty of the Mets’ platoon at second base, had four hits in nine World Series at-bats, but his costly error allowed the Red Sox to score the only run of Game 1.
Ray Knight
The third baseman and World Series MVP got hot at the right time. He batted .391 in the Series with a homer and five RBIs. Most of all, he scored the winning run in Game 6 to save the season.
Doug Sisk
A reliable righty out of the pen, Sisk pitched to a 3.06 ERA during the season and tossed three scoreless playoff innings.
Sid Fernandez
El Sid followed up an All-Star campaign (16-6, 3.52 ERA, 200 SO) as a starter with effective Fall Classic work in relief. He struck out 10 Red Sox over 6 2⁄3 innings and allowed just one run in three appearances.
Bruce Berenyi
The 31-year-old pitched to a 6.35 ERA over 39 2⁄3 innings and did not pitch in October.
Roger McDowell
Not particularly effective in five World Series relief appearances (4.91 ERA over 7 1⁄3 innings), but he tossed seven scoreless during the NLCS.
Danny Heep
The lefty outfielder, who hit .282 in 195 regular-season at-bats, went cold in the playoffs. His lone World Series hit came while DHing in the 7-1 Game 3 victory at Fenway Park, driving in a pair of runs in the process.
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward Wilson will forever be known as the man whose grounder went through Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs, scoring the winning run in Game 6.
Darryl Strawberry
The eight-time All-Star had trouble getting on base in the playoffs, but the right fielder’s solo homer in the eighth gave the Mets the Game 7 lead for good to clinch the World Series.
Keith Hernandez
Mex batted .310 and led the NL in walks, Although not as stellar in October, the first baseman’s two-run triple in Game 2 of the NLCS paced a 5-1 win.
Dwight Gooden
Doc, the 1985 NL Cy Young, went 17-6 with a 2.84 ERA and 200 strikeouts during the season. The righty was lights out in the NLCS (1.06 ERA over 17 innings, two starts) but struggled in Game 2 and 5 losses to the Red Sox.
Davey Johnson
The third-year skipper was known for his laid-back approach to managing the Mets’ colorful personalities en route to the franchise’s second title.
Gary Carter
The Hall of Fame catcher, who passed away in 2012, homered twice in the Mets’ 6-2 victory in Game 4 of the World Series. It was his single that started the Game 6 rally with two outs in the 10th.
Jesse Orosco
The superb lefty closer followed up a regular season in which he posted a 2.33 ERA by pitching to a 1.98 postseason ERA, including 5 2⁄3 shutout innings against Boston. He earned two saves in the World Series.
George Foster
The Opening Day left fielder and 1977 NL MVP was released by the Mets on Aug. 7 after batting .227 with 13 home runs.
Ron Darling
In a career year (15-6, 2.81 ERA, 184 SO), Darling made up for a rough NLCS Game 3 start by tossing seven scoreless innings each in Game 1 and Game 4 of the World Series. He was chased from Game 7 after allowing three runs in 3 2⁄3 innings, but the 8-5 final score made his struggles moot.
Kevin Elster (not pictured)
The September call-up made just four postseason at-bats and never got on base.
Lee Mazzilli (not pictured)
The utility man and Brooklyn native, signed after his August release by the Pirates, wasn’t used often in the playoffs. However, he scored in the eighth inning of Game 6 against Boston in what became a vital run.
Also in photo
Back row: Batboy Paul Greco, equipment manager Charlie Samuels, assistant equipment manager John Rufino, batboy Mike Rufino; Front row: assistant trainer Bob Sikes, coach Mel Stottlemyre, coach Bud Harrelson, coach Bill Robinson, coach Vern Hoscheit, coach Greg Pavlick, trainer Steve Garland
