Fun Size Slackmistress

betheboy:

chrisdaps:

This.

Tonight, Johan Santana threw the first no hitter in New York Mets history against the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

I’ve been a New York Mets fan my entire life, because my father was a Mets fan. My father and I were not as close as either of us would have liked but we always found common ground with the Mets, who until tonight had never had a pitcher throw a no hitter. 

When I was growing up on Long Island my father told me about some of the times a Mets pitcher came close, like Tom Seaver in 1969. Over the years I had seen a few near no-hitters to but like many other Mets fans I figured it would never happen in my lifetime just like it didn’t happen in my father’s.

Since I’m a Mets fan living in Los Angeles, weeknight games start while I’m still at work. Today I was listening to the radio feed through MLB.com while I was working. After three innings I wrapped up my workday. Usually I’ll get in my car, switch to the MLB app on my iPhone and listen on the way home, then catch the end on TV at home.

Today instead of going home I decided to hit the gym at work to get a run in. I planned on a quick 45 minutes on the treadmill. I started running and tuned into the radio broadcast on my phone in the top of the 5th inning.

I noticed Johan Santana hadn’t given up a hit but I’d been down this road too many times to get excited. When Santana sent down the Cardinals without a hit in the 6th I started to think like a crazy person…what if running on this treadmill, 2,500 miles from where the game was being played was somehow keeping the no-hitter intact.

I had to keep running.

Gotta stay on this treadmill, it’s lucky. #mets

— Will Stegemann (@BeTheBoy) June 2, 2012

By the end of the 7th I had hit my 45 minute limit, but this was history.I had to keep running. For the Mets, for the fans and for my father who never experienced a Mets no-hitter.

The rest of the story can be told in Tweets:

Staying on this treadmill, can’t say why #mets

— Will Stegemann (@BeTheBoy) June 2, 2012

3 outs to go. Still on the no no treadmill . #metstell @slackmistress I love her.

— Will Stegemann (@BeTheBoy) June 2, 2012

Come on Johan. #mets I am walking but still on the treadmill .

— Will Stegemann (@BeTheBoy) June 2, 2012

I can stop running. 8 miles later a met throws a no hitter,

— Will Stegemann (@BeTheBoy) June 2, 2012