Opening Day at Home

By Jay Horwitz

Sometimes safety and precaution top tradition and that’s why I will be at home in Clifton, NJ watching the Mets host the Atlanta Braves today to begin the 2020 season.

It will mark the first home opener I have missed since I joined the Mets on April 1, 1980. I had been to 40 straight home openers at Shea Stadium and Citi Field combined.

Because I have long past my bar mitzvah age, I have to do the right thing and be safe. Now I am never without my Mets mask that my friend Teresa Corderi made for me.

Even though one tradition has ended, I will still keep alive another one. At each home opener in the press box, I scarfed down two hot dogs, fries and a Coca-Cola. I will be doing that for sure today.

In most years, I managed to spill the soda all over me. No doubt I will do that at some point during the game today.

One thing is for sure, I will be rooting like crazy for my co-author Jacob deGrom to begin his match toward a third consecutive Cy Young Award. No body does it better than number 48.