00:00The final opening day at Shea Stadium, before the New York Mets moved into Citi Field,
00:07they put in some extra seats, folding seats, literally on the field in between the Mets dugout
00:14and home plate. I was behind the plate, and they invited, I think it might have been 50
00:20quote-unquote dignitaries, okay, to sit there for the last opening day ever at Shea Stadium, okay?
00:28I got invited to be there. So I'm sitting next to Boomer Esiason at the time, my radio partner,
00:35and the two people sitting behind us are very well known, okay? Also sitting next to me at the time
00:42was the governor of New York, David Patterson, who's legally blind, okay?
00:47That's a challenge there.
00:49Foul ball goes up. It's coming right to our section. Again, there's 50 of us sitting on the field,
00:55okay? You can probably find pictures of it. I want to get that ball.
01:00Of course.
01:01Right? I got to go out for that ball. Now, I'm not worried about the governor. He's blind.
01:07He ain't got no idea where the ball's at.
01:08But I'd be more concerned about hitting him. I got to protect him, though.
01:11So I'm like, in my head, I'm like, all right, Governor Patterson's not a problem.
01:15And I kind of lean on his shoulder.
01:18Right, because he's not going to, he can't see it.
01:20He's Stevie Wonder at this point. He's like, was it fair? Was it foul? Where's the ball at, Craig?
01:27All right. Okay. I go, Governor Patterson, I got you. All right?
01:32But you got Boomer to the left of you.
01:33Boomer's to my right.
01:34Okay.
01:35Governor Patterson's to my left.
01:36Now, Boomer's an athlete.
01:37Yeah.
01:38And he's tall.
01:38But he doesn't give a rat's ass about the ball.
01:40Okay.
01:40It's like beneath him to get the ball.
01:42Oh, well, I don't like that, but go ahead.
01:44But the ball's coming our way, slow motion style.
01:46Uh-huh.
01:46Now, I'm friendly with Governor Patterson.
01:49Mm-hmm.
01:49So I feel like I can take some liberties here.
01:52I'm like, in my head, not a problem.
01:55Yeah.
01:55I'll Heisman the governor.
01:57No problem.
01:57All right?
01:58Maybe security tackles me.
02:00I think I'm pretty good.
02:01Right.
02:02Now, remember, I'm sitting on a folding chair.
02:05Ooh, yeah.
02:05Okay?
02:06Not like a sturdy chair.
02:08Mm-hmm.
02:08As the ball's coming backwards, it's clear that it's going to go just over my head.
02:14Mm-hmm.
02:15Okay?
02:16I turn.
02:17I've got my right arm or hand on Governor Patterson's shoulder.
02:22Right.
02:22That's your balance.
02:23Okay?
02:23That's your balance.
02:24Yeah, that's your balance.
02:25I take my left hand, and I put it on the top of my folding chair.
02:29Okay.
02:29I do almost a full pirouette now, okay?
02:31So I'm kind of back like this way, right?
02:33Yeah.
02:33Now, I'm off of Patterson's shoulder.
02:36I steady myself.
02:37I'm going to come like this, make an over-the-shoulder left-handed grab.
02:43Right.
02:43Okay?
02:43Now, for the people that listen to the podcast, that's Craig now reaching crossbody with the
02:48left hand.
02:49Okay?
02:49All right.
02:50Folding chair.
02:51The folding chair collapses.
02:54Ugh.
02:54I fall forward with my momentum into a very nice woman's lap, like legitimately, and she's sitting
03:04next to her husband.
03:05Oh, no.
03:06Okay?
03:06I do not make the catch.
03:09The ball bounces away.
03:11I don't know who got it.
03:12Irrelevant who got it.
03:14Yeah.
03:14Craig Carton did not get the ball.
03:15The blind governor did not get the ball.
03:18Boomer did not get the ball.
03:20But now I'm in a very awkward position.
03:22Yeah.
03:23Where, waist up, I'm now face down in a woman's lap.
03:28That's challenging.
03:29Very attractive woman's lap.
03:32Who was it?
03:33Do we know who it was?
03:35You know who her husband is.
03:37Oh.
03:37Okay?
03:38Uh-huh.
03:39We then introduce each other to each other.
03:42Well, you know each other intimately now.
03:44Nice to meet you.
03:46Yeah.
03:46Sorry I'm in your lap.
03:47Mm-hmm.
03:48I look to her husband, and I say to the husband, whose name is Jonathan, I say, Jonathan, I'm
03:54so sorry that I'm laying in your wife's lap.
03:57I apologize.
03:59The wife's kind of okay with it all.
04:02Oh.
04:02Wines up inviting me to their home for a cocktail party.
04:06Okay?
04:07Yeah.
04:08And asks for my phone number in a very non-sexual way, platonic way.
04:13Yeah, yeah.
04:13Give me your number so I can send you the invitation.
04:16Oh.
04:16We just rebuilt our apartment in New York City.
04:19Oh, beautiful.
04:19We'd love you to come to our cocktail party.
04:22This sounds like a great, great story.
04:24So, who was it?
04:26Her husband.
04:28Mm-hmm.
04:29Steve Tish's brother.
04:31Oh, no.
04:34Yeah.
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