Mets Franchise Timeline: 1990s

1991

October 2 - William A. Shea dies at age 84.

1993

April 5 - The Colorado Rockies make their major league debut before 53,127, and are beaten 4-0 as Gooden scatters four hits. . .Rockies join Montreal Expos (in '69) as the two teams that played their first games ever at Shea.

1995

May 5 - Edgardo Alfonzo becomes the Mets' 100th third-baseman in a 9-6 loss in Montreal. A total of 121 players, starting with Don Zimmer in 1962, have appeared at third base for the Mets since 1962. Of those 121 players, only ten have appeared in as many as 200 games at third for the Mets. The most prominent of these third basemen was Met great Howard Johnson who played a total of 835 games at third for the Mets over a span of 8 years. Alfonzo played more games at third than all but three past Mets, Johnson, '69 World Championship third baseman Wayne Garrett and Hubie Brooks. Gold Glove third baseman Robin Ventura played a total of 436 games at the position for the Mets.

1996

September 14 - Todd Hundley hit his 41st home run, the most for any major league catcher in a single season and a Mets record (tied by Carlos Beltran in 2006).

1997

April 15 - President Bill Clinton, the first sitting president ever to see a game at Shea, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut by joining with Mrs. Rachel Robinson and MLB executive council chairman Bud Selig to retire Jackie's no. 42 throughout Major League Baseball.

June 13 - First regular season interleague game in Shea history. . .Red Sox 8, Mets 4 before 44,443.

June 16 - In the first ever regular season meeting between the Mets and Yankees, the Mets score three times in the first inning, never looking back as Dave Mlicki pitched a complete game shutout in a 6-0 victory.

1998

May 22 - Catcher Mike Piazza is aquired from the Florida Marlins in exchange for minor league outfielder Preston Wilson and minor league left-handed pitchers Ed Yarnell and Geoff Getz.

June 26 - First regular season meeting vs. Yankees in stadium history. . .Yanks won 8-4 before 53,404.

Winter 1998-99 - Metropolitan Club seats added behind home plate, filling in most of the familiar tunnel area (similar permanent seating along the first- and third-base lines added the following year).

1999

April 14 - John Franco notches 400th career save in 4-1 win over Florida.

May 20 - Against Milwaukee, Robin Ventura becomes first player in ML history to hit a grand slam in both games of a doubleheader.

October 3 - Melvin Mora scores on Brad Clontz' ninth-inning wild pitch to give Mets 2-1 win over Pirates before 50,111, forcing one-game Wild Card Playoff the next day in Cincinnati (which Al Leiter wins, 5-0).

October 9 - Todd Pratt hit a solo home run in Game Four of the NLDS vs. Arizona to send the Mets to the NLCS.

October 17 - Robin Ventura hit a game-winning "grand slam single" in the bottom of the 15th inning against Atlanta in Game Five of the NLCS.