Endy Chavez’ sixth-inning catch in Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series is considered one the greatest catches in New York Mets history, if not baseball history. Chavez recalls the catch and the series in today’s New York Post.
“As soon as I saw the ball hit to left field, I knew it was going to be by the fence, or it’s gone. My reaction was to get to the fence as quickly as I can. The ball kind of beat me, and I thought, ‘Oh no, I can’t get to the fence faster than the baseball,’ so on my way to the fence I just tried to time it and make a jump so I can try to catch it.’ I did everything to get to that point and put my glove out there on time, and the ball came in my glove,’’ Chavez said. “At that point, with the contact with the fence, and the contact with the ball and my glove, my glove almost fell off. I tried to grip it, but I thought I threw the ball in the air, and I thought, ‘At least it’s not a homer,’ and then I saw it in my glove, and I was like, ‘Well, it’s here.’ ”
“I always joke that I made a lot of good catches, but that was the famous one. I joke with my teammates and my friends — all it takes to be famous in the majors is one catch. That year, I hit .300 for the first time in my career and nobody talked about it. It’s just the catch.”
