Darryl Strawberry, a key player for the New York Mets, hit 335 home runs during his career, but his first 252 were deeply cherished by Mets fans. These home runs defined excitement for fans during the 1983 to 1990 seasons. However, Strawberry's later 83 homers, hitting after his prime in different uniforms, elicited only mild reactions, indicating a disconnect for fans who felt a mix of nostalgia and disappointment. The article also contrasts Strawberry's legacy with that of current Mets player Pete Alonso, whose every home run is celebrated without reservation.
If you heard Pete Alonso hit a big home run Friday night, you didn't have to wonder for whom he hit it before measuring your response accordingly. It was the 234th of Pete's big league career. Every one has been hit as a Met. You could just cheer as you had.
The first 252 home runs of Darryl Strawberry's career were essential elements of what a Mets fan lived for between 1983 and 1990.
For as long as he was becoming and remaining the greatest home run hitter in New York Mets history, Darryl Strawberry connecting his bat to a ball was a cause for at least a little reaction.
Darryl Strawberry's next 83 home runs rarely rose above the level of peripheral concern to this viewer, drawing just slight smiles and golf claps.
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