1977 NYC Blackout During Cubs Mets Game (WNEW Radio)

July 13, 1977. The Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets are playing at Shea Stadium when the New York City blackout strikes, plunging the entire city into darkness. Here's how it unfolded as Ralph Kiner and Lindsey Nelson were broadcasting the Mets game on WNEW Radio. No one at the ballpark realized this was the start of a citywide blackout that would unleash a torrent of violence and looting. You'll notice toward the end of this clip the hum and the increasingly higher pitched voices of Kiner and Nelson (I partially corrected this) which was due to the fact the power was starting to go out at WNEW which was slowing down the recording. Ultimately, the suspended game was finished on September 16, 1977.

[lacheraqui]

That's the wonderful Jane Jarvis playing organ through the darkness...

[rxpro]

great to hear this because this is what I was listening to on the stereo in my room when it happened in 77...I was 16

[Donn]

Amazing that the power remained on for the PA and the radio broadcast. And what a job Ralph does in covering it! Perhaps his best work!

[MrAitraining]

This is why I lOVE youtube. Wow. Thank you. It was a crazy few days.

[SheltonWalden]

Ralph Kiner mentioned during the 1965 blackout, he was having dinner with Monte Irvin, who just passed yesterday @ the age of 96. RIP

[robertmasina]

I remember that. I live in the Chicago area and I was casually watching that Cubs vs Mets game when TV screen turned blank black.

[jimkavanagh]

I remember listening to this! This game wasn't on channel 9, which was the exception in those days.

[RGL]

That was a bad blackout. My friends dads went into their stores with their shotguns, and locked themselves in to defend against the looters, who came out in droves.

[FortyNineHudson]

4:59 “I had a number of friends who were regulars at Toots Shorr’s, and you could have had a blackout any night and they would have never known it.”

LOL. The great Lindsey Nelson.

[bernardoconnor]

I was in the Bronx that afternoon, at the Yankee Stadium box office trying to get tickets to that year's All Star game. I spent most of the day in the city, I got on the bus at the Port Authority to come back to Jersey, when I got off about 20 minutes later the City was dark. I lived just across the river from Manhattan and could see the darkened island from my side. It was very surreal. I also was around for the 65 blackout although I was young at the time and don't remember a lot about it.

[timothygager]

Lenny Randle was at the plate, “I didn’t know what was happening when I swung, hit the ball, took off for second, ” Randle said. “I thought it was a double, I got tackled by Ivan DeJesus and Manny Trillo, ” he said of the Cubs’ shortstop and second baseman. “And I’m thinking, ‘I’m from Compton. We play with car lights.’ I could see the ball, I’m fine, ” Randle said, laughing. “Get candles, we can still play. Everybody panicked but I didn’t.”

[voidfilan]

I remember listening to this in my bedroom. Grew up in north Jersey and although we did not loose power most of the tv stations were off air and I remember being able to pick up some philly stations and one from Connecticut

[rustykuntz]

Shea was massive, held close to 60, 000 people but with the Mets so bad the stadium was barely 1/3 full. The entire 2 upper decks looked completely empty.

[jimkavanagh]

Great line by Lindsay about blackouts at Toots Shoor's!

[defaultusername]

What an era to live. If you were there, you guys were lucky.

[rrizo]

shea stadium attendance that night was 14, 626 I was 8 and we were there that night

[GEMINITREKKER]

Pretty hot night that night! Even in Northern New England where I was 13 years old watching a sitcom (cant remember which one) when a Special Report broke through announcing the massive New York City power outage.We wernt effected in Northern New England.

[avexp]

I had left for Switzerland the day before and read about the blackout the following day in Zurich.

[albertjaime]

This game was on radio also, i remember like it was yesterday Jerry Koosman was pitching, i was 12yrs ole living in E Flatbush Bklyn

[mitchellbaker]

That was a crazy year in NY. Hotly contested mayoral race. The city going bankrupt. Son of Sam prowling around for victims. Punk rock, disco and hip hop all coming up. Just a wild time.