Special to espnW.com
My father grew up in Queens, New York, just down the road from Shea Stadium, the original home of the New York Mets. His underpaid summer job as a teenager put my own stints as a lifeguard and a camp counselor to shame: He was a hot dog salesman for the Mets. While perfecting his sales pitch -- he found out that "franks!" worked as well as "hot dogs!" and was easier on the voice -- he also watched his home team perfect its game. Before his eyes, my dad saw his team transform into the Miracle Mets, winning the 1969 World Series against all odds.