Welcome back to Howard Johnson’s 1986 Time Machine — where we don’t just remember Mets history… we drop you right into it.

In Episode 3, host Mark Rosenman sets the dial to March 2 – March 8, 1986, and suddenly Spring Training in St. Petersburg takes a chaotic turn.

Joining Howard this week is special guest Mookie Wilson, giving us a firsthand look at one of the most eventful early weeks of the 1986 season.

What begins as a routine week of camp quickly turns into headline after headline.

The Mets announce the hiring of franchise legend Rusty Staub to the front office. Commissioner Peter Ueberroth rules on the fallout from the Pittsburgh drug trials, placing the spotlight squarely on team captain Keith Hernandez.

Then, during a simple rundown drill, disaster strikes when Mookie Wilson suffers a frightening eye injury after an errant throw shatters his sunglasses — a moment that suddenly makes the entire camp feel fragile.

With Mookie sidelined, young outfielder Lenny Dykstra is thrust into the spotlight. Meanwhile, prospects like Shawn Abner and Stanley Jefferson make early impressions, and the Mets open their exhibition schedule against Tom Seaver and the White Sox.

Through it all, Howard Johnson and Mookie Wilson take us inside the clubhouse to relive a week when injuries, controversy, competition, and opportunity all collided — revealing just how unpredictable the road to the 1986 championship would be.

Forty years later, the stories are still incredible.

Next week: Spring Training heats up, roster battles intensify, and the Mets’ swagger begins to take shape.

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