5 calls every NY Mets fan thinks of when hearing Howie Rose ranked

For nearly four decades, the New York Mets have had a familiar voice woven into the soundtrack of their biggest moments. Since joining the organization in 1987, Howie Rose has been part of both the radio booth and television broadcasts, becoming a fan favorite and a part of their daily routine every season. The moments you remember most are not just about what happened on the field, but how they sounded through his voice. As his time around the booth begins to wind down, these five calls stand above the rest.

5. Bartolo Colon’s impossible home run (2016)

There are moments in baseball that feel like they were written as a joke, and then Bartolo Colon actually went out and made one real. When he launched his first career home run in San Diego, the reaction from Rose sounded exactly like every Mets fan watching it unfold. You could hear the disbelief turn into laughter as the ball kept carrying, and suddenly, the impossible had happened.

“It’s outta here! Bartolo has done it!” is one of those calls that still makes fans smile the second they hear it. It was not about the postseason or a division race. It was about pure joy, a moment so unexpected that the call almost had to catch up to what took place. That is exactly why it still holds up, because the impossible happened.

4. Mets win the pennant (2015 NLCS)

Some moments don’t need buildup because every Mets fan already knows exactly where this is going. Ninth inning, Jeurys Familia on the mound, and Dexter Fowler frozen on strike three to end it. Gloves go up, arms follow, and the celebration starts immediately. That is when Howie Rose said it: “The New York Mets have won the National League pennant.”

It is the kind of moment that instantly takes you back. Mets fans can picture exactly where they were when that final strike hit the glove. At the time, it had been 15 years since the Mets were last in the World Series, and hearing that call let the fan base finally exhale. The way Howie delivered that line is what keeps the moment alive for Mets fans.

3. Pete Alonso delivers in the 2024 postseason

Some swings do more than change a game; they carry a season with them. Late inning, everything on the line, and Pete Alonso got a pitch he could handle against Devin Williams. One swing later, the ball was in the air, and Howie Rose’s voice followed it, building with every second as it became clear this was not just a home run. This was the moment that put the Mets ahead and gave them life.

You could hear it instantly. The jump in his voice, the urgency, and then the words Mets fans won’t forget: “He did it! He did it!” Alonso’s swing gave them a chance, and the way Howie reacted matched exactly what every Mets fan was feeling in that moment. It is one of those calls where the emotion hits you before you even process what just happened.

2. Johan Santana’s no-hitter (2012)

For years, Mets fans knew the stat whether they wanted to or not. The franchise had never had a no-hitter, and it always seemed to come up whenever a starter carried one deep into a game. That night felt different. Johan Santana kept getting outs, and by the late innings, there was no ignoring it. Everyone knew exactly what was on the line.

When the final out was recorded, Howie let it out with the part fans still remember: “Put it in the books! The history books!” His voice kept going as the crowd took over, but you could hear it right there. Not just excitement, but disbelief and relief all at once. After 50 seasons, the Mets finally had their first no-hitter, and Howie sounded like every Mets fan who had waited forever to hear it.

1. Mike Piazza’s home run after 9/11 (2001)

Some moments go past baseball, and this was one of them. The first game back in New York after 9/11, a stadium filled with emotion, and a city just looking for something to hold onto. Late in the game, Mike Piazza stepped in and drove a ball to left center field. Off the bat, Howie said the line Mets fans will always recognize: “And this one has a chance…”

When Piazza’s home run cleared the left field fence, Howie’s voice rose with it. You could hear the relief and emotion come through as the moment hit. For that instant, it was not about the score or the inning. It was about what that swing gave the city, and the way Howie said it is what Mets fans still connect to when they hear that call again.