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I was especially wistful watching the Yankees and the Red Sox play this week, because I remember what it was like. I remember those two teams were Athens and Sparta (to borrow a line from the great Peter Gammons), when every game they played seemed to affect the balance of power in the whole sport. And how every moment seemed rife with the po sibility of fireworks. And more. And it wasnt only the players, wasnt only the fans. Herewith a story. Im not exactly proud of this story. But it happened. I have to own it. And all these years later I have to say, I think it accurately reflects the way things were in those times. Its Oct. 12, 2003. The day before, wed all covered one of the truly epic collisions of the Yankees and the Red Sox. This was the game when Pedro Martinez nearly brained Karim Garcia, when Roger Clemens retaliated with a pitch that really never came close to Manny Ramirezs head, but Ramirez thought it did, and the whole thing . Karim Garcia jumps into the bullpen during the eighth inning of the Oct. 11, 2003 game. AP The Yankees-Red Sox brawl in the 2003 ALCS infamously involved Don Zimmer. Anthony J Causi It was a surreal day, the apex of 80 some-odd years of hard feelings. Those of us who cover such things had delighted in describing every detail and couldnt wait to see what Game 4 might bring. But the morning brought rain, lots of it, buckets of it. All morning. Into the afternoon. A few of us took a cab over to Fenway Park, and just as we arrived it really started to come down. We arrived at the pre s gate and it was closed. We figured the security guys would have mercy on our souls. It opens at 3, we were told. Someone had a watch. It was 2:57. We urged him to please use logic as we were drowning in the torrential downpour. More From Mike Vaccaro Three oclock, he repeated. And as he did, we saw a curious sight just behind him. There was Dan Shaughne sy. There was Bob Ryan. There was Tony Ma sarotti. The Boston Tim Anderson Jersey writers sure looked comfy and dry. We pointed that out. It fell on deaf ears. We continued to get soaked, and at 3 on the dot we were let in. We all hurried in because, as I may have mentioned, we were soaked. We were in matching foul moods. So it was that another security guard, who it turns out had a good 30 years on the BPD, decided to be funny. Easy guys, he said. The free food will still be there for you when you get upstairs. Karim Garcia reacts after getting hit by a pitch during the Yankees ALCS game against the Red Sox. Getty Images And, well, one of us (guilty) didnt find that quite so funny and was tired of feeling like a drenched platypus. I may have suggested an anatomically impo sible task. Colorfully. The guard didnt like that. He answered in kind. A cool head named Joel Sherman got between. It was ugly, I immediately felt bad, but it was over. Soon enough we were drip-drying in the pre s box. Thats when an American League official approached me. You need to follow me, she said. Why? I asked. Youve been ejected from the stadium, she said. Ive been what? We are told you a saulted a security guard. Verbally, perhaps. And the brothers at Chaminade wouldve had me in detention for two months for what Id said. But a sault? Come with me. What could I do? I packed up. I went to the elevator. In those years the war between the Post and Daily News was still fiery hot, so the News sent a reporter with us to do a story. I left Fenway. I walked (in the rain, again) to Boston Beer Works, got a table, started watching a Giants-Patriots football game (with a roomful of Pats fans gleeful at Pats 17, Giants 6). Karim Garcia climbs out of the bullpen during the 2003 ALCS. Getty Images Don Zimmer reacts after the Yankees brawl with the Red Sox ended in 2003. Anthony J Causi And then I started to fret. How was I going to explain to my bo s that I couldnt cover the game? Was I going to be searching for work in the field of mixology by Monday? Then my flip phone rang. It was Greg Gallo, the Posts executive sports editor. I braced for the bad news. This is great! he said in lieu of a greeting. It is? I see the backpage now: OUR GUY BANNED IN BOSTON! You can write the column from the bar! This is fabulous! (Little did Gallo know, he and I had just invented a remote workplace 16 years ahead of his time.) Im not sure he couldve sounded any happier if Id given him a winning tip for the sixth race at Aqueduct. So I pulled my laptop out of my bag. I prepared for my star turn on the back page of the paper. Then my phone rang again. It was Joel. Two things: First, the games just been called off. Two, after thinking it over, the American League has said you can come back to work if you and the security guard can work it out. We did. I apologized (and do so again, if he happens to be reading). He kind of apologized. Life went on. The Yanks-Sox rivalry survived. Thankfully, so did my career. Yeah. I mi s those days. Vacs whacks wasnt just a fine ballplayer for parts of 18 years with the Mets, he was that rare athlete who understood most fans get one or two meetings in their lives with the players they root for if that and he was determined to make every one of those encounters something those fans would remember for a lifetime, and with a smile. Good ballplayer, great man. Godspeed. Ed Kranepool, who won two World Series with the Mets, died at 79 years old. AP The only i sue I have with Alex Gibneys two-part documentary on The Sopranos on Max is that I wish it was an eight-parter. Baseball, man. Francisco Lindors was as energizing a moment among the Mets fans I know as Ive seen in years. And Aaron Judges had the same exact effect on my Yankees-fan friends. Baseball, man. Can second Mushnicks suggestion last week: If youre a Giants fan, do yourself a favor and pick up The Pope of the NFL: The Andy Robustelli Story and the Family that Loved Him, edited by Peter Golenbock. Well worth your time. Whack back at Vac Vito Pesche : Tua Tagovailoa . This has to be addre sed, I hope Tua is smart enough to call it a day. Vac: The moment of impact when Tua collided with Damar Hamlin could be the most poignant PSA ever. Tua Tagovailoa exited the Dolphins lo s Thursday with another concu sion. AP Scott Wolinetz: Bill Belichick now is like Nurse Ratchet becoming a cheerleader. Vac: Only if she were cheering for like 17 different teams and schools at the same time. @LaurenComiteau: Dear @Giants. I was gifted tix to your Munich game with my daughter. After your opener, I not only dont want to go but I think you shouldnt either. You cant afford the jet lag. Among other things. @MikeVacc: Although you have to love the German translation to disaster: katastrophe. JR Roberts: Its 1977 and the Yankees have snuck in Jazz Chisholm for Mickey Rivers. Mickey is at the racetrack. Shhhh Vac: Im not sure Im buying that comp 100 percent, but Im down with anything that gets people talking about Mick the Quick again. Enyel De Los Santos Jersey