Ten years ago today, Mets fans gathered to see the 1986 World Series champions celebrate the 30th anniversary of their accomplishment. After the festivities, the Mets faced off against the Dodgers in the sixth matchup between the teams since they sent Los Angeles packing in the 2015 NLDS. Chase Utley, who broke Ruben Tejada‘s leg in the second game of that series, batted leadoff and played second base for the Dodgers. Utley was initially given a suspension for his act, but that was later nullified upon appeal, much to the ire of the Mets and their fan base.
While fans booed Utley relentlessly, the Mets hadn’t yet retaliated against the 37-year-old, who previously tormented them for years while playing for the Phillies. Utley continued to crush the Mets the night before, driving in four runs, including a bases-clearing, game-tying double against Jeurys Familia. In his first at-bat of this game, Utley struck out looking against Noah Syndergaard – another plate appearance ending without an incident between the two sides. When Utley stepped to the plate in the third inning, however, Syndergaard uncorked a slider that went behind Utley. Despite no warnings having been issued, home plate umpire Adam Hamari immediately ejected the right-hander. Crew chief Tom Hallion went to the mound to explain the ejection to Syndergaard and the rest of the infield, while manager Terry Collins unleashed a profanity-laced tirade at Hamari. Two years later, the audio of the sequence was posted online, revealing a legendary quote from Hallion’s explanation to Syndergaard.
“Our ass is in the jackpot, if we don’t do something there, I’m telling you that,” Hallion said to Syndergaard.
Hallion then went to intervene with Collins, who had also been ejected by that point, and continued his tirade. Collins pleaded his case, mentioning that the league did nothing to punish Utley. Hallion used the line again.
“Terry, listen, I’m telling you, our ass is in the jackpot now,” Hallion said.
Hallion revealed in a 2023 interview with The Athletic‘s Sam Blum that the phrase “ass in the jackpot” came from his childhood. While Hallion would stay out late at a local baseball field, his siblings would tell him his “ass was in the jackpot” because his mother was angry that he hadn’t come home yet.
“I never really used it in my baseball career, except for my argument with Terry Collins,” Hallion told Blum.
Collins admitted to Blum that the team was trying to retaliate in the moment, and he felt they should’ve been given more leeway. In 2025, Hallion was invited on The Terry Collins Show, and the two watched back their infamous exchange.
“You were able to keep calm. I got a little carried away myself,” Collins said with a grin.
Hallion said he got a little more animated than usual because of the crowd’s reactions and Collins’ interaction with Hamari.
“I heard the crowd behind me, and you were really going at it, and I really just kind of wanted to give it back to you a little bit, just to say ‘okay, I’m going to take this, but you better not try anything else,'” Hallion said.
In 2024, Collins spoke with MMO’s Mathew Brownstein and said that not a day goes by without someone making a reference to the incident with Hallion.
“I live in St. Lucie, and I belong to a golf course where three-quarters of the members are New Yorkers. During this time of year, people come down, and they’ll come out, and somebody will introduce me. And that’s the first thing they’ll bring up!” Collins said. “I have a friend who’s a golf pro at the pro shop, and every time I walk in, the first thing I hear is, ‘Give us a shot! Gotta give us a shot!’
Unfortunately for the Mets, Utley got the last laugh that night, clubbing two home runs, including a grand slam in a 9-1 beatdown victory for the Dodgers. Neither Syndergaard nor Collins was suspended for the incident, but the chaos between Collins and Hallion will live on forever.
