In 2002, New York Mets pitcher Shawn Estes began eating penne vodka with grilled chicken at a Manhattan restaurant called Gino's (in Yorkville) before every big game:
"Pre-penne, Estes, a lefty whom the Mets acquired from the San Francisco Giants during the off-season, had been pitching poorly -- no wins, two losses, with an earned-run average of 5.09.
"But six hours after his first Gino's visit Estes had a phenomenal night -- a one-hit, complete-game shutout of the Milwaukee Brewers. Post-penne, the Mets went 4-1 in his home starts.
"His confidence surged, his E.R.A. dropped, and the chicken-penne routine took hold..."
Some time later, New York Yankees pitcher David Wells -- who lived in the same high-rise as Al Leiter and had heard about the restaurant from their doorman -- stopped in at Gino's too:
The result? He ate heartily -- and gave up eight hits and four runs in an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
[Al Leiter, who was also tipped off by Estes, once called the restaurant and spoke briefly with Vinny behind the counter: "He told me to make him up a two-hitter tonight. I'm gonna start calling it the E.R.A. special."]
Sources
The New Yorker, 2002-07-01
