THE WORLD SERIES : New York Mets vs. Boston Red Sox : ‘Chutist Asks for $25,000

A soap opera actor who parachuted onto the field during the sixth game of the World Series put in a claim for a $25,000 radio contest prize before he jumped, the station’s promotion director said Monday.

The Queens District Attorney’s office has asked the station to turn over the letter in which the jumper, Michael Sergio, said he thought he deserved the money in the WXRK-FM “outrageous act” contest.

He also wrote that a second parachutist, who never materialized, would land on the field with him.

“It goes to the question of his motivation,” said Tom McCarthy, spokesman for Queens District Attorney John Santucci. “Was it altruism or team spirit or personal gain?”

Sharon Rosenbush, promotion director of the station said before she saw Sergio’s letter Monday morning, “I thought the guy did it just for the love of the team.

“But here it appears he was looking to walk away with $25,000. We were blown away by it.”

Sergio’s letter was postmarked Friday, and he made the jump Saturday night.

Arrested and held overnight, Sergio was charged Sunday with misdemeanors and violations carrying a maximum possible penalty of a year in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.

Rosenbush quoted Sergio’s letter as saying:

“Re outrageous contest: here’s the deal. I’m going to parachute into Shea Stadium on either Saturday, Oct. 25 or Sunday Oct. 26, 1986, at approximately 8:20 p.m.

“I will land on or near home plate and I’ll have a ‘Go Mets’ flag trailing from my parachute. . . . The best the Boston fans could do was launch some balloons with ‘Go Sox’ attached--real scary stuff, right? I claim the $25,000 prize for myself, Michael Sergio.”

Rosenbush said there is no chance Sergio, 37, could win the prize, which will go to the person who performs the most outrageous act without violating the law or harming himself or others.

He landed between the pitcher’s mound and first base, then exchanged congratulatory handslaps with Met pitcher Ron Darling while other members of the team laughed and cheered as police whisked him away.

Criminal Court Judge Alan Beldock, a Mets’ season ticket-holder, ignored the district attorney’s suggestion of $10,000 bail and released Sergio for a Nov. 24 appearance.

“I was there when it happened,” Beldock said. “I’m still trying to figure where he came from.”