Posts

Brandon Nimmo (Part One) Italian / American Mets Outfielder (2016 - 2025)

-
Image
Brandon Nimmo was born March 27th, 1993, in Cheyenne Wyoming.  Nimmo grew up a fan of the Colorado Rockies & practiced his swing to emulate Todd Helton. He originally wanted to be a bull rider. His father had been a wrestler in college & his brother played baseball at the University of Nebraska. The six-foot three left hand hitting outfielder, was the first draft pick of Sandy Alderson's as General Manager of the New York Mets. Nimmo had originally committed to the University of Arkansas before signing with the Mets. He was presented with a 2010 Nissan Altima which he still had thru 2024. He named the car "the Golden goddess". Nimmo is also the highest player ever drafted out of the state of Wyoming, as the Mets number one pick (13th overall) in 2011. He was certainly a gamble coming out of American Legion Ball, since his high school didn't even have a baseball team. A Ball: He spent 2011 with the Gulf Coast Mets & Kingsport Mets. That year he was ...
Read more

Remembering Mets History (1981) Lee Mazzilli & Rusty Staub Hit Opening Day HRs Leading to Victory

-
Image
April 9th, 1981:   The New York Mets entered the new season coming off a fifth-place finish where they lost 95 games, only the Chicago Cubs lost more games in the National League. These were the dark years; this season would be the fifth straight losing season for the team. In the off season the Mets had signed veteran Rusty Staub. Rusty had been a popular Mets player in the early 1970s, leading the team offensively to the 1973 Pennant. In that year's World Series, he hit .423 leading all regular playing hitters.  Although Staub was in the Twi-light of his career, he was still an excellent hitter & was about to become one of the game's top pinch hitters.  Also that winter the Mets got back slugger Dave Kingman. Kingman known for his long HRs in the mid to late 1970s Mets teams earning the nicknames "Kong" & "Sky King". Kingman also struck out often & hit for low batting averages. Coaches Rube Walker, Bob Gibson & Manager Joe Torre The Me...
Read more

Lee Mazzilli: Popular Italian / American Mets All Star (1976-1981 / 1986-1989)

-
Image
Lee Louis Mazzilli   was born March 25, 1955, in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn New York. His grandfather was born in Bari, Italy, located on the Adriatic Sea in the southwestern Puglia region of the country. He immigrated to New York & worked in a piano factory. Lee’s father Libero became a welterweight boxer & lived in the same three-room Brooklyn apartment until his passing in 2007. Speed Skater: As a child Lee not only played baseball but also won three straight national speed-skating championships.  Mazzilli attended Lincoln High School in Coney Island, famous for such alumni as Mel Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, John Forsythe, Lou Gossett Jr., Buddy Rich, Arthur Miller, Leona Helmsley, as well as many other including the doo wop group; the Tokens of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” fame. Former Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa also attended the school. In 1973 after graduating, Mazzilli was chosen as the reigning NL Champion Mets first round ...
Read more