centerfield maz

Father's Day June 17th, 1962:   The original 1962 Mets team were known as the loveable losers. The New York fans were so happy to have National League baseball back after the departure of the Giants & Dodgers five years earlier it almost didn't matter if they won, as one baseball's strongest fan bases was born. The team was known for its ineptitude, mental mistakes, errors & poor play. With 72-year-old Casey Stengel leading the young bunch, he tried to guide them as best as he could. If nothing else with his fast talking & so called "Stengelese' language he was the best promoter for his young Amazing Mets. Quotes- Casey Stengel: "We got them from the babies up, as soon as the kid can start to talk, you sat Metsie, not pappa not mamma, Metsie-Metsie-Metsie" On this Father's Day the Mets 13,128 fans came to the Polo Grounds as Casey's Mets (16-42) hosted the Chicago Cubs (22-42) in an afternoon double header. The Mets Al Jackson went up...

Monday June 16th, 1997: This was a historic day for New York baseball as for the first time the two New York baseball clubs would meet in regular season play. In 1997 MLB began interleague play where teams from the National League would play teams from the American League in the regular season. Before that season, the respective leagues teams only met in the World Series, All Star & exhibition games. Since the Dodgers & Giants left New York, there had not been a Subway World Series game since 1956. In 1962 the Mets began play& would only meet their AL New York opponents in Spring Training games as well as the annual Mayor Trophy's exhibition game held each season thru 1983. There was lots of excitement in the air for this first June subway series. The fans on both sides love it, as the whole City got wrapped up in the thrill of it all.  It was something everyone had an opinion about & something everyone could debate. On this night 56,188 came to the Bronx to ...

Saturday June 15th, 2002: In this second game of the 2002 regular season subway series the Mets hosted their cross-town rivals on an overcast day at Shea Stadium.  It was a huge game, not because of what it meant in the standings or for what the score outcome was to be. This was all about drama & New York media hype. This would be the first time Roger Clemens would have to come to bat against the New York Mets after all the dramas of his battles with Mets Hall of Famer Mike Piazza. Background: The dramas began on June 6th, 1999, when the Mets roughed up Clemens for seven runs on eight hits. Piazza doubled then hit a two run HR off Clemens in the 7-2 win. When the series moved to Queens in July, Piazza hit a three run HR off Clemens breaking a 2-2 tie in the 6th inning leading to a 5-3 Mets win & another loss for Clemens. On June 9th, 2000, in the regular season Subway Series match up in the Bronx, Piazza hit a 3rd inning grand slam HR off Clemens giv...

Background: At the time of the Tom Seaver trade, the New York Mets were at a bad point in team history. By 1975, the clubs beloved owner Mrs. Joan Payson had passed away. Mrs. Payson was on the forefront of women in sports; she loved the game was involved in the team & made the players feel they were part of a family. Times were good. Her widower husband, the very wealthy Charles Shipman had no interest in baseball. To keep it in the family, their daughter Lorinda deRoulet took charge of the team. Ms.de Roulet was her mother; she didn't know the first thing about running a baseball team. Instead, she and let the teams long time president & Chairman- M. Donald Grant make all the decisions. Times got bad. Grant had been a longtime friend of Mrs. Payson, together they served on the board of directors of the New York Giants baseball club in the 1950's. Grant had been with the Mets since the beginning in 1962, but his baseball knowledge was questionable & he...