While the Mets search for their 2014 identity. I find myself
thinking of something. No, it’s not whether the Mets should have traded Lucas Duda instead of Ike Davis or whether Anthony Recker should start over Travis d’Arnaud or even
if Chris Young should be relegated to part time to accommodate Juan Legares.
It’s why the Mets had a 50th anniversary party
for a structure they tore down almost 6 years ago.
This past weekend the Mets paid homage to their former home
by rolling back their box seat prices on the promenade deck to the 1964 price
of $3.50. This is plainly a testament to the love of Shea. Meanwhile like this year’s
Mets, Citi Field also is struggling for an identity of its own.
Built to be reminiscent of Ebbets Field and also designed to
pay homage to the history of National League baseball in New York, Citi Field
has had a tough time shaking the shadow of Old Shea. In 2009 Citi Field was
discovered to the horror of most Met players and Met fans to not only be bigger
in dimension, but also played bigger than Shea, way bigger, and Shea was
considered a pitchers park to boot.
In 2009 Citi Field was blamed for the biggest Met power
shortage since the late 70’s to early 80’s. The Mets only managed 95 homers on
the entire year, led by 12 homers by Daniel Murphy. David Wright went from
hitting 30 and 33 homers in the previous two seasons managed only 10 in 2009 as
the Mets won just 70 games. Club
officials claimed it was a “mental” thing and that the players were being
psyched out by the dimensions. Well, after the 2011 season, a season where the
Mets only managed 108 homers (led by 15 by Carlos Beltran) the walls were moved
in to make Citi a bit cozier.
But still, Citi Field, with all its amenities has not grown
on the average Met fan as of yet. There are several reasons for that. One is,
Citi is modeled after the Dodgers old home and even features The Jackie
Robinson Rotunda. It does house The Met
Hall of Fame and Museum, but fans have questioned the rotunda. Sure, Jackie
Robinson is a giant in the world of baseball and probably deserves a museum all
to himself. Wouldn't this rotunda be more at home in Los Angeles at Dodger
Stadium? The home of the team he actually played for. A Willie Mays rotunda would have been more
fitting. Mays famously played his last two seasons for the Mets and also played
his early career in the Mets first home The Polo Grounds. (Just a thought)
But I digress. All of the above can be considered minor to
moderate quibbles. The biggest reason
why Citi Field lacks a connection with its fans lies in the fact that it had a hell
of a tough act to follow. Shea Stadium
became the grandstand for an improbable movement that showcased the Mets
blossoming from a joke to a champion. While being created in an era of “Cookie
Cutter” ball parks Shea managed to completely ingrain itself on the fan base
with a personality all its own, quirks
and all.
With its proximity to the LaGuardia airport glide path a
visit to Shea would feature the regular drone of 707’s, 727’s and even 747’s as
they came in for a landing. (That’s the same with Citi Field obviously) Opposing players hated it, as did some of the Mets players, however some
of the pitchers loved it. The loud flying metal birds were a big part of the
Shea home field advantage. Tom Seaver admitted to timing his pitches with the
approach of planes hoping to blow one by a player preoccupied and unnerved by
the 100 decibel distraction. Hell, even video games featured the occasional
planes flying by. (Talk about an added feature)
Shea was an incredibly
exciting and loud place to be. When the Mets were hot there wasn’t a better place
to watch a game. When the fans got up on
their feet and started chanting and clapping you could feel the stadium move
and sway. It was alive. Fans noticed it, the players noticed it. The Mets were
buoyed by it.
From opening day 1964, to Billy Joel in 2008 there was a lot
of history packed into Shea in those 44 years. Mostly it was what happened
during games that get romanticized the most.
Starting in 1964 the list is impressive
April 17th 1964 – Mets open their new park. Jack Fisher faces Bob Friend. The Pirates win
4-3.
April 19th 1964 – Mets first win at Shea. Al
Jackson throws a 6 hit shutout as the Mets blank the Pirates 6-0.
July 21st 1964 -- The Phillies Jim Bunning tosses
a perfect game in the first game of a Father’s day double header.
July 7th 1964 – Johnny Callison hits a game
winning 3 run homer off Dick Radatz to give the National league a 7-4 in the
All-Star Game.
August 15th, 1965 – The Beatles play at Shea
Stadium
July 9th 1969 – Tom Seavers imperfect game. He
retired 25 straight Cubs only to have Jimmy Qualls break up the perfect game
with a single to right.
September 24th 1969 – The Mets clinch the National
League East Title
October 6th 1969 – The Mets beat the Braves 7-4
to win the very first NLCS and advance to the World Series.
October 16th 1969 – the Miracle Mets beat the
Orioles 5-3 in Game 5 to become the 1969 World Series Champs
April 22nd 1970 – Tom Seaver strikes out 10
straight Padres and goes on to set a NL record with 19 strikeouts.
May 14th 1972 – Willie Mays plays his first game
as a Met.
October 9th 1973 – The Mets beat the Reds 7-2 in
a decisive game 5 of the NLCS to go on to face the Oakland A’s in the World
Series.(The day before Pete Rose and Bud Harrelson had their famous fight at 2nd base)
April 9th 1985 – Gary Carter hits a bottom of the
10th walk off home run off the Cardinals Neil Allen in his Met debut
on opening day.
September 17th 1986 – the Mets beat the Cubs
behind Doc Gooden to Clinch the NL East title.
October 11th 1986 – Lenny Dykstra hits a walk off
2 run homer in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Astros 6-5 in Game
three of the NLCS
October 25th 1986 – the Mets stage a miraculous comeback
to win Game 6 of the World Series
October 27th 1986 – The Mets beat the Red Sox 8-5
to win their 2nd World Series Title.
October 9th 1999 – Todd Pratt hits walk off homer
in game 4 of the NLDS to beat the Diamondbacks.
October 17th 1999 – Robin Ventura hits his famous
“Grand slam single” in the bottom of the 15th inning to beat the
Braves in Game 5 of the NLCS.
October 7th 2000 – Benny Agbayani hits a solo
homer in the bottom of the 10th to beat the Giants in Game 3 of the
NLDS.
October 8th 2000- Bobby Jones 1 hits the Giants
as the Mets win 4-0 and advance to the NLCS.
September 21st 2001 – Mike Piazza hits a titanic
home run to center field to help lead the Mets to victory inNew York’s first
game back after 9/11.July 16th, 18th 2008 – Billy Joel’s last play at Shea.
Citi Field is only just beginning its 6th season. By Shea’s 6th season they were
raising a World Series banner already, but time will be the tale of the tape
for Citi Field. For now and for the foreseeable future it lives in the shadow
of Shea Stadium. Gone 5 years and it’s like remembering an old friend. I personally have never been in Citi Field; I
have only seen it on TV. I will rectify
that one day. Until then my memory of Shea is vital and fresh to me. Citi Field
has had a rocky start. I have a feeling the next few years that all will change
drastically.
6 comments:
Great reminiscence, Craig.
One event that is essentially like a legend was the Agee upper deck shot. I don't think (good grief) the film was kept - I saw it on a grainy 9' TV with rabbit ears.
As you note, the fences are still too deep. Five more feet in all around to compensate for ball carry would help Met hitters' psyche.
Great memories, Craig. Don't get into New York much these days, but when I do I catch the Mets if possible. Citi Field, tthough it's sight lines are fine, strikes me as soulless, trying to make up for its lack of character with technology and diversions. Does a ballpark really need a shopping promenade? Do we really need to be bombarded with too much information? If I wanted the Internet while watching a game, I'd stay home. For all its flaws, and it had plenty, Shea Stadium had an individuality about it. This place? Nah. - - Ira Lacher, Des Moines, Iowa
Craig Mitchell · Top Commenter · Actor at Actor
Thomas......I often wonder who got that "SEAT" when they sold the Shea Seats......Or...I wonder if it'sin the Mets Museum at Citi?
Used to love going to Shea. But let's be honest. At some point, it became a toilet. Literally. I stopped going to Shea when I could no longer stomach the stench of urine and started taking in my Mets games in Philly. Nothing against Shea and the memories I have from there, but a new stadium for the Mets was long overdue. Like everything else Mets these days, it seems to me that the fans' rejection of bonding to CitiField is tied to the ownership. And I just think that's a form of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
See... I still miss the smell of urine in the elevators...
They probably do have that seat - and Jackie Robinson is likely sitting on it!
Post a Comment