New York Metropolitans
Encyclopedia
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional
baseball
team that played in New York City
from 1880 to 1887. Metropolitan Baseball Club of New York was the name originally chosen in 1960 for the current day New York Mets
franchise, although the legal name has changed since then.
team by business entrepreneur John B. Day
and baseball
manager Jim Mutrie
. Initially the team played its games in Brooklyn
and in Hoboken, New Jersey
as the other New York area clubs did at the time. However, by September, Day had arranged the use of a polo field just north of Central Park
bounded by 5th & 6th Avenues and 110th & 112th Streets in Manhattan
that became known as the Polo Grounds
, the first professional baseball park in Manhattan.
had expelled the New York Mutuals
following the 1876 season for failing to make their final road trip of the year and by 1881 had still not replaced them with another New York City
franchise. The upstart American Association
therefore saw a significant opportunity when it invited the Metropolitans to join the new league for its 1882 inaugural season. The Metropolitans declined, however, since joining would have meant forgoing lucrative home exhibition games against National League opponents.
Because of Metropolitans financial success at the Polo Grounds
, and because each league knew that it needed a successful New York
franchise to compete against the other, at the end of 1882 both leagues tendered franchise offers to the Mets. Unbeknownst to the leagues, though, the Mets accepted both invitations. To satisfy these commitments, owners Day and Mutrie acquired the Troy franchise that had been eliminated from the National League (along with Worcester) to make room for new franchises in New York City
and Philadelphia. Day and Mutrie entered the Mets into the American Association and the newly created New York Gothams
into the National League. The teams shared use of the Polo Grounds, which was reconfigured with two diamonds and two grandstands.
The club's name "Metropolitan" was used in published standings of the Association, while the name "New York" was used for the National League entry. In the style of the day, the clubs were often called the "Metropolitans" and the "New Yorks". The "New Yorks" would eventually acquire the separate nicknames of the "Gothams" and then the "Giants", while the "Metropolitans" remained simply the "Mets".
, and won the 1884
American Association pennant. The Mets then faced Providence Grays
of the National League in the 1884 World Series
, but lost 3 games to none. Prominent Metropolitan players included Tim Keefe
, Dave Orr
, Chief Roseman
, Jack Lynch
, Candy Nelson
and Dude Esterbrook
.
Prior to the 1885 season, Mutrie shifted over to manage the Gothams and brought along star pitcher Keefe and third baseman Esterbrook. The rechristened New York Giants
finished second in the National League in 1885, while the Mets slumped to seventh place in the AA.
Prior to the 1886 season, Day and Mutrie sold the Mets to Erastus Wiman
who moved the team to cricket
grounds on Staten Island
in hopes of promoting ferry trade across New York harbor
. This business plan did not succeed, though, and the Mets ceased operation following the 1887 season. The team was bought by the Brooklyn Dodgers
to gain territorial protection and the contracts of several of the Mets' stars, including Dave Orr and Darby O'Brien. The current minor league Staten Island Yankees
play in a stadium very near the cricket ground used by the Mets.
added a franchise to replace the departed Giants and Dodgers, the owners and the fans of New York selected "Mets" as the nickname for the new club, in part to suggest continuity with the Metropolitans. These 20th century New York Mets
played their first two seasons at the final version of the Polo Grounds before it was ultimately torn down in 1964, when the Mets moved to Shea Stadium
.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team that played in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1880 to 1887. Metropolitan Baseball Club of New York was the name originally chosen in 1960 for the current day New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
franchise, although the legal name has changed since then.
Founding
The Metropolitans were founded in 1880 as an independent professionalProfessional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
team by business entrepreneur John B. Day
John B. Day
John Bailey Day was the founding owner of the independent New York Metropolitans in 1880 and leased the Polo Grounds for them to play in, which was the first baseball venue in Manhattan, New York City. In 1883 his New York Gothams/Giants of the National League began play at the same site...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
manager Jim Mutrie
Jim Mutrie
James J. Mutrie was an American baseball pioneer who was the co-founder and first manager of both the original New York Metropolitans and the New York Giants...
. Initially the team played its games in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
as the other New York area clubs did at the time. However, by September, Day had arranged the use of a polo field just north of Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
bounded by 5th & 6th Avenues and 110th & 112th Streets in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
that became known as the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, the first professional baseball park in Manhattan.
Joining the American Association
The National LeagueNational League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
had expelled the New York Mutuals
New York Mutuals
The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter...
following the 1876 season for failing to make their final road trip of the year and by 1881 had still not replaced them with another New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
franchise. The upstart American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
therefore saw a significant opportunity when it invited the Metropolitans to join the new league for its 1882 inaugural season. The Metropolitans declined, however, since joining would have meant forgoing lucrative home exhibition games against National League opponents.
Because of Metropolitans financial success at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, and because each league knew that it needed a successful New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
franchise to compete against the other, at the end of 1882 both leagues tendered franchise offers to the Mets. Unbeknownst to the leagues, though, the Mets accepted both invitations. To satisfy these commitments, owners Day and Mutrie acquired the Troy franchise that had been eliminated from the National League (along with Worcester) to make room for new franchises in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Philadelphia. Day and Mutrie entered the Mets into the American Association and the newly created New York Gothams
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
into the National League. The teams shared use of the Polo Grounds, which was reconfigured with two diamonds and two grandstands.
The club's name "Metropolitan" was used in published standings of the Association, while the name "New York" was used for the National League entry. In the style of the day, the clubs were often called the "Metropolitans" and the "New Yorks". The "New Yorks" would eventually acquire the separate nicknames of the "Gothams" and then the "Giants", while the "Metropolitans" remained simply the "Mets".
American Association Successes
Initially, managed by Mutrie, the Metropolitans enjoyed greater success on the field than the Gothams. The Mets finished fourth in 18831883 in sports
1883 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Yale BulldogsEvents...
, and won the 1884
1884 in sports
-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Princeton Tigers and Yale Bulldogs Events* Amos Alonzo Stagg enters Yale University as a divinity student and, a natural athlete, joins the university's football team.-Association football:England* FA Cup final –...
American Association pennant. The Mets then faced Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
of the National League in the 1884 World Series
1884 World Series
In baseball the 1884 World Series was an early forerunner of the modern post-season championship series.Although the "Fall Classic" as we know it didn't begin until 1903, Major League Baseball had several versions of a post-season championship series before that.The first such championship series...
, but lost 3 games to none. Prominent Metropolitan players included Tim Keefe
Tim Keefe
Timothy John "Tim" Keefe , nicknamed "Smiling Tim" and "Sir Timothy", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominating pitchers of the 19th century and posted impressive statistics in one category or another for almost every season he pitched...
, Dave Orr
Dave Orr
David L. Orr was a first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1883 through 1890.-Baseball career:Orr played most of his career in the American Association for the New York Metropolitans , Brooklyn Bridegrooms and Columbus Solons...
, Chief Roseman
Chief Roseman
James John "Chief" Roseman was an American Major League Baseball player from Brooklyn, New York who played in the outfield for six teams, mainly in American Association, during his seven season career. In he was the player-manager over a short period of time for the St. Louis Browns.Roseman died...
, Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch (baseball)
John H. Lynch was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1881-1890. He played for the Buffalo Bisons, New York Metropolitans, and Brooklyn Gladiators....
, Candy Nelson
Candy Nelson
John W. "Candy" Nelson was a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played 13 seasons between and for nine different teams in three different leagues. In 1890, he was the oldest player in the American Association at age 41.-Sources:...
and Dude Esterbrook
Dude Esterbrook
Thomas John "Dude" Esterbrook was an American Major League Baseball player from Staten Island, New York who played the majority of his games at third base, but did play many games at first base...
.
Demise
Financially, though, the Gothams had more promise due to the National League's stability, quality of play, and higher ticket prices. As early as 1884, the Mets were struggling to establish their own identity, and opened the season in a new ballpark, Metropolitan Park, located on the east side of Manhattan. The move proved unsatisfactory, and by mid-season they had quietly moved back to their original Polo Grounds home.Prior to the 1885 season, Mutrie shifted over to manage the Gothams and brought along star pitcher Keefe and third baseman Esterbrook. The rechristened New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
finished second in the National League in 1885, while the Mets slumped to seventh place in the AA.
Prior to the 1886 season, Day and Mutrie sold the Mets to Erastus Wiman
Erastus Wiman
Erastus Wiman was a Canadian journalist and businessman who later moved to the United States.Wiman was born in Churchville, Upper Canada, now part of Ontario, on April 21, 1834....
who moved the team to cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
grounds on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in hopes of promoting ferry trade across New York harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
. This business plan did not succeed, though, and the Mets ceased operation following the 1887 season. The team was bought by the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
to gain territorial protection and the contracts of several of the Mets' stars, including Dave Orr and Darby O'Brien. The current minor league Staten Island Yankees
Staten Island Yankees
The Staten Island Yankees are a minor league baseball team, located in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Nicknamed the "Baby Bombers," the Yankees are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the New York Yankees and play in the New York - Penn League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark...
play in a stadium very near the cricket ground used by the Mets.
Present Day Mets
In 1962, when the National LeagueNational League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
added a franchise to replace the departed Giants and Dodgers, the owners and the fans of New York selected "Mets" as the nickname for the new club, in part to suggest continuity with the Metropolitans. These 20th century New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
played their first two seasons at the final version of the Polo Grounds before it was ultimately torn down in 1964, when the Mets moved to Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
.
Notable alumni
- Lip PikeLip PikeLipman Emanuel "Lip" Pike the "Iron Batter", was one of the stars of 19th century baseball in the United States. He was the first player to be revealed as a professional , as well as the first Jewish player...
, four-time major league home run champion
See also
- New York Metropolitans all-time rosterNew York Metropolitans all-time roster* The following is a list of players and who appeared in at least one game for the New York Metropolitans Major League Baseball franchise of the American Association from through .-B:*Buck Becannon*Ed Begley*Steve Behel*Steve Brady*Henry Brooks...
- 1883 New York Metropolitans season1883 New York Metropolitans seasonThe New York Metropolitans finished with a 54-42 record, fourth place in the American Association. This was the first season in the Association for the Metropolitans, who had previously played as an independent team from 1880-1882.-Roster:...
- 1884 New York Metropolitans season1884 New York Metropolitans seasonThe New York Metropolitans finished with a 75-32 record, first place in the American Association. After the season, they played the National League champion Providence Grays in the 1884 World Series and lost three games to zero.- Roster :...
- 1885 New York Metropolitans season1885 New York Metropolitans seasonThe New York Metropolitans were hard hit as manager/co-owner Jim Mutrie moved over to manage the New York Giants and took several of the team's stars with him. The Metropolitans finished with a 44-64 record, seventh place in the American Association....
- 1886 New York Metropolitans season1886 New York Metropolitans seasonThe New York Metropolitans finished with a 53-82 record, seventh place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1887 New York Metropolitans season1887 New York Metropolitans seasonThe New York Metropolitans finished with a 44–89 record, seventh place in the American Association. The team folded operations at the conclusion of the season...
- New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1962 - Present)
External links
- Metropolitans Team Index from Baseball-Reference.com
- The New York Metropolitans Hall of Records
- New York Public Library Metropolitans Page
- Staten Island Museum Metropolitans Page