New York Mets
Encyclopedia
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 teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. From 1964 to 2008, the Mets' home ballpark was Shea Stadium
. In 2009, they moved into a new stadium, Citi Field.
In their 1962 inaugural season
, the Mets posted a record of 40-120, the worst regular season record since Major League Baseball
went to a 162-game season (two games from their inaugural season were never made up). The team never finished better than second to last until the 1969 "Miracle Mets"
beat the Baltimore Orioles
in the 1969 World Series
in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in World Series history. Since, they have played in three additional World Series
, including a dramatic run in that ended in a seven game loss to the Oakland Athletics
, a second championship in against the Boston Red Sox
that was cited in the Curse of the Bambino
, and a Subway Series
against their cross-town rivals the New York Yankees
in the 2000 World Series
which they lost in five games.
Recent years have again seen the team face struggles, including elimination from postseason contention on the last game of the season in both 2007 (regarded as one of the worst regular season collapses in baseball history) and again in 2008, followed by three losing seasons plagued by injuries while the ownership was sued for one billion dollars by the trustee in the Madoff scandal.
to become the Los Angeles Dodgers
and San Francisco Giants
, leaving the largest city in the United States with no National League franchises and only one Major League team. With the threat of a New York team in a third league
, the National League expanded
, adding the New York Mets. The new team took as its primary colors the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants (which are conveniently two of the three colors on the New York City flag
), and took their name from the original 19th Century New York Metropolitans
club.
For the first two years of its existence, the team played its home games at the historic Polo Grounds
in Upper Manhattan
. In , they moved into newly constructed Shea Stadium
in Flushing Meadows
, Queens, where the Mets stayed through the season. In 2009, the club moved into Citi Field, located adjacent to the former site of Shea Stadium.
During their history, the Mets have won two World Series
titles (1969 and 1986), four National League pennants
(1969, 1973, 1986, 2000) and five National League East
titles (1969, 1973, 1986, 1988, 2006). The Mets also qualified for the postseason as the National League Wild Card team in 1999 and 2000. The Mets have appeared in more World Series—four—than any other expansion team
in Major League Baseball history. Their two championships equal the tally of the Toronto Blue Jays
and Miami Marlins for the most titles among expansion teams.
The Mets held the New York baseball attendance record for 29 years. They broke the Yankees
' 1948 record by drawing nearly 2.7 million in 1970. The Mets broke their own record five times before the Yankees took it back in 1999.
Tom Seaver in 1969 has thrown a no-hitter
, and the franchise's hurlers have gone more than 7,800 games without pitching one—longer than any other Major League franchise. They are one of only two current Major League teams to never have a pitcher throw a no-hitter, the other being the San Diego Padres. Long time Mets ace Tom Seaver
, who threw five one-hitters as a Met, eventually threw a no-hitter, but by then he was playing for the Cincinnati Reds
. Similarly, the ace of the 1986 team, Dwight Gooden
, threw his no-hitter for the Yankees (in 1996), and David Cone
, who starred for the Mets from 1987-1992, threw a perfect game
later in his career, also as a Yankee. The ultimate example of this trend is Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan
, who started his career with the Mets, but threw a record seven no-hitters after leaving the club.
The 1962 Mets
posted a 40–120 record, one of the worst in major-league history, and the most losses in one season since 1899. In , the Mets famously bypassed Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson
in the amateur draft
, instead selecting Steve Chilcott
, who never played in the majors. But the following year, they acquired Hall of Famer Tom Seaver
in a lottery. Seaver helped the 1969 "Miracle Mets"
win the new National League East
division title, and then defeat the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles
to win the 1969 World Series
.
In 1973
, the Mets rallied from last place to win the division, despite a record of only 82–79. They shocked the heavily-favored Cincinnati Reds
"Big Red Machine
" in the NLCS
and pushed the defending World Series Champion Oakland Athletics
to a seventh game, but lost. This National League pennant was notable because it was the only NL East title between 1970 and 1980 that wasn't won by either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
Star pitcher Tom Seaver was traded in 1977
, a day remembered in the sports world as "the Midnight Massacre," and the Mets fell into last place for several years. The franchise turned around in the mid-1980s. In 1985
, they acquired Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter
from the Montreal Expos
and won 98 games, but narrowly missed the playoffs. In 1986
, they easily won the division with one of the best records in National League history. After winning a dramatic NLCS
in six games over the Houston Astros
, they came within one strike of losing the World Series
against the Boston Red Sox
before a series of hits and defensive miscues ultimately led to an error by Boston's Bill Buckner
which gave the Mets a Game 6 victory. They then won Game 7 to win their second World Series.
The Mets continued playing well after 1986 and won the division in 1988
, but lost the playoffs that year and declined into the 1990s. They were out of contention until the 1997 season
when they narrowly missed the playoffs. In 1998
, the Mets acquired Mike Piazza
in a blockbuster trade and missed the 1998 postseason by only one game. In 1999
, they made the playoffs in a one game playoff
but lost the 1999 National League Championship Series
to the Atlanta Braves
. In 2000
, they easily clinched a wild card spot in the playoffs, and earned a trip to the 2000 World Series
against their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees for a "Subway Series
". The Mets were defeated by the Yankees in five games.
The Mets were not a factor in the standings again until 2006
. They won the division and went to Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series
, but lost on a 9th inning home run by Yadier Molina
.
In 2007, the Mets entered the final 17 games in the season with a game lead in the division. The Mets fell down in the standings throughout those games and needed to win their final two games of the season. The Mets won that Saturday, but on Sunday, Tom Glavine
gave up seven runs in the first inning. The Mets managed only one run that day and were eliminated.
The Mets held a more modest 3.5 game lead after 145 games of the 2008 season
, their final season at Shea Stadium
. While their 7-10 mark down the stretch was slightly better than the previous season's 5-12, it still allowed the Phillies to pass them, once again. The Mets opened Citi Field in 2009, but were not a factor due to a rash of injuries. The Mets did not fare any better in 2010, finishing with a losing record and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The Mets finished with a 79-83 record, coming in fourth place in the National League East.
Upon the conclusion of the 2010 season, the Mets front office fired General Manager Omar Minaya
and Manager Jerry Manuel
. Former Oakland G.M. and MLB executive Sandy Alderson
was hired to run the team. Alderson hired Terry Collins
to replace Manuel as manager.
The Wilpons are currently facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit on behalf of the Bernie Madoff
ponzi scheme victims. As a result of this, and to deal with other financial issues, the Wilpons agreed to sell a minority share of the team to David Einhorn, a hedge fund manager and longtime Mets fan. However, that deal fell apart, leading the Willons to pursue a different strategy of selling small stakes to multiple minority owners.
Despite another losing season, the Mets made history in when Jason Isringhausen
converted his 300th save with the team, the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone while with the organization behind John Franco and Billy Wagner
. Also, José Reyes became the first Met in franchise history to win a National League batting title with .337 batting average. The Mets are currently trying to bounce back from 3 consecutive losing seasons.
" is the Mets' signature song, written in 1961, one year before the first season, by Bill Katz and Ruth Roberts
. It is played on the radio, during television broadcasts and at all of the Mets' home games.
is the official mascot of the New York Mets. He was first introduced on the cover of game programs in 1963
, when the Mets were still playing at the Polo Grounds
in northern Manhattan. When the Mets moved to Shea Stadium
in 1964, fans were introduced to a live costumed version. Mr. Met is believed to have been the first mascot in Major League Baseball to exist in human (as opposed to artistically rendered) form.
The Mets' colors are blue, orange, black and white. Blue and orange were originally chosen to honor the city's history of National League
baseball; blue for the Brooklyn Dodgers
, and orange for the New York Giants
. Blue and orange are also the colors of New York City, as seen on its flag
.
With the introduction of black as an official color, an alternate team logo was created. It is identical to the original logo, but the skyline is black instead of blue and the "Mets" script is blue trimmed in orange and white instead of orange trimmed in white.
On November 16, 2011, the Mets announced new uniforms for their 2012 season, as part of the unveiling of their 50th anniversary plans. Among the changes included the removal of the black drop-shadows that had been present on Mets jerseys since 1998, and a switch of home and alternate jerseys. A 50th anniversary patch will also replace the regular Mets baseball/skyline logo on the left sleeves.
The team's regular home uniforms for 2012 were introduced as alternates in 2010, and based on the Mets' inaugural home uniforms from 1962. The uniforms are cream, featuring blue pinstripes, and a "Mets" script in blue, trimmed in orange, across the front.
The team's regular road uniforms are solid gray with blue piping, and feature "New York" written in blue all capitals along the front in an old-fashioned style font.
The team's alternate home uniforms were originally introduced for the 1997 season. They are white with blue piping along the seams and, like the pinstriped uniforms, features the "Mets" script in blue and orange across the front.
The Mets will continue to keep a black jersey in their rotation. They have worn a home version, with the "Mets" script, and a road version with "New York" in capital letters, both in blue outlined in white with an orange drop-shadow. No details regarding any changes to the black alternates (including any use of the anniversary patch) have been announced as of yet. The Mets have indicated that the team will drop all black elements in their uniforms after the 2012 season.
Another variation on the Mets uniform features a solid blue jersey with "Los Mets" written in orange with white trim, worn with solid white pants. The uniform was created for Fiesta Latina, but continues to be worn occasionally at home games.
The cap worn at home is blue with an orange "NY" logo. This cap will be worn as the road cap as well in 2012, replacing a black cap with a blue brim and a blue "NY" logo trimmed in orange. An all black alternate cap with a blue "NY" logo trimmed in orange and white has been worn with the black jerseys. The batting helmets worn for each game match the cap colors (solid blue, black with blue brim, or solid black, with corresponding logos). For 2012, the Mets will wear the blue cap for all uniform combinations except for when they wear the black jerseys.
The Mets also wear blue socks when paired with the blue caps, and black socks when paired with the black caps.
In addition, Tom Seaver
is the only Met ever to win the Sports Illustrated
Sportsman of the Year
Award in 1969 and was voted the Mets' "Hometown Hero"
in a 2006 poll sponsored by DHL
.
Major League Baseball announced the retirement of Jackie Robinson
's number 42 on April 15, 1997, when the Mets played the Dodgers
at Shea Stadium
, although Butch Huskey
wore the number throughout the rest of his Mets career (due to a grandfather clause
placed on the retired number by MLB). Mo Vaughn
also wore number 42 during his stint with the Mets, due to the same clause.
On the final Opening Day at Shea Stadium, April 8, 2008, the Mets unveiled a sign bearing the name "Shea"
next to the team's retired numbers honoring William Shea and his contributions to the franchise.
is a rivalry between two teams in the National League East
, featuring the Atlanta Braves
and the Mets.
Although their first major confrontation occurred when the Mets swept the Braves in the 1969 National League Championship Series
, en route to their first World Series championship, the first playoff series won by an expansion team (also the first playoff appearance by an expansion team), the rivalry did not become especially heated until the 1990s, when division realignment put the Mets and the Braves in the same division, and the Braves became one of the most dominant baseball teams in professional baseball.
is said to be among the "hottest" rivalries in the National League
, along with the Cardinals–Cubs and the Dodgers–Giants rivalries. The two National League East
divisional rivals have met each other recently in playoff, division, and Wild Card
races.
Aside from several brawls in the 1980s, the rivalry remained relatively low-key before the 2006 season
, as the teams had seldom been equally good at the same time. A notable moment in their early meetings was Jim Bunning
's perfect game
on Father's Day of 1964, the first perfect game in Phillies history, which happened when the Mets were on a losing streak. The Phillies were near the bottom of the NL East when the Mets won the 1969 World Series
and the National League pennant in 1973, while the Mets did not enjoy success in the late 1970s when the Phillies won three straight division championships. Although both teams each won a World Series
in the 1980s, the Mets were not serious contenders in the Phillies' playoff years (1980, 1981, and 1983), nor did the Phillies seriously contend in the Mets' playoff years (1986 and 1988). The Mets were the Majors' worst team when the Phillies won the NL pennant in 1993, and the Phillies could not post a winning record in either of the Mets' wild-card-winning seasons of 1999 or 2000, when the Mets faced the New York Yankees
in the 2000 World Series
.
As the rivalry has intensified in recent years, the teams have battled more often for playoff position. The Mets won the division in 2006, while the Phillies won five consecutive division titles from 2007 to 2011. The Phillies' 2007 championship was won on the last day of the season as the Mets lost a seven-game lead with seventeen games remaining. The Phillies won the 2008 World Series
, while the Mets' last title came in the 1986 World Series
.
, the competition between New York City
's teams, the American League
New York Yankees
and the National League
Mets. Until Interleague play
started, the two teams had only met in exhibition games. Since the inception of interleague play the two teams have met every regular season since 1997, and since 1999 they have met six times each season, playing two three-game series, one in each team's ballpark. They have made the postseason in the same year three times: , , and , and faced off in the 2000 World Series
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
based in the borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
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...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. They belong to Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's National League
National 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...
East Division
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. From 1964 to 2008, the Mets' home ballpark was 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...
. In 2009, they moved into a new stadium, Citi Field.
In their 1962 inaugural season
1962 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the first regular season for the Mets, as the National League returned to New York for the first time since . They went 40-120 and finished tenth and last in the National League, games behind the NL Champion San Francisco Giants, who once called New York home...
, the Mets posted a record of 40-120, the worst regular season record since Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
went to a 162-game season (two games from their inaugural season were never made up). The team never finished better than second to last until the 1969 "Miracle Mets"
1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
beat the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in the 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in World Series history. Since, they have played in three additional World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, including a dramatic run in that ended in a seven game loss to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, a second championship in against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
that was cited in the Curse of the Bambino
Curse of the Bambino
The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition cited as a reason for the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004...
, and a Subway Series
Subway Series
The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball games played between teams based in New York City. The term's historic usage has been in reference to World Series games played between New York teams...
against their cross-town rivals the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the 2000 World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
which they lost in five games.
Recent years have again seen the team face struggles, including elimination from postseason contention on the last game of the season in both 2007 (regarded as one of the worst regular season collapses in baseball history) and again in 2008, followed by three losing seasons plagued by injuries while the ownership was sued for one billion dollars by the trustee in the Madoff scandal.
Franchise history
In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants relocated from New York to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to become the Los Angeles 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...
and San Francisco 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....
, leaving the largest city in the United States with no National League franchises and only one Major League team. With the threat of a New York team in a third league
Continental League
The Continental League was a proposed third major league for baseball, announced in 1959 and scheduled to begin play in the 1961 season...
, the National League expanded
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
, adding the New York Mets. The new team took as its primary colors the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants (which are conveniently two of the three colors on the New York City flag
Flag of New York City
The flag of New York City is a vertical tricolor of blue, white, and orange charged in the center bar with municipal seal in blue. The tricolor design is taken from the flag of the United Netherlands used in 1625, the year New Amsterdam was settled on the island of Manhattan.-History:The current...
), and took their name from the original 19th Century New York Metropolitans
New York Metropolitans
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887...
club.
For the first two years of its existence, the team played its home games at the historic 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...
in Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
. In , they moved into newly constructed 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...
in Flushing Meadows
Flushing Meadows
Flushing Meadows is an American short film by Larry Jordan, with director Joseph Cornell. The film is 8 minutes long, in color, 16mm, and silent....
, Queens, where the Mets stayed through the season. In 2009, the club moved into Citi Field, located adjacent to the former site of Shea Stadium.
During their history, the Mets have won two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
titles (1969 and 1986), four National League pennants
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
(1969, 1973, 1986, 2000) and five National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
titles (1969, 1973, 1986, 1988, 2006). The Mets also qualified for the postseason as the National League Wild Card team in 1999 and 2000. The Mets have appeared in more World Series—four—than any other expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
in Major League Baseball history. Their two championships equal the tally of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
and Miami Marlins for the most titles among expansion teams.
The Mets held the New York baseball attendance record for 29 years. They broke the Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' 1948 record by drawing nearly 2.7 million in 1970. The Mets broke their own record five times before the Yankees took it back in 1999.
Tom Seaver in 1969 has thrown a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
, and the franchise's hurlers have gone more than 7,800 games without pitching one—longer than any other Major League franchise. They are one of only two current Major League teams to never have a pitcher throw a no-hitter, the other being the San Diego Padres. Long time Mets ace Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
, who threw five one-hitters as a Met, eventually threw a no-hitter, but by then he was playing for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. Similarly, the ace of the 1986 team, Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, threw his no-hitter for the Yankees (in 1996), and David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
, who starred for the Mets from 1987-1992, threw a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
later in his career, also as a Yankee. The ultimate example of this trend is Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
, who started his career with the Mets, but threw a record seven no-hitters after leaving the club.
The 1962 Mets
1962 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the first regular season for the Mets, as the National League returned to New York for the first time since . They went 40-120 and finished tenth and last in the National League, games behind the NL Champion San Francisco Giants, who once called New York home...
posted a 40–120 record, one of the worst in major-league history, and the most losses in one season since 1899. In , the Mets famously bypassed Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
in the amateur draft
1966 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :A January free agent amateur draft was added for the first time in 1966. Ninety-five prospects were selected in the regular phase and 102 in the secondary phase of the...
, instead selecting Steve Chilcott
Steve Chilcott
Steven Lynn Chilcott is a former baseball catcher from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California, who was drafted by the New York Mets as the first overall pick in the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft, a spot ahead of Reggie Jackson...
, who never played in the majors. But the following year, they acquired Hall of Famer Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
in a lottery. Seaver helped the 1969 "Miracle Mets"
1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
win the new National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
division title, and then defeat the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles
1969 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1969 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. In the first season after the American League was split into two divisions, the Orioles won the first-ever American League East title, finishing first with a record of 109 wins and 53 losses, 19 games ahead of the runner-up...
to win the 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
.
In 1973
1973 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 12th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Manager Yogi Berra led the team to a National League East title with an 82–79 record, the National League pennant and a defeat at the hands of the Oakland Athletics in the World Series...
, the Mets rallied from last place to win the division, despite a record of only 82–79. They shocked the heavily-favored Cincinnati Reds
1973 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West with a record of 99-63, 3½ games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, before losing the NLCS to the New York Mets in five games...
"Big Red Machine
The Big Red Machine
The Big Red Machine is the nickname given to the Cincinnati Reds baseball team which dominated the National League from 1970 to 1976, recognized as among the best in baseball. Over that span, the team won five National League Western Division titles, four National League pennants, and two World...
" in the NLCS
1973 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 6, 1973 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe starting pitchers, New York's Tom Seaver and Cincinnati's Jack Billingham, produced a classic pitcher's duel in Game 1. The Mets threatened in the first, loading the bases with one out, but Cleon Jones grounded into a...
and pushed the defending World Series Champion Oakland Athletics
1973 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning their third consecutive American League West title with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses...
to a seventh game, but lost. This National League pennant was notable because it was the only NL East title between 1970 and 1980 that wasn't won by either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Pittsburgh Pirates
Phillies–Pirates rivalry
The rivalry between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball was considered by some to be one of the best rivalries in the National League...
.
Star pitcher Tom Seaver was traded in 1977
1977 New York Mets season
The 1977 New York Mets season was the 16th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Initially led by manager Joe Frazier followed by Joe Torre, the team finished in last place for the first time since 1967, and for the first time since divisional play was introduced in...
, a day remembered in the sports world as "the Midnight Massacre," and the Mets fell into last place for several years. The franchise turned around in the mid-1980s. In 1985
1985 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1985 season was the 24th regular season for the Mets. They went 98-64 and finished 2nd in the NL East. They were managed by Davey Johnson...
, they acquired Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter
Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
from the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and won 98 games, but narrowly missed the playoffs. In 1986
1986 New York Mets season
The 1986 New York Mets season was the Mets' 25th season in the National League. They began the season looking to equal or improve upon their 98–64 record from 1985 and to try to win the National League East Division. They finished the season with a 108–54 record, cruising to the division title...
, they easily won the division with one of the best records in National League history. After winning a dramatic NLCS
1986 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1986 at Astrodome in Houston, TexasGame 1 featured a pitching duel between eventual NLCS Most Valuable Player Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden. Scott allowed just five hits and walked one while striking out 14 in a complete-game effort as the host Astros prevailed 1–0...
in six games over the Houston Astros
1986 Houston Astros season
-Regular season:* Kevin Bass had a twenty game hit streak during the season.* Dave Smith set a club record with 33 saves in one season.* September 24, 1986: Jim Deshaies set a record for the most strikeouts to start a game...
, they came within one strike of losing the World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
against the Boston Red Sox
1986 Boston Red Sox season
The 1986 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 66 losses.-Offseason:...
before a series of hits and defensive miscues ultimately led to an error by Boston's Bill Buckner
Bill Buckner
William Joseph Buckner is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in , representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6...
which gave the Mets a Game 6 victory. They then won Game 7 to win their second World Series.
The Mets continued playing well after 1986 and won the division in 1988
1988 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1988 season was the 27th regular season for the Mets. They went 100-60 and finished 1st in the NL East. They were managed by Davey Johnson. They played home games at Shea Stadium.-Offseason:...
, but lost the playoffs that year and declined into the 1990s. They were out of contention until the 1997 season
1997 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1997 season was the 36th regular season for the Mets. They went 88-74 and finished 3rd in the NL East. They were managed by Bobby Valentine. They played home games at Shea Stadium.-Offseason:...
when they narrowly missed the playoffs. In 1998
1998 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1998 season was the 37th regular season for the Mets. They finished the season with a record of 88-74. Despite placing 2nd in the National League East, the Mets fell one game short of playoff contention following a catastrophic collapse during the final week of the season. They...
, the Mets acquired Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
in a blockbuster trade and missed the 1998 postseason by only one game. In 1999
1999 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1999 season was the 38th regular season for the Mets. They went 96-66 and finished 2nd in the NL East but won the NL Wild Card by beating the Cincinnati Reds in a one game playoff. They were managed by Bobby Valentine...
, they made the playoffs in a one game playoff
1999 National League Wild-Card tie-breaker game
The 1999 National League Wild Card tiebreaker game was a one-game playoff to decide the winner of Major League Baseball's National League Wild Card. The game took place on October 4, 1999, between the New York Mets of the National League East and the Cincinnati Reds of the National League Central...
but lost the 1999 National League Championship Series
1999 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1999 at Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Braves began their eighth consecutive NLCS with a 4–2 victory over the Mets, defeating a team they left for dead two weeks earlier...
to the Atlanta Braves
1999 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*November 10, 1998: Bret Boone was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Mike Remlinger to the Atlanta Braves for Rob Bell, Denny Neagle, and Michael Tucker.*December 1, 1998: Otis Nixon was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....
. In 2000
2000 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 2000 season was the 39th regular season for the Mets. They went 94-68 and finished 2nd in the NL East, but earned the NL Wild Card. They made it to the World Series where they were defeated by their crosstown rival New York Yankees. They were managed by Bobby Valentine...
, they easily clinched a wild card spot in the playoffs, and earned a trip to the 2000 World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
against their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees for a "Subway Series
Subway Series
The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball games played between teams based in New York City. The term's historic usage has been in reference to World Series games played between New York teams...
". The Mets were defeated by the Yankees in five games.
The Mets were not a factor in the standings again until 2006
2006 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 2006 season was the 45th regular season for the Mets. They went 97-65 and won the NL East. They were managed by Willie Randolph. They played home games at Shea Stadium. They used the marketing slogan of "The Team. The Time...
. They won the division and went to Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series
2006 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series , the second round of the 2006 National League playoffs, began on October 12 and ended on October 19; it was scheduled to begin on October 11, but was postponed a day because of inclement weather. The St...
, but lost on a 9th inning home run by Yadier Molina
Yadier Molina
Yadier Benjamin Molina known affectionately by fans as "Yadi", is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.Molina was the third catcher to play in two World Series before age 25, along with Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. He is considered one of the best defensive...
.
In 2007, the Mets entered the final 17 games in the season with a game lead in the division. The Mets fell down in the standings throughout those games and needed to win their final two games of the season. The Mets won that Saturday, but on Sunday, Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
gave up seven runs in the first inning. The Mets managed only one run that day and were eliminated.
The Mets held a more modest 3.5 game lead after 145 games of the 2008 season
2008 New York Mets season
The 2008 New York Mets season was the franchise's 47th season. The Mets finished the season with an 89–73 record, second place in the National League East, three games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, and one game worse than the wild card winners, the Milwaukee Brewers...
, their final season at 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...
. While their 7-10 mark down the stretch was slightly better than the previous season's 5-12, it still allowed the Phillies to pass them, once again. The Mets opened Citi Field in 2009, but were not a factor due to a rash of injuries. The Mets did not fare any better in 2010, finishing with a losing record and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The Mets finished with a 79-83 record, coming in fourth place in the National League East.
Upon the conclusion of the 2010 season, the Mets front office fired General Manager Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
and Manager Jerry Manuel
Jerry Manuel
Jerry Manuel , nicknamed "The Sage" is a former major league manager. He previously managed the Chicago White Sox from 1998 to 2003 and the New York Mets from the middle of 2008 to 2010 and played in the majors for parts of five seasons in the 1970s and early 1980s.-Playing career:Manuel played...
. Former Oakland G.M. and MLB executive Sandy Alderson
Sandy Alderson
Richard Lynn "Sandy" Alderson is the general manager of the New York Mets. He previously served as an executive with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and the commissioner's office of Major League Baseball....
was hired to run the team. Alderson hired Terry Collins
Terry Collins
Terry Lee Collins is the manager for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. A former minor league shortstop, Collins managed the Albuquerque Dukes of the Pacific Coast League, the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, the Duluth Huskies of the summer collegiate Northwoods League, and...
to replace Manuel as manager.
The Wilpons are currently facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit on behalf of the Bernie Madoff
Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former American businessman, stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S...
ponzi scheme victims. As a result of this, and to deal with other financial issues, the Wilpons agreed to sell a minority share of the team to David Einhorn, a hedge fund manager and longtime Mets fan. However, that deal fell apart, leading the Willons to pursue a different strategy of selling small stakes to multiple minority owners.
Despite another losing season, the Mets made history in when Jason Isringhausen
Jason Isringhausen
Jason Derik Isringhausen is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-New York Mets:Isringhausen was chosen as a draft-and-follow prospect by the New York Mets in the 44th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
converted his 300th save with the team, the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone while with the organization behind John Franco and Billy Wagner
Billy Wagner
William Edward Wagner , nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He pitched for the Houston Astros , the Philadelphia Phillies , the New York Mets , the Boston Red Sox , and the Atlanta Braves...
. Also, José Reyes became the first Met in franchise history to win a National League batting title with .337 batting average. The Mets are currently trying to bounce back from 3 consecutive losing seasons.
Theme song
"Meet the MetsMeet the Mets
"Meet the Mets" is the fight song of the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. It was written in 1961 by Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz. A rewritten and modernized version was recorded in 1984....
" is the Mets' signature song, written in 1961, one year before the first season, by Bill Katz and Ruth Roberts
Ruth Roberts
Ruth Roberts , was an American songwriter.Roberts was born at Port Chester, New York. She was educated at Port Chester High School, Northwestern University, and the Juilliard School. She had a long professional collaboration with lyricist Bill Katz...
. It is played on the radio, during television broadcasts and at all of the Mets' home games.
Mascot
Mr. MetMr. Met
Mr. Met is the official mascot of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. He is a man with a large baseball for a head. He can be seen at Citi Field during Mets home games, has appeared in several commercials as part of ESPN's This is SportsCenter campaign, and has been elected into the Mascot...
is the official mascot of the New York Mets. He was first introduced on the cover of game programs in 1963
1963 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers beat New York Yankees ; Sandy Koufax, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5–3; Willie Mays, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: USC...
, when the Mets were still playing 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...
in northern Manhattan. 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...
in 1964, fans were introduced to a live costumed version. Mr. Met is believed to have been the first mascot in Major League Baseball to exist in human (as opposed to artistically rendered) form.
Uniform and logo symbolism
National 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...
baseball; blue for 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...
, and orange for the 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....
. Blue and orange are also the colors of New York City, as seen on its flag
Flag of New York City
The flag of New York City is a vertical tricolor of blue, white, and orange charged in the center bar with municipal seal in blue. The tricolor design is taken from the flag of the United Netherlands used in 1625, the year New Amsterdam was settled on the island of Manhattan.-History:The current...
.
Logo
The cap logo is identical to the logo used by the New York Giants in their final years, and is on a blue cap reminiscent of the caps worn by the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the primary logo, designed by sports cartoonist Ray Gatto, each part of the skyline has special meaning—at the left is a church spire, symbolic of Brooklyn, the borough of churches; the second building from the left is the Williamsburg Savings Bank, the tallest building in Brooklyn; next is the Woolworth Building; after a general skyline view of midtown comes the Empire State Building; at the far right is the United Nations Building. The bridge in the center symbolizes that the Mets, by bringing National League baseball back to New York, represent all five boroughs.With the introduction of black as an official color, an alternate team logo was created. It is identical to the original logo, but the skyline is black instead of blue and the "Mets" script is blue trimmed in orange and white instead of orange trimmed in white.
Uniform color and design
Currently, the Mets wear an assortment of uniforms.On November 16, 2011, the Mets announced new uniforms for their 2012 season, as part of the unveiling of their 50th anniversary plans. Among the changes included the removal of the black drop-shadows that had been present on Mets jerseys since 1998, and a switch of home and alternate jerseys. A 50th anniversary patch will also replace the regular Mets baseball/skyline logo on the left sleeves.
The team's regular home uniforms for 2012 were introduced as alternates in 2010, and based on the Mets' inaugural home uniforms from 1962. The uniforms are cream, featuring blue pinstripes, and a "Mets" script in blue, trimmed in orange, across the front.
The team's regular road uniforms are solid gray with blue piping, and feature "New York" written in blue all capitals along the front in an old-fashioned style font.
The team's alternate home uniforms were originally introduced for the 1997 season. They are white with blue piping along the seams and, like the pinstriped uniforms, features the "Mets" script in blue and orange across the front.
The Mets will continue to keep a black jersey in their rotation. They have worn a home version, with the "Mets" script, and a road version with "New York" in capital letters, both in blue outlined in white with an orange drop-shadow. No details regarding any changes to the black alternates (including any use of the anniversary patch) have been announced as of yet. The Mets have indicated that the team will drop all black elements in their uniforms after the 2012 season.
Another variation on the Mets uniform features a solid blue jersey with "Los Mets" written in orange with white trim, worn with solid white pants. The uniform was created for Fiesta Latina, but continues to be worn occasionally at home games.
The cap worn at home is blue with an orange "NY" logo. This cap will be worn as the road cap as well in 2012, replacing a black cap with a blue brim and a blue "NY" logo trimmed in orange. An all black alternate cap with a blue "NY" logo trimmed in orange and white has been worn with the black jerseys. The batting helmets worn for each game match the cap colors (solid blue, black with blue brim, or solid black, with corresponding logos). For 2012, the Mets will wear the blue cap for all uniform combinations except for when they wear the black jerseys.
The Mets also wear blue socks when paired with the blue caps, and black socks when paired with the black caps.
Baseball Hall of Famers
Retired numbers
Casey Stengel Casey Stengel Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .... M: 1962–1965 Retired September 2, 1965 |
Gil Hodges Gil Hodges Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers... * 1B: 1962–63 M: 1968–71 Retired June 9, 1973 |
Tom Seaver Tom Seaver George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets... * P: 1966-77, 83 Retired July 24, 1988 |
Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947... Retired by all of MLB Retired April 15, 1997 |
William A. Shea William Shea William Alfred "Bill" Shea was an American lawyer and a name partner of the prominent law firm of Shea & Gould... Proponent Honored April 8, 2008 |
In addition, Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
is the only Met ever to win the Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
Sportsman of the Year
Sportsman of the Year
Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated magazine has annually presented the "Sportsman of the Year" award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." Both Americans and non-Americans are eligible, though in the past the...
Award in 1969 and was voted the Mets' "Hometown Hero"
DHL Hometown Heroes
On September 27, 2006, Major League Baseball announced a list of players, one from each team, voted by MLB fans. Fans were asked to vote for the most outstanding player in the history of each MLB franchise, based on on-field performance, leadership quality and character value.The candidates for...
in a 2006 poll sponsored by DHL
DHL
DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
.
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
's number 42 on April 15, 1997, when the Mets played the Dodgers
1997 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The 1997 Los Angeles Dodgers season, under manager Bill Russell, was a season in American baseball. It was competitive all season long before finally fading down the stretch; the Dodgers finished in second place behind their longtime rivals, San Francisco Giants, in the Western Division of the...
at 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...
, although Butch Huskey
Butch Huskey
Robert Leon "Butch" Huskey , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1993 and 1995-2000....
wore the number throughout the rest of his Mets career (due to a grandfather clause
Grandfather clause
Grandfather clause is a legal term used to describe a situation in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations, while a new rule will apply to all future situations. It is often used as a verb: to grandfather means to grant such an exemption...
placed on the retired number by MLB). Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn , nicknamed "The Hit Dog", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played from 1991 to 2003...
also wore number 42 during his stint with the Mets, due to the same clause.
On the final Opening Day at Shea Stadium, April 8, 2008, the Mets unveiled a sign bearing the name "Shea"
William Shea
William Alfred "Bill" Shea was an American lawyer and a name partner of the prominent law firm of Shea & Gould...
next to the team's retired numbers honoring William Shea and his contributions to the franchise.
Numbers out of circulation but not retired
# 8: Not issued since Gary CarterGary CarterGary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2003. When the Mets honored Carter, they did not retire number 8 at that time, but instead gave him a replica of his Hall of Fame plaque depicting him as a Met instead of an Expo. Desi RelafordDesi RelafordDesmond Lamont "Desi" Relaford is an American former professional baseball infielder. He has played for the Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies.Known more for his defense than his bat, his versatility was...
was the last Met to wear #8 as a player, while Matt GalanteMatt GalanteMatthew Joseph Galante is a former Minor League Baseball infielder and Major League Baseball manager. He was born on March 22, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York. Matt attended St...
was the last to wear it as a coach; after Carter left the Mets in 1989 the number was not issued again until Dave GallagherDave GallagherDavid Thomas Gallagher , is a former professional baseball player who played outfield in the Major Leagues from 1987-1995.-Teams:* Cleveland Indians 1987* Chicago White Sox 1988-90* Baltimore Orioles 1990...
was given it to begin the 1992 season.# 24: Only issued to two players since the retirement of Willie MaysWillie MaysWillie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
. Then-team owner Joan Whitney PaysonJoan Whitney PaysonJoan Whitney Payson was an American heiress, businesswoman, philanthropist, patron of the arts and art collector, and a member of the prominent Whitney family...
had promised Mays it wouldn't be issued again. The first time was to first baseman-outfielder Kelvin TorveKelvin TorveKelvin Curtis Torve was a Major League Baseball player. He played with the Minnesota Twins in 1988 and with the New York Mets in and . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Orix BlueWave in and...
in 1990, by mistake. The second was to Rickey HendersonRickey HendersonRickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
in 1999–2000 as a player and again in 2007 as a coach.# 31: Not issued since Mike PiazzaMike PiazzaMichael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
left after the 2005 season. This number belonged to John Franco from the time he joined the Mets in 1990 until the team acquired Piazza in 1998.
Team captains
- Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
– 1987–1989 - Gary CarterGary CarterGary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
– 1988–1989 (co-captain) - John Franco – 2001–2004
Atlanta Braves
The Braves–Mets rivalrySports rivalry
A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
is a rivalry between two teams in the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
, featuring the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and the Mets.
Although their first major confrontation occurred when the Mets swept the Braves in the 1969 National League Championship Series
1969 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1969 at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Mets struck first in the second off Phil Niekro when Jerry Grote singled in a run and Ken Boswell scored on a passed ball by Braves catcher Bob Didier...
, en route to their first World Series championship, the first playoff series won by an expansion team (also the first playoff appearance by an expansion team), the rivalry did not become especially heated until the 1990s, when division realignment put the Mets and the Braves in the same division, and the Braves became one of the most dominant baseball teams in professional baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies
The rivalry between the Mets and the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
is said to be among the "hottest" rivalries in the National League
National 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...
, along with the Cardinals–Cubs and the Dodgers–Giants rivalries. The two National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
divisional rivals have met each other recently in playoff, division, and Wild Card
Major League Baseball Wild Card
In Major League Baseball, the wild-card playoff spot is given to the team in each league with the best record among the non-division winners. It was established for Major League Baseball's playoffs in 1994 with the intention of helping the best teams that did not win their division to still have a...
races.
Aside from several brawls in the 1980s, the rivalry remained relatively low-key before the 2006 season
2006 Major League Baseball season
In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the National League's St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series with the lowest regular season victory total in history. The American League continued its domination at the All-Star Game by winning its fourth straight game; the A.L. has won nine...
, as the teams had seldom been equally good at the same time. A notable moment in their early meetings was Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
's perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
on Father's Day of 1964, the first perfect game in Phillies history, which happened when the Mets were on a losing streak. The Phillies were near the bottom of the NL East when the Mets won the 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
and the National League pennant in 1973, while the Mets did not enjoy success in the late 1970s when the Phillies won three straight division championships. Although both teams each won a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in the 1980s, the Mets were not serious contenders in the Phillies' playoff years (1980, 1981, and 1983), nor did the Phillies seriously contend in the Mets' playoff years (1986 and 1988). The Mets were the Majors' worst team when the Phillies won the NL pennant in 1993, and the Phillies could not post a winning record in either of the Mets' wild-card-winning seasons of 1999 or 2000, when the Mets faced the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the 2000 World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
.
As the rivalry has intensified in recent years, the teams have battled more often for playoff position. The Mets won the division in 2006, while the Phillies won five consecutive division titles from 2007 to 2011. The Phillies' 2007 championship was won on the last day of the season as the Mets lost a seven-game lead with seventeen games remaining. The Phillies won the 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
, while the Mets' last title came in the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
.
Subway Series: New York Yankees
The Mets – New York Yankees rivalry is the latest incarnation of the Subway SeriesSubway Series
The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball games played between teams based in New York City. The term's historic usage has been in reference to World Series games played between New York teams...
, the competition between 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...
's teams, the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and the National League
National 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...
Mets. Until Interleague play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
started, the two teams had only met in exhibition games. Since the inception of interleague play the two teams have met every regular season since 1997, and since 1999 they have met six times each season, playing two three-game series, one in each team's ballpark. They have made the postseason in the same year three times: , , and , and faced off in the 2000 World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
.
Minor league affiliations
| Level | Team | League | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Buffalo Bisons Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets... |
International League International League The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States... |
Buffalo Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... , New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
| AA | Binghamton Mets Binghamton Mets The Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club... |
Eastern League Eastern League (U.S. baseball) The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League... |
Binghamton Binghamton, New York Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers... , New York |
| Advanced A | St. Lucie Mets St. Lucie Mets The St. Lucie Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club.The team plays at Digital Domain Park... |
Florida State League Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... |
Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie, Florida Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The population of Port St. Lucie was 88,769 at the 2000 census but grew rapidly during the 2000s. In 2009 the State of Florida estimated the City's population at 155,251. Port St. Lucie forms part of a metropolitan area called... , Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
| A | Savannah Sand Gnats Savannah Sand Gnats The Savannah Sand Gnats are a minor league baseball team in Savannah, Georgia and are a member of the A-level South Atlantic League. Since the 2007 season, the Sand Gnats have been an affiliate of the New York Mets.-History:... |
South Atlantic League South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States... |
Savannah, Georgia Savannah, Georgia Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important... |
| Short Season A | Brooklyn Cyclones Brooklyn Cyclones The Brooklyn Cyclones is a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the New York Mets. The Cyclones play at MCU Park just off the Coney Island boardwalk in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.... |
New York-Penn League | 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... , New York |
| Rookie | Kingsport Mets Kingsport Mets The Kingsport Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Kingsport, Tennessee, United States. The team, which plays in the Appalachian League, is a Rookie League affiliate of Major League Baseball's New York Mets.... |
Appalachian League Appalachian League The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee... |
Kingsport Kingsport, Tennessee Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County... , Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area... |
| GCL Mets Gulf Coast League Mets The Gulf Coast League Mets are the Rookie "A" Level minor league affiliate of the New York Mets. The team plays at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The GCL Mets entered the league in 1988 playing their home games in Sarasota, Florida at Twin Lakes Park. The team moved their base of... |
Gulf Coast League Gulf Coast League The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South... |
Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie, Florida Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The population of Port St. Lucie was 88,769 at the 2000 census but grew rapidly during the 2000s. In 2009 the State of Florida estimated the City's population at 155,251. Port St. Lucie forms part of a metropolitan area called... , Florida |
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| DSL Mets I | Dominican Summer League Dominican Summer League The Dominican Summer League is a branch of affiliated minor league baseball which is played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985. The 2011 72-game season begins May 28 and ends August 20... |
Boca Chica Boca Chica Boca Chica is a municipality of the Santo Domingo province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district : La Caleta.... , Dominican Republic Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries... |
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| DSL Mets II | Dominican Summer League Dominican Summer League The Dominican Summer League is a branch of affiliated minor league baseball which is played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985. The 2011 72-game season begins May 28 and ends August 20... |
Boca Chica Boca Chica Boca Chica is a municipality of the Santo Domingo province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district : La Caleta.... , Dominican Republic Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries... |