Introducing the Mets Yearbook Cover Derby!

[Benjamin Grimm]

The final poll of the first round has now closed, and the 1984 cover has defeated the 1995 cover by a closer-than-usual vote of 9 to 6.

ADVANCING TO ROUND TWO:


ELIMINATED:


VOTING[/bigpurple]

RECAP OF FIRST ROUND
Round 1.01: 1989 Revised Edition over 1990 Revised Edition, 10 to 7
Round 1.02: 1983 over 1996, 12 to 5
Round 1.03: 2002 over 1977 Revised Edition, 13 to 5
Round 1.04: 1970 over 2010, 18 to 2
Round 1.05: 1963 over 2017, 13 to 5
Round 1.06: 1991 Original Edition over 1989 Original Edition, 13 to 3
Round 1.07: 2000 over 1979, 12 to 3
Round 1.08: 1978 over 2001, 15 to 2
Round 1.09: 1976 over 2004, 16 to 2
Round 1.10: 1977 Original Edition over 2003, 16 to 1
Round 1.11: 1987 Original Edition over 1992 Edición Española, 18 to 1
Round 1.12: 1985 over 1994, 11 to 7
Round 1.13: 1981 over 1998, 10 to 6
Round 1.14: 1964 over 2016, 14 to 3
Round 1.15: 1999 over 1980, 16 to 3
Round 1.16: 1967 over 2013, 15 to 2
Round 1.17: 1974 over 2006, 13 to 3
Round 1.18: 2011 over 1969, 14 to 5
Round 1.19: 1962 over 2018, 21 to 0
Round 1.20: 1971 over 2009, 14 to 5
Round 1.21: 1990 Original Edition over 1989 Edición Española, 13 to 6
Round 1.22: 1997 over 1982, 11 to 9
Round 1.23: 1972 over 2008, 14 to 3
Round 1.24: 1966 over 2014, 11 to 6
Round 1.25: 1986 over 1993, 12 to 7
Round 1.26: 1987 Revised Edition over 1992, 14 to 1
Round 1.27: 1968 over 2012, 12 to 3
Round 1.28: 1975 over 2005, 10 to 5
Round 1.29: 1988 over 1991 Revised Edition, 17 to 0
Round 1.30: 1965 over 2015, 11 to 2
Round 1.31: 2007 over 1973, 10 to 8
Round 1.32: 1984 over 1995, 9 to 6

RESUMES[/bigpurple]

In 24 of the 32 polls, the earlier cover defeated the more recent cover.

Standings by decade:

1960s: 7-1 .875 --
1970s: 8-3 .727 ½
1980s: 9-4 .692 ½
1990s: 4-9 .308 5½
2000s: 3-7 .300 5
2010s: 1-8 .111 6½


TOMORROW![/bigpurple]

The bracket at the conclusion of the first round. How will this play out? Will the innocent charm of the Willard Mullin covers of the 1960s prevail over the nostalgia for the players of the 1970s and 80s? Perhaps the second round, where we determine our Sweet Sixteen, will provide some clarity.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It looks like there's a lot less interest in this thing now that we're in the second round. I'm not going to abandon the project, but I think I might accelerate it so that it wraps up more quickly. Don't be surprised if we start seeing multiple polls introduced each day instead of one at a time.

[G-Fafif]

The 1988 revised edition is still grumbling over the decision in Stockholm to keep it out of the tournament.

"We had Shea on the cover, we acknowledged an otherwise unnoticed anniversary and we paid homage to Tom Seaver, yet we were not invited to participate, while the clearly unofficial 1992 bilingual 'yearbook' was given a berth. Something's fishy in Sweden, and it's not just Swedish Fish."

Edited May 5, 2018 by Guest

[Benjamin Grimm]

Uh oh!

I hope they don't declare a mistrial, because I don't want to have to start this whole thing over again!

[Benjamin Grimm]

The 1962 Baby Met cover, which romped to a unanimous 21-0 victory in the first round, faced a bit more resistance the second time around, with four votes against. Final tally: 16 votes for 1962, and 4 for 1990.

ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

The 21st Century earns its first berth in the Sweet Sixteen as the 2002 cover, with Casey Stengel and Bobby Valentine, scores a 11-3 victory over the 1977 original edition celebrating Jerry Koosman's 20-win season.

I don't see anywhere on that 2002 cover, by the way, that indicates the purchase price.

ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[G-Fafif]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I don't see anywhere on that 2002 cover, by the way, that indicates the purchase price.

New York at the dawn of the new millennium was a place where if you had to ask, you could just keep walking.

[MFS62]

Its looking like the Academy might want to take the proceeds from the Yearbook Cover Derby and build a Willard Mullin rotunda.
Or the Trophy named in his honor(whether or not he wins it).
Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Our lone remaining cover from the current decade survives another round, winning an 8-5 victory over the 1985 cover.

ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

In our third unanimous result, and the first of the second round, the 1970 cover has ousted the 1984 cover by capturing all 14 votes cast.

We're on another hiatus, by the way. All second-round polls have been posted and the third round will begin next Friday, May 18.

ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

Today was a good day for Mr. Met in the Yearbook Cover Derby. In all the years of Mets yearbooks, he's only been featured on the cover twice, in 1963 and again in 1976. And both of those covers were winners in the polls that closed today. The 1963 cover scored an easy 15 to 1 victory over the 1989 Revised Edition and the Bicentennial cover prevailed over John Stearns' 1978 action shot, 12 to 8.

The bad news for Mr. Met? These two covers will face each other in an epic third-round showdown!



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Edgy MD]

You should've tagged him, John.

[Edgy MD]

The mid-century Reds put Mister Redleg on the cover every year (see his scowl turn to a smile after 1954), but ... good gosh, 1955! There are children watching!

[fimg=300]https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/286/66179/33521475_1_x.jpg?version=1&width=512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&quality=50[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2016/08/18/16/43/10/857/DSC_8644.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/32/12/c57a20b4-e2dd-4975-925d-2cd1839ad1fc/MAL_4343.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2017/09/27/15/56/14/b6584815-b0de-417d-b854-c62124579111/VRB_1599.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/32/20/f8cb3b25-2266-46de-808e-1a243c08fed3/MAL_4350.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/32/27/bc4065f2-0f00-43bb-bf47-1a34480c0bc5/MAL_4356.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/32/37/d4f46b03-4419-4ae3-a889-3f5df2b1668b/MAL_4363.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/33/50/016d992c-27a0-40d9-b4d2-8cb208fe488d/MAL_4425.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/34/46/a67e714f-93ec-45da-a3bb-ccd19f57fcb4/MAL_4469.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg] [fimg=300]https://ebth-com-production.imgix.net/2018/01/26/10/34/35/aefae511-0f32-4508-a8f1-6682f5a6cc4b/MAL_4458.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=880&h=880&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format[/fimg]

[Benjamin Grimm]

Two more polls have closed today. The 1968 Willard Mullin cover with the portrait of Gil Hodges defeated the silver 25th Anniversary 1986 cover, 12 votes to 5. And the 1971 action shot of Jerry Grote making a tag at the plate fared better than the similar John Stearns cover from seven years later. The 1971 edition knocked out 1983, 14 votes to 4.


ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

Today two more covers advance, and two more are eliminated. In a clash of Shea Stadium images, the 1964 cover logs an 11-5 victory over the 1991 fireworks cover, and Mike Piazza's 2000 cover gets the better of Tom Seaver and his balls, from 1975, 13 to 1.



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

Today's poll closings consist of a 12-7 victory by the 1967 Willard Mullin "stairway" cover over the 1987 cover featuring the World Championship logo and a 15-3 win for the 1972 cover featuring four Mets stars over 1997's Todd Hundley hologram cover.


ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

The 1965 cover has defeated the 1988 cover, 11 to 3, and 1974 has ousted 1999 by a vote of 11 to 4.

The 1999 cover was the last surviving entry from the 1990s, making that the first decade to be eliminated from this competition.

ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[G-Fafif]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The 1999 cover was the last surviving entry from the 1990s, making that the first decade to be eliminated from this competition.

The decade the Mets let Old Timers Day and Banner Day wither and die. Seems apropos that the yearbooks wouldn't keep up with their predecessors.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The final two polls of the second round have now closed, and we have officially established our Sweet Sixteen.

In Willard Mullin's closest vote yet, his 1966 cover edged the 1987 Revised Edition (featuring a World Championship montage) by a vote of 9 to 8. Meanwhile, Bill Gallo's 1981 cover defeated the 2007 edition by a vote of 11 to 5.

The 1981 cover is the sole surviving cover from the Mets' best decade.

In addition to the Gallo cover, our Sweet Sixteen consists of seven covers from the 1960s. All six of Mullin's covers remain, plus the 1963 Mr. Met cover. The 1970s are represented five times, by 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1976. After 1981, we skip ahead nearly two decades. The three covers rounding out our group of sixteen finalists are from 2000, 2002, and 2011.

Nine of the sixteen covers feature artwork: The six Mullin covers, the two Mr. Met covers (1963 and 1976) and the 1981 Gallo cover.

Third-round voting begins tomorrow, Friday, May 18. None of the Mullin covers will face each other in this round, so it's entirely possible that Mullin's cartoons will be featured on six of the eight covers that will advance to the fourth round.


ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND THREE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

All eight third-round polls are now open for voting. This will establish our eight finalists. Fourth-round voting will begin early next week.

The currently open voting threads are:

Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.01 1962 vs 2002
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.02 1970 vs 2011
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.03 1963 vs 1976
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.04 1968 vs 1971
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.05 1964 vs 2000
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.06 1967 vs 1972
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.07 1965 vs 1974
Yearbook Cover Derby Round 3.08 1966 vs 1981

[Benjamin Grimm]

Third-round polls are beginning to close. Today, the 1962 Baby Met cover completes its comeback victory over 2002's Casey-to-Bobby cover. 2002 had had a 9-6 lead, but four late unanswered votes gave the victory to the toddler in the Mets cap.

2011, the only cover from the current decade to advance out of the first round, with a victory over the 1969 floating heads cover, has lost, 15 to 3, to the cover that celebrates that 1969 season. 1970 advances to the fourth round. 2011 will be eating shrimp in the loser's lounge.

1962 and 1970 will face each other next week, and the winner will advance to the Final Four.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:

[G-Fafif]

I voted for 2002 because it was everything I could have wanted out of a commemorative cover (and I continue to be amazed the Mets pulled off something that savvy) but I'm not at all sorry to see the baby toddle onward.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Two more polls have closed. 1976 wins the battle of the Mr. Met covers, 15 to 1, and Willard Mullin's 1968 Gil Hodges cover ousts the 1971 cover, 12 to 4.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

1964 2000 9-8
1967 1972 11-6

In today's poll closings, the 1964 cover edges 2000 by a count of 9 to 8, and 1967 defeats 1972 11 to 6.

We have now established six of our Elite Eight covers. Each of the three most recent decades have been eliminated from the competition. The most recent surviving cover is Bill Gallo's 1981 entry, and that one is poised to be eliminated tomorrow.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

Today's poll closings mark the end of the third round. We see another victory for Willard Mullin, but also his very first defeat. The 1974 N.L. pennant cover has bumped Mullin's "You're the Most" 1965 entry from the competition by a vote of 12 to 7. Mullin's 1966 "GO-GO-GO" cover, however, eliminated Bill Gallo's "Recipe for Mets Magic" from 1981, by a count of 14 to 3. Gallo's cover was the last remaining cover from the 1980s.

We're now down to eight covers. Our Elite Eight consists of five 1960s covers from Willard Mullin, and three covers from the 1970s: The championship celebration of 1970; the N.L. pennant cover from 1974, and 1976's Bicentennial Mr. Met.

Voting resumes tomorrow, Tuesday, May 29.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:



ADVANCING TO ROUND FOUR:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

A 10 to 4 win makes 1970 our first cover to advance to the Final Four and sends 1962 and Baby Met to the showers, or, perhaps, a bath in the kitchen sink.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FIVE:


ELIMINATED:

[Edgy MD]

Wow! I've got Final Four Fever!

[Benjamin Grimm]

The 1968 cover squeaks into the Final Four with an 8-7 win over the Bicentennial 1976 cover.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FIVE:


ELIMINATED:

[Benjamin Grimm]

1967 becomes the third cover to join the Final Four as it scores a comfy 13-1 victory over 1964.

ADVANCING TO ROUND FIVE:


ELIMINATED:

[Edgy MD]

I like how 1967 no longer needs "New York." At least, not necessarily. It's 1967, and the Mets are the Mets. What other Mets could they be?