Official Shea Stadium Countdown Tracker Thread

[stevejrogers]

avi again!

[Guest themetfairy]

The Phillies were so much better than this when they closed down the Vet.

I hate the team, but the organization knows how to do things right.

[HahnSolo]

Still unresolved: will we actually get a Met, or ex Met, to unveil the number on this homestand?

[nymr83]

the real problem wit hthis "reveal the number" thing is that, unlike the orioles with ripken's streak, we aren't counting up towards a good thing but down towards a bad one.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think we're supposed to see it as a good thing, as a countdown to Citi Field, but I'm with Namor. It's a countdown to the demise of Shea Stadium, and I see that as a bad thing.

[HahnSolo]

If you do it properly, by honoring and remembering people and events from Shea's past, I think it is a good thing.

Look at G-Fafif's countdown like it oughta be. It can be done right, it's just that, after 6 games, it appears the Mets are looking at this more as a promotion opportunity for their sponsors and properties than a truly cool event fans can wrap themselves up in.

[Frayed Knot]

The hope is that if they're going to use corporate tools and connected folks for this number flipping stuff, at least they're getting them out of the way early. Better that then;
'And now, the honor of turning over the final number in the history of Shea Stadium ... the chairman of Dunkin' Donuts, Fritz McGoggle!! ... and remember, the world runs on Dunkin'

[stevejrogers]

="HahnSolo"]Still unresolved: will we actually get a Met, or ex Met, to unveil the number on this homestand?

Your answer, TONIGHT!

Odd that it isn't Rachel, but

Date 4/15
Opponent Nationals
Number Removed 76
Remover The Glider, 3Bman for your 1969 World Champions, Ed Charles!

[Gwreck]

I didn't get to the game in time but I'm told someone from the Robinson family/foundation accompanied Ed Charles for the removal of #76.

[G-Fafif]

Was thrilled to see the Glider at 75 last night. Way to go, Mets.

Our 75 was Rachel Robinson for the eleventh anniversary of the original Jackie Robinson Night (which, in turn, marked the 50th anniversary of Jackie's big day). And in CLIOB world, she was escorted to her peeling by Lance Johnson, Armando Reynoso and Toby Borland, stars of the game on 4/15/97, and two Mets who wore 42 specifically for Jackie: Butch Huskey (then) and Mo Vaughn (later; both were singled out by Bud Selig on the big night).

Tonight's 74 in real life is Howie Rose, a fine choice just about anytime.

Our 74, and a mildly controversial choice it was, went to a trio of Mets-turned-Nationals: Paul Lo Duca accompanied by Manny Acta and Lastings Milledge. I mostly wanted Lo Duca, for his role as a 2006 mainstay, but thought it would be impolite to ignore the other same-period alumni who were already on hand.

[stevejrogers]

Date 4/16
Opponent Nationals
Number Removed 75
Remover Long time Met broadcaster and fan, Howie Rose.

Surprised they didn't have him flip 67 to 66 as it would coincide with 660 WFAN (which celebrate's it's 20th anniversary on 660 this coming October)

Ehhh, whatever.

[Guest mario25]

Maybe for 73 we will see some type of Tug Mcgraw reference, that would be cool. YA GOTTA BELIEVE

[Guest Triple Dee]

Or better yet, the Gambler.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It would be nice to see, at some point, Ringo Starr and/or Paul McCartney. And Joe Namath.

[HahnSolo]

I'd be shocked if Namath wasn't included. Probably in the top 10. Just keep him away from the female front office staff.

[G-Fafif]

73 will be revealed tonight in honor of Shea's final birthday by Ron Hunt (first Mets run at Shea), Tim Harkness (first Mets hit at Shea) and Jack Fisher (first Mets starting assignment at Shea).

To this I say Hot Damn! If this is representative of what the Mets will be doing the rest of the way, I can forgive the Lincoln-Mercury general manager and the Kids Clubhouse hosts.

We covered Harkness and Fisher with the peel of number 80, along with Jim Hickman (first Mets baserunner at Shea) and Al Jackson & Hawk Taylor (battery for the first Mets win at Shea, April 19, 1964, with Jackson fronting the whole exercise). We gave Ron Hunt the spotlight on his own for number 79.

Our number 73, given that April 17 is Shea's birthday, was turned over to its fellow April 17 babies. In one of our more whimsical entries, we called on celebrity Mets fan Boomer Esiason, literal onetime Met Gary Bennett (on the assumption he could be spared by his current employer for the day), former Mets coach Denny Walling, Connecticut native and 2005 World Series "God Bless America" vocalist Liz Phair and, leading the pack, the only famous person I could find who was born 4/17/64, the exact same day as Shea, New Jersey Devil great Ken Daneyko (of whom I have some vague recollection of taking batting practice at Shea once, though I think I'm imagining it; plus, given the current NHL playoff composition, would probably get booed by the shortsighted Rangers fans in the crowd, though since this is all very fanciful, no, he'd be cheered).

[Fman99]

[Gwreck]

[HahnSolo]

That's good. I like that. Can never get enough of the Jets Flight Crew, either.

But all things considered, I still believe Namath will get the spotlight to himself one day.

[Guest AG/DC]

Look at those caps in the description of Greg Buttle, almost as if he's legally changed his name to "Jets Linebacker Legend Greg Buttle."

Too bad they didn't re-unite the New York Sack Exchange.

[stevejrogers]

Lets go into the Wayback Machine to 4/17/1964

Game 1 for Shea Stadium which featured a Met lineup of

Tim Harnkness 1B
George Altman RF
Ron Hunt 3B
Jesse Gonder C
Frank Thomas LF
Jim Hickman CF
Amado Samuel SS
Larry Burright 2B
Jack Fisher SP

Mets lost to the Pirates 4-3 and future HOFer Willie Stargell hit the first homer at Shea.

In honor of this event the Mets welcomed three men in that original Met lineup.

Date 4/17
Opponent Nationals
Number Removed 74
Remover Jack Fisher, threw the first ever pitch at Shea, Ron Hunt, scored the first Met run and Tim Harkness, who hit the first Met hit at the brand new place.

[stevejrogers]

Might as well use this for the Shea-Citi discussion thread for 2008, so...

When the heck did this happen?

I'm meeting a cousin off of Roosevelt Ave and 126th street on Saturday, and I did a Google map search to make sure I tell him the correct street address (BTW hey Google, can we get an updated picture featuring Citi Field? Then again Petco is still under construction in their San Diego overheads) and noticed that parts of 126th and 34th Avenue (or is it still Meridian Road at that point?) are called "Shea Road."

Did this just happen recently? Because it would appear that would be quite an appropriate change of address if they so desired to change the Mets mailing address (currently Roosevelt Ave) to Citi Field, Shea Road, Corona (yeah for some reason Corona, not Flushing gets the neighboorhood tag on Google), NY 11368.

[stevejrogers]

Date 4/25
Opponent Braves
Number Removed 73
Remover Bob Mandt, original employee of the team, worked through the 2004 season, still a consultant on the business end of things.

[G-Fafif]

We covered Bob Mandt at 78, in conjunction with Pete Flynn.

Our 72 was Henry Aaron, ostensibly for driving in the first postseason runs in Shea history, mostly for being one of the greats to grace Shea as a visitor, a little to tweak he who broke his record.

[G-Fafif]

Their 71 and our 71 actually meshed. Today was Jack Lang Day (raising awareness and funds for epilepsy research; Jack's grandson has it). The Mets had Jack's four children reveal the number. In the spirit of JLD, we had three of Jack's colleagues who have covered the team, in one way or another, since the early days do it: George Vecsey, Vic Ziegel and Roger Angell...plus longtime PR maven Jay Horwitz.

[Guest AG/DC]

Nice.

Lang is one of two or three Mets beat men I think should be in their HoF.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Who are the others? I'd nominate Marty Noble, for sure.

[stevejrogers]

Date 4/26
Opponent Braves
Number Removed 72
Remover Family of the late, great sports writer and Met historian Jack Lang.

[stevejrogers]

Koppett?

[stevejrogers]

Date 4/27
Opponent Braves
Number Removed 71
Remover Bob Reid of Bayside Little League on one of the Youth Baseball days this season.