G-Fafif

MFS62 wrote: He would have taken the job if the Mets had moved the team to Rochester - the home of Kodak. Sometimes I just sit and stare in awe. This is one of those times.

Kid from the borough of my birth versus kid from the city of my upbringing in a duel, if so inclined, I could take personally. Yet I'm not torn in my allegiance. John Lannin couldn't even be bothered to go to LBHS. Go Figgie. Go Brooklyn.

RealityChuck wrote: I seriously doubt Hartung is more famous than Sandy Koufax, Al Kaline (the most famous battery in baseball) or Harmon Killebrew. The guys you mention, yeah, they probably get top billing over Hartung as baseball players, but Hartung's fame for being a highly touted bonus baby is probably unsurpassed.

Kid's first book, "A Dream Season," featured a passage in which he reveled in the Mets' closeness, with the caveat that just because guys like he and Ray Knight hugged so much is no reason to assume that made either of them any less of a man. That was ghosted by John Hough, who wrote a marvelous book about covering the Red Sox the following year, a lifelong fan with a press pass and clubhouse access. Of note here is that because he was working on the Carter book during the previous World Series, he said aloud, with two outs in the tenth of Game Six, his beloved Red Sox thisclose to clinching their first world championship since 1918, that he hoped his buddy Gary wouldn't make the final out, he's such a nice guy. As soon as the words escaped his lips, he realized he had made the worst mistake of his life.

Ironman pitcher Bill Wakefield endorses a Mets book that covers his tenure. Haven't read it, but the same author wrote a great book on the New York Titans. Bill (or William) held single-season games pitched record for Mets for 13 years.

Looking into Gary Carter's new book, the promotional copy raised as many eyebrows as I have available: As a catcher, Gary "the Kid" Carter's quiet, focused nature kept him out of the glare of the media's spotlight. In "Still a Kid at Heart," Carter expresses some of his greatest memories and achievements including becoming the first player to be called out at Shea Stadium for a curtain call... The first one is plain amusing. He may not have been in the papers for the same infamous reasons several of his high-profile teammates were (Cooters, Smithers, Pittsburgh drug trial), but they called him Camera (and Kid) for a reason and it wasn't because of his quiet, focused nature. The second one is simply inaccurate. The curtain call may have been perfected by Gary Carter and may have taken on a life of its own once he came here, but I can remember several pre-Kid episodes of bows demanded and given, clear back to Steve Henderson in 1980. Keith Hernandez wrote about how he didn't want to do it when he came over in '83 in "If At First" but was told by Rusty that the fans expect you to do it here. I can even remember Charlie Puleo being called out for a competent start (and whoever covered it for Newsday, probably Noble, expressing amazement that 7-2/3 innings of three-run ball rated such a reaction, even with a big Met lead). One assumes this is the work of overanxious PR interns and copywriters, though one also assumes it's gleaned from the book itself. Gary Carter was pretty darn awesome back in the day. He doesn't need to be made incrementally more darn awesome. Anybody who spent an evening with him at a bookstore in New Jersey who cares to shed light on the Kid's quiet, focused nature, please do.

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).

I thought I would dislike the onslaught of 42s, but up close it actually worked. The "one guy" thing was supposed to be the way each team was to go last year, but then it took off. Nice to know there was some enthusiasm among the players. We've come a long way since Vince Coleman. That said, I wouldn't mind variations on the theme. And yes, a little ex-Met 42 action would be welcome. As the evening progressed, I thought I saw Mo Vaughn, Butch Huskey Ron Taylor and Roger McDowell out there. Seriously.

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.

Last night the simple announcement that one of the finalists was "Sweet Caroline" brought out the boos. I think Neil Diamond is being blamed for The Collapse. "I'm A Believer" seemed to have a bit of momentum going for it. Wasn't booed, was actually mildly sung along with. Any song played in the midst of a convincing home team victory will probably be helped by the surrounding circumstances.

]I have no particular love for Shea Stadium. Never even been inside. What an awful lede, btw. Why he had to first-person his point is beyond me. "I didn't know George Washington, but I hear he was a great man. But now the federal government wants to replace the dollar bill with a dollar coin." Get Leonard Pitts to an editor (or a better editor to the Miami Herald).

My admission to last night's game was arranged by a thoughtful person who got his hands on some company's field box seats, so it was gratis all around, except for the company that bought them, of course. It wasn't until I got home and examined the ticket that I saw it was a $70 seat. Holy crap. Seventy dollars for one ticket to one baseball game on one night in April. A value date, no less. Field level, yes, but not behind home plate or anything like that. A corporate buy, yes, but unless I'm missing something, the company wasn't IBM. Somebody's charging $70 a seat for a baseball game in April and somebody's paying it.

I seem to recall the 1985 incident was one stemming from screwing around. I've walked down the halted escalators from the upper deck and mezzanine a couple of times. I stopped doing it because it gave me vertigo. There are no good ways to go, but what a lousy way for this guy to go.

Maybe Pete Rose should manage the Mets -- he really did dodge sniper fire at Shea.

Lorinda's name pops up as a contributor to the campaigns of moderate-leaning Republicans in the tri-state area, including former Congresswoman Sue Kelly and N.J. Senate candidate Tom Kean Jr. She was on the field at Shea for Bob Murphy Night. BML: By now there's probably a legal de Roulet granddaughter in there somewhere who could use your financial guidance, so to speak.

Their 76: the two kids who are the new hosts of Kids Clubhouse on SNY. They won their jobs in a contest and have hosted two episodes. Our 76: Duncan Wagner, son of Mayor Wagner; and Lorinda de Roulet, daughter of Joan Payson (with namechecks in prepared remarks to the apparently defunct firms of P.J. Carlin and Thomas Crimmons, building contractors, and Praeger-Kavanaugh-Waterbury, Shea architects; chief engineer Rick Praeger alive but ailing, according to the Times). I can't quite remember the exact line, but in Blades of Glory, Hector the Stalker tells Jimmy the figure skater that obsessive fans are better suited to certain jobs than the people who are hired to carrying them out.

77 in real life: Some corporate tool from Citi. (OK, I can't guarantee he's a tool; might be a real fine fellow...but the Citi grim reaper given the honor of participating in the Shea countdown? Cringe.) 77 from the Faith and Fear Countdown Like It Oughta Be: Organist Jane Jarvis, songwriters Bill Katz and Ruth Roberts of "Meet The Mets" fame.

In the black home uniform... � Robin Ventura Grand Slam Singled. � Bobby Jones one-hit the Giants. � The Mets won their first pennant in fourteen years. � The Mets clinched their first division title in eighteen years. � Nelson Figueroa started his first game for the team he grew up loving. Eleven seasons in, the black home uniform has earned its bona fides. Come to think of it, the black home uniform has now had a longer chronological run than the racing stripes of 1983-1992.

Members of the Mets Kids Club is a nice symbolic nod toward the future, and one of them might grow up and say, "You know what I once did? I helped count down the final season at Shea Stadium." I was at one of my meetings of New York Baseball Giants nostalgists and dead-enders last night and if any of them had helped close down the Polo Grounds, I know they would hold it dear. But what it does for the fans in the stands tonight -- just like what the Lincoln Mercury regional managers unveiling a number did for the fans last night, quid pro quo and all -- I don't know, though it certainly saves time and airfare for the Mets on thinking up and flying in special guests who have something to do with the history of Shea Stadium. Hell, I figured they'd mostly alternate between Howard Johnson and David Wright for five months. Not a biggie in the course of a long season, but if you're going to do it, do it right (thus the Countdown Like It Oughta Be). http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/20/3591341.html

="Valadius":80fi7yc5]Steve is right. FaFiF did theirs just for fun.[/quote:80fi7yc5] Also out of love and respeck (yo). First series of the year: http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/19/3588772.html SteveJRogers Apr 11 2008 02:58 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Apr 11 2008 06:13 PM Date 4/11 Opponent Brewers Number Removed 79 Remover Members of the New York Mets Kids Club Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I'm going to take a wild guess and say they were founded in 1978 or something like that. AG/DC Apr 11 2008 03:02 PM Hey, Mets. Is there a way to put this delicately but clearly? Jane Jarvis can't wait forever. Kong76 Apr 11 2008 03:04 PM What's she waiting for? sharpie Apr 11 2008 03:06 PM I'm available for number peeling. I did attend a game (my first baseball game) in 1964. AG/DC Apr 11 2008 03:11 PM ="KC"]What's she waiting for? Well, I'm waiting for her to get a little resepect while she's still breathing, and a call to peel some numbers would be an appropriate step. And maybe she'll sit down at the keys for a little "96 Tears" action if she's up for it. For Game 78, Faith and Fear says, "Wrong: Bob Mandt and Pete Flynn are our boys." SteveJRogers Apr 11 2008 03:22 PM ="AG/DC"] Well, I'm waiting for her to get a little resepect while she's still breathing, and a call to peel some numbers would be an appropriate step. I forget what year it was, but they did trot her out for either an OTG or 69 Met reunion or a Metly anniversary thing, so they have given her respect through the years, no need to be Edgy about it.

Rockies I and II.

You had me at "Drink".

Turned on the game in time for the rollup, the montage of play-by-play they use to open every broadcast. Heard it on Opening Day and it was pretty standard fare, big hits from last year. As the season goes on, they usually incorporate newer stuff. Well tonight, the five calls they included were --Curt Gowdy, end of '69 WS --Lindsey Nelson, clinching '73 pennant --Bob Murphy, winning '86 WS --Gary Cohen, victory in the '00 NLCS --Howie Rose's "put THAT in your books" from Subway Series Wright walkoff double, 2006 The last time I felt the way I did hearing that, Endy Chavez was jumping at the left field wall. Great effing job, Immortal Chris Majkowski or whoever was responsible.

Five effective starts in September 2007 must have some utility to them.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The page linked in my post above yours, G, includes the same photo you describe. Not so difficult to scan! And the stands do extend further than I said. I'd put Angel Stadium in the same category as YS. It wasn't completely torn down but it appears to be a completely different place post-renovation that it was before. Of course they did AS over in one offseason, but the overhaul seems far more thorough than what was done in St. Louis when they made the previous Busch a little more baseballish between '95 and '96 and the way they've humanized New Comiskey, a.k.a. The Cell in this decade. I still vote for 1976 over 1923 as birth date for the "new" Stadium.