The Origin of the New York Mets

                                          

  Hello Mets fans and Sports Enthusiasts!  Many believe it or not do not know the origin of their favorite teams. I feel it is paramount to know where you come from and what you represent. Today's post is about the origin of the Mets. New York has  always been a baseball town as well as it should be. Baseball originated in New York, even though the first officially recorded game was played in New Jersey, but that is another story for another time. New York originated with  three professional baseball teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Giants and the Yankees. Baseball wanted to expand the game out to the west and on May 28, 1957 the owners of both the Dodgers and Giants decided to move the teams out to California.The Giants to San Francisco, and the Dodgers to Los Angeles.  This decision to move broke the hearts of many New Yorkers, for not only would this leave the Yankees as the only team in NY but it would also take away National League baseball.  National League baseball was how the form of  baseball that was first established. The American league  play under a different set of rules.  In the American League the pitcher does not have to step up to the plate to bat.  In his place they created a designated hitter who does not take the field, his job is just to hit in the spot of the pitcher.   This may be great in the offensive standpoint for pitchers don’t hit well since they focus more on their pitching and protecting their arms.  However this city started with National League ball where the game offered more strategy.  Another reason why National league baseball is revered is because traditionally every player hits and fields it’s the roosts of baseball and many feel it shouldn't have been changed.  So what does this have to do with the Mets? Let’s get to that.

The Brooklyn Dodgers were loved in Brooklyn they were called "Dem bums". They did not have great success but they had a huge fan base it was the team that broke the color barrier with Jackie Robinson.  The Giants were the first New York team and had greats like Willie Mays, who possibly the greatest player ever in my opinion. Giants, Dodger fans  hated the Yankees and rightfully so.The Yankees were the most successful team in history.  This meant the Yankees consistently beat the other teams and won the majority of championships. Imagine if your favorite team that you loved moved away leaving you with the team you despise?   The loss of the two teams left a huge void that needed to be filled.  For 5 years the Yankees were the only baseball team in New York, many states only have one, some have none. This is New York, baseball was born here and having 3 and taking away 2-- or more precisely your team can cause an uproar.  Thankfully a plan was in the works to fill the void two years after the loss of the Giants and Dodgers.

William A. Shea

In 1958 a year after the teams moved, New York Mayor Robert Wagner asked attorney William Shea to chair a committee to return the National League baseball to New York.  First they tried to move an existing Franchise to NY, such as the Neighboring teams from Pennsylvania: the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Even going as far as Ohio to attract the Reds from Cincinnati. William Shea tried to create an expansion team but was declined by Major league baseball. He then proposed setting up a new league called the Continental league. William sought the help of Branch Rickey who was a retired, team executive and was the man responsible for breaking the  color barrier with Jackie Robinson. Branch stepped out of retirement and helped establish this new league.  In 1959 the new league was announced and Major League Baseball wasn’t happy with it the threat of another third league forced them to discuss adding expansion teams instead.  William Shea and his committee agreed and abandoned the Continental league. 4 new expansion teams were created  2 for the American League and 2 for the National League. One of those expansion teams were to be  The New York Mets a shortened form for Metropolitans. The team names purpose is to represent the Mets as a team for the entire New York Metropolitan area.  In 1962 The Mets were established and the fans of the Giants and Dodgers came together as the fan base of The New York Mets.

The name of the Metropolitans was a tribute to the Metropolitans of old of 1852, a team that went bankrupt before the formation of the Major League baseball Association. The Mets also gave tribute to the teams that left NY by taking the color blue from the Dodgers, and The orange from Giants.  The blue and orange are also the colors of the New York State flag.  The baseball cap insignia was taken from the Giants one of the oldest insignia's in baseball even older the Yankees.   The Pinstripes was added to the the uniform to  give tribute to the Yankees who made it famous. In 1962 The Mets were established under the principle owner and co-founder of the team Joan W. Payson a Philanthropist who was part owner of the Giants before they moved.  She was the first women to own and fund a baseball team without inheriting one.

Mets logo by Ray Gato

 Ray Gatto created the famous team logo that they wear on their jersey sleeve, in this logo you have inside a baseball the bridge that represents the joining of the 5 boroughs. The skyline in the background has special meaning for it has a church spire, symbolic of the churches in Brooklyn, the borough of churches. The second building from left is the Williamsburg savings bank, the tallest building in Brooklyn. Next is the Woolworth building, followed by a general view of the midtown Manhattan including the empire state building in the center. The last building on the right is the United Nations building. Making it one of the most famous logo’s in sports. Isn't it Awesome?

 The team played in the famous polo grounds in their established year of 1962 to 1964 where they moved to their new and permanent home in Corona Queens after the tear down of the polo grounds. The stadium built was named after William Shea, known as Shea Stadium for William brought National League back to New York. The stadium lasted until 2008, it was a dump but it was our dump! In 2009 the New field was completed right next door to Shea.The new state of the art stadium named after the sponsors of Citibank, calling their new park Citi-Field. Citi-field was built to look like the old Ebbets field where the Brooklyn dodgers played.  The rotunda entrance to Citi field is given tribute to Jackie Robinson.

 The Mets are beloved by New York even though they are second to the Yankees (boo) under the shadow of their success.  The Mets are known to be the real New York team, for they are a team that was created in New York for New York and by New York.  The Metropolitans represent the hard working class of New York. The team has two world championship and 5 National league pennants, two players inducted into the hall of fame. The first to establish a mascot in sports Mr. Met . The team is centered on fun, family and Friends. Although there has been bad years and nightmarish moments, one thing that can be true is that Mets fans have more passion, more love and knowledge of the game and last but not least have more FUN! until next time LETS GO METS!

                                                  - MC