Mets Police 70′s week: The 1978 Yearbook

Today let’s thumb the pages of my 1978 Mets yearbook.

It only cost a dollar and I spilled chocolate ice cream on it.  I actually showed this to Jerry Seinfeld one day when I was dressed as Clark Kent.  He did a classic Seinfeldian low key “huh” (as in ‘how bout that’).

1978 was a special time, you could market your beer with a slogan that encouraged people to get Shea-faced.

The manager?  Some bum named Joe Torre.  This guy would hand in losing season after losing season.  He was never heard from again in this town.

This super blurry photo from the ’78 yearbook is actually not that clear in the yearbook…but I’m posting it to promote my Blue Cap Army idea.   This is how Citi Field should look.

Why so many Blue Caps?  It was helmet day.

Speaking of giveaways, these children are enjoying bag day.   I think I had both of these.  Poor kids have lousy seats.

That bag on the right kind of looks like the one they gave out in 2010!

Duke Snider, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle all at Shea.  Amazin’   I’ve occassionally looked for more pictures of this day and haven’t found too many (send ’em if you got em)

What’s amazin’ is that in 1977 the Mets had just 15 years under their belt and could figure out a way to have an Old Timer’s Day.  In modern times we’re told it’s too hard – as if it’s somehow going to be harder to get Ed Kranepool to come by than it was to get three of the upper pantheon of players (sorry Duke) to show up.

What was the highlight of 2009?  Arguably it was Nolan Ryan showing up.  Nolan played in modern times, he has money – so it wasn’t that that stopped him from coming.  If Ryan will show up so will Joel Youngblood.   Moving on…

How about that Lee Mazzilli?

Once again I let you down and post a picture sideways, but here’s what happens when you trade Seaver and have to publish a yearbook.   You hype the new guys.  Don’t worry you’re not missing much.