This morning, a twitter discussion started regarding Shea Stadium. I said that despite the T-Shirt Enthusiasts Lovers for watching the game from 500 feet away on a bridge, I think Citi Field is meh and would have liked refurbished Shea Stadium.
Well, let’s jump in the Time Machine to 1994 for this Actual New York Times article. This is not me doing fiction. From April 10, 1984
Renovation plans for Shea Stadium, including the installation of artificial turf, additional stands in center field and luxury boxes, will be announced today by Mayor Koch.
..
The construction work, according to one source, will be supervised by Sterling Equities, a real estate and construction firm owned by Fred Wilpon, the Met president.
(The Stonecutters would have liked that…we get paid to fix up the place so we make more money.)
So what do you think – some outfield seats, maybe the Seaver Bridge for t-shirt people to hang out on…..the Astroturf would have been removed around 2002. Even New Shea would be 40 years old at this point, and maybe getting a little rickety.
Below are some pictures I took in Anaheim in 2010 – maybe Renovated Shea could have had this kind of feel in the OF.
On April 11th, we learned more from the New York Times
Replacing the natural-grass playing surface with one of artificial turf was the city’s suggestion. Both sides said it would make it easier to use the stadium for football during the spring or fall seasons. The United States Football League now has a spring- summer schedule, and although the city has said it would prefer a National Football League team, officials say they might have a better chance of getting a U.S.F.L. team.
Although Mr. Wilpon has voiced opposition to artificial turf and acknowledged yesterday that such a surface was not popular among all fans, he said he agreed to it ”in the co-operative spirit of a deal.” The $2 million surface is expected to be on the field for the 1986 season.
Ya know, on turf in 1986, little rollers along first probably move faster and have truer hops. One never knows what could have happened…maybe they get fielded quickly and cleanly….but that’s a Citi on The Edge of Forever for another day.
