Author: Shannon Shark @metspolice

You have some free time this weekend.  Make a banner.

I really really really really need you guys to back me up on this and get the place reasonably filled.  This is a celebration.  This really is the victory parade for fighting for the soul of the franchise from how they dress to what our traditions are.

Don’t let ownership and management be able to say “nobody cared” and take this away from us again.  Even if you don’t care please make a half-ass banner and walk around.

I worry about this being a one-off.  The way we prevent that is to make it a good positive day for all involved including management.  Come out in full force and have a good time.  Encourage them to do it again.  I’m not sure I have it in me to fight with Jeff Wilpon’s kids for another 25 years.  I’m looking forward to the Mets winning the 2012 World Series while dressed nicely so I can pack up my blog and stop doing this.  I’d hate to have to stretch it out until June 2013 on a Banner Day quest.

The complete Banner Day press release with all the rules (I mean guildelines) follows.

 

DWIGHT GOODEN, RUSTY STAUB, HOWIE ROSE AND EVAN ROBERTS

NAMED JUDGES FOR BANNER DAY ON SUNDAY, MAY 27 AT CITI FIELD

 

Banner Day Participants to Check In at Bullpen Plaza,

Registration Begins at 10:00 a.m., Space is Limited

 

Tickets for Banner Day Are on Sale Now at Mets.com and (718) 507-TIXX

 

FLUSHING, N.Y., May 13, 2012 – The New York Mets today named Mets Hall of Famers Dwight Gooden and Rusty Staub, and Sports Radio 66 WFAN radio personalities Howie Rose and Evan Roberts as judges for Banner Day on Sunday, May 27 prior to the 1:10 p.m. Mets-Padres game at Citi Field.

 

The judges will select three finalists and then fans texting at the ballpark and at home through Twitter and Facebook will decide the winning banner.  The grand prize will be a trip for two to 2013 Mets Spring Training in Port St. Lucie.

 

The Mets also announced guidelines for the return of Banner Day, a Mets tradition from 1963 to 1996 when fans of all ages paraded around the field with homemade banners that professed their love for the team.

 

• Banner Day participants must have tickets to the game
• Participants must check in at the Bullpen Plaza on 126th Street at 37th Avenue
• Registration begins at 10:00 a.m.  Space is limited.
• Banners must celebrate the Mets 50th Anniversary, expressing fans’ favorite memories or moments in franchise history
• Banners must be at least 22” by 28” in size
• Banners may not contain vulgar or abusive language
• Commercially produced banners are permitted, but banners may not contain commercial messages, web sites or Twitter handles
• Only the fans required to carry each banner will be permitted onto the field, up to a maximum of four.
• The Mets reserve the right to deny access to the field to any banner or person that is deemed inappropriate

 

The revival of Banner Day is part of the Mets season-long 50th anniversary celebration that includes a commemorative logo and redesigned uniforms, the launch of the Mets50.com and the Mets 50th Anniversary Alumni Bobblehead Series.

 

Tickets for Banner Day are on sale now online at Mets.com and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX.

METS PITCHER R.A. DICKEY EXCLUSIVE Q&A SESSION

ON HIS BOOK RESCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 29

BEFORE METS-PHILLIES GAME AT CITI FIELD

 

Tickets Cost $100 and Includes Champions Club Ticket, Food, Autographed Book;

Limited Number of Tickets on Sale Now at Mets.com/RAQA

 

FLUSHING, N.Y., May 17, 2012 – The New York Mets today announced pitcher R.A. Dickey’s exclusive question and answer session about his new book Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball (Blue Rider Press) has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 29 at Citi Field before the Mets play the Philadelphia Phillies at 7:10 p.m.  Dickey will be joined by Wayne Coffey, the New York Daily News writer who collaborated with Dickey on his memoir, which landed on the New York Times Best Sellers List.

 

Tickets for the special event cost $100 and include a seat in the all-inclusive Champions Club with complimentary premium food and non-alcoholic beverage, an autographed copy of Dickey’s book, and admission to the exclusive Q&A session. Tickets are on sale now at Mets.com/RAQA.  Seats are very limited for this intimate event.

 

The Mets rescheduled the Q&A because the pitching rotation changed and Dickey pitched on the original date April 25.

 

About Wherever I Wind Up

A 37-year-old knuckleballer and lover of literature, Dickey has emerged as not only a Met fan favorite but among the most thoughtful and compelling personalities in baseball – and one of the most improbable success stories in the game.  Scarcely two years after he was sleeping on an inflatable mattress in Buffalo, pondering whether he should abandon baseball to teach English Literature, Dickey has become one of the most reliable starters in the National League.  His ascent is a testament to his perseverance and hard work, and to a faith that has carried him through a difficult life journey.  With searing honesty, Dickey writes about growing up in an alcoholic home, surviving sexual abuse and living with crushing shame and fear.  He writes with both power and humor as he chronicles the hardships of chasing a baseball dream when very few people think you are good enough to make it.

 

A man of deep humility and self-awareness, Dickey’s candor is as remarkable as his knuckleball is unpredictable – making Wherever I Wind Up a uniquely American story of beating back demons, listening to your heart, and overcoming extraordinary odds – a memoir that as Publishers Weekly says “sets a new standard for athlete autobiographies.”

 

I loved this one, especially because I don’t recall ever seeing it on Channel 9 back in the day.  (They used to show these during rain delays.)

Sure it was a different feel than the others, but it was so good to go back and look at these.  Here’s my random typing as I watched.

I loved seeing a young-ish Ralph Kiner.  Man I’d love to interview that guy about his dating resume.

Casey praises Charlie Neal for being able to catch a ball.

Nice to see video of player Gil Hodges.

Don Zimmer!  (Casey this won’t work out.)

This Casey doubletalk is wonderful.  He’s like what if Terry Collins was delirious.

I miss the old days when I would go out of my way to point out how great the uniforms looked.  Nice job fixing that one Mets.

Wow weird hearing Ralph talk about the Polo Grounds as the Mets’ home.

I like the old time sportscasters in their suits.  If they only knew I was typing this 50 years later in my basement.

Bob Murphy looks taller and beefier.

The menu is celery and soup?

Someone else wearing #41!  (Clem Labine I presume)

Kiner was pretty good at this in 1962

Man Casey just rambled.  We need a manager like this.  Let’s keep Colactus until he’s 100.  Did this guy have a strong second in command who secretly ran things?

Bruce Fitzpatrick??

Casey has lots of Dodgers on the team.  Stupid Wilpons.

 

 

 

 

…

As I continue to encourage SNY to make more non-Beer Money filler, once again I request they make some modern day retro style Mets Yearbooks.  Make “2009” and let Howie narrate it and keep that traditional Yearbook mix of hope and reality that never quite works out.

I really enjoyed SNY’s 50 Greatest Mets special and highly encourage the Mets to continue to develop (or purchase) such non Beer Money filler.

Below are my notes as I watched the special not knowing what was to come.  I did find the special to be “Generation Piazza” heavy, likely because of the availability of footage.

50. Wayne Garrett

49.  Bobby Bonilla.  As I said in the walk-up to this special, if you played more than two seasons you’re probably on the list.  Luckilly Bobby’s part of the special was shorter than it took you to read this sentence.

48.  John Milner

47. Ron Hunt

46.  Ray Knight

Continue reading “Review: SNY 50 Greatest Mets (includes the list)”