What Mets fans talk about when not talking about the actual games.
Welcome to 70’s week? Â Why 70’s week? Â Because Randy made the cool header image I’m using this week, it’s the All Star Break, and it’s just fun. Â (I’ll mix in 21st century stuff as it develops.)
What better way to kick off the 1970’s than with the greatest mascot of all-time: Mettle the Mule
Enjoy this article from The Times to learn all about Mettle.
On Wednesday, July 14, the first 2,500 fans in attendance for the Cyclones’ 7pm game against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers will receive a Wally Backman “Then & Now”mini bobblehead, presented by Lutheran Medical Center.
The 4″-tall collector’s item features Backman “then” — fielding his position in a 1986 World Champion New York Mets uniform — and “now” — as manager of the Cyclones, leaning on a bat.
Backman was a standout second baseman for the Mets in the 1980s – a gritty, hard-nosed table-setter at the top of the lineup for a team that won divisional titles in 1986 and 1988, and an iconic World Series championship in 1986. Backman played in the major leagues for 14 seasons, including nine with the Mets (1980-1988), and five with the Minnesota Twins (1989), Pittsburgh Pirates (1990), Philadelphia Phillies (1991, 1992), and Seattle Mariners (1993). He finished his career with a .980 fielding percentage, and is one of only 66 MLB players ever to notch six hits in a single game (4/27/90). Backman’s 106 stolen bases with the Mets ranks eighth on the franchise’s all-time list and his .283 career batting average for New York ranks ninth. Backman hit .333 in six games against the Boston Red Sox in the Mets’ 1986 World Series win.
The fine folks at Faith & Fear are holding another fan get together. Â I won’t be able to make this one (rats, I was wondering when the next one was but alas I can’t make it)
As the F&F’s wrote:
It’s AMAZIN’ ALL-STAR MONDAY at Two Boots Grand Central, Monday night, July 12, at 7 PM. Our regular reading and rallying series moves to a special day for a very special bill of fare. Please join your hosts Greg Prince of Faith and Fear in Flushing and Jon Springer of Mets By The Numbers when they welcome their guests:
• Marty Noble, Mets beat writer extraordinaire for more than 35 years.
• Howard Megdal, pretty fair Mets chronicler himself and, at the moment, a declared candidate for the unelected office of New York Mets general manager.
For more about the event and the where and when part, visit Faith & Fear.
Now, who is psyched for 70’s week?
When leaving Citi Field, consider taking the elevator that’s between third base and home. Â You’ll exit through the Seaver Gate and see these hanging on the wall.
(Updated Mets content below this post throughout the day but Bob deserves the top. Â Scroll down for Mets.)
Oh no…
Here’s a great Daily News article on Bob’s career written before Bob took ill.
Mike Hayes interviewed Bob for Busted Halo.  Given the news, this article about Bob’s spirituality hits the spot.  Mike presently runs Googling God. Mike wrote more today.
A few years back I had suggested Bob deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. Â I still hope they put him in, but it shouldn’t have been his death that motivates people.
When the Yankees moved to Shea Stadium during the renovation of Yankee Stadium in 1974-75, Sheppard was careful to alter his greeting to: “The Yankees welcome you to Shea Stadium.”
More videos and stories after the jump.
