I think I posted this once before, but it’s very cool and  a reader named Green Destiny mentioned it in the comments yesterday.  Keep your eyes peeled on 2:55, 3:00 and 3:06 and you’ll see the video screen in action!  (Make it full screen using standard youtube technology).
Kingman & Foster Today
Earlier this month I was in Arizona for my annual Spring Training get-away (I prefer AZ as all the teams are close together. Five games in 3 days is not something you can really do in Florida.)
One of the things I really love about Spring Training is how so many former ballplayers come out. This trip was no exception as I met Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Fergie Jenkins, Gaylord Perry and Willie Wilson. The 2 guys I was most happy to meet though were Dave Kingman (at a Giants game) and George Foster (at a Reds game).
Both men were very friendly and I spoke to each briefly about their times with the Mets. Kingman (who was sitting next to Perry at a signing) chuckled when I spoke about THE trade, turned to Gaylord and said “You know they still refer to that as Black Tuesday.” Foster, who was by himself, laughed when I reminded him of his statement upon signing with the Mets, that the planes at LaGuardia would have to adjust their flight pattern because of his homeruns.
What struck me about both players though were their respective sizes. First, Kingman is a BIG man. Standing next to him I felt like I was a child again. He’s not just tall though – his hands are big as well.
Foster on the other hand is not nearly as tall (Kong is listed at 6’6″, Foster at 6’1”), but George’s forearms (and he is 61) were still mighty impressive. I can only imagine what they were like 25 years ago in his prime.
Combined the 2 men hit almost 800 homeruns – all of them without a hint of anything unnatural.
The 2010 Mets Police Guide to being cheap about parking near Citi Field
I’m cheap. Â I park in Corona. Â It’s not scary and it’s not far.
Park somewhere in the one-teens as close to 34th avenue as you can. Â This shot is from 114th street between 34th and Northern. Â Remember, the far side of Citi Field is 126th, so at the worst you’re walking 12 blocks and it’s more like nine.
At the end of 34th avenue look for this walkway. Â The people on the opposite side are waiting for highway-speed traffic to clear. Â You do have to hustle across an entrance ramp to the Grand Central. Â It’s not that scary.
Now that you’ve dashed across, you will find yourself on this walkway along the Whitestone Expressway. Â It’s loud, but that’s a nice high barrier so you are in no likely danger of being hit by a car.
To your right you can enjoy the beautiful wildflowers of Queens.
Keep walking, keep walking.
Keep walking, keep walking.
You can look down at the Grand Central Parkway.
From here you can follow your eyes.
The walkway ends and you will have to cross across an exit ramp (from the GCP to the Whitestone). Â On the other side is the Citi Field parking lot. Â The NYPD is often stationed at this point and will hold up traffic for you, otherwise you’ll have to play Freeway against highway speed traffic. Â Not so bad.
Now that you’ve made it safely walk down this sidewalk. Â Again, you can see Citi Field so it’s not like you’ll get lost.
Parking has gone up by a dollar since I took this photo, but take a minute to laugh about the people who paid $19 while you got 7 blocks worth of exercise.
This is what their $18 got them in 2009. Â After the game you’ll be over by the highway entrances and they’ll be fighting 20,000 other people to get out of the lot.
And you’ve made it to The Street That I Think Needs A Cool Name.
If you can’t make it from here you need greater help than I can provide.
As always I encourage you to financially support the Mets and their sponsors, so why not take the $19 you have saved and buy a ticket to another game, or buy a blue Mets cap!
If this is your first time visiting Mets Police (thanks to Metsblog’s link!) you may find it easier to get a free daily email, that way you don’t have to remember to come back and visit.
If the incorrect Citi Field fanbrick hasn’t been destroyed…put it in the museum!
There has been a lot of talk about the now-removed incorrect 1986 Game 7 fanbrick and I am hoping that it hasn’t been destroyed.
Part of being a Mets fan is enjoying the history. Â We’re a blue (and orange) collar mentality even if we’ve put on a tie and make the big bucks. Â Not everything breaks our way, but sometimes it does (a little roller up along first).
If the incorrect brick still exists I say KEEP IT.
Let it become a quirky piece of Mets history. Â Here’s what I would do:
Friday July 9th, Atlanta is in town and there are presently no giveaways scheduled.
The pitching coach of the Braves is a fellow named Roger McDowell, the winning pitcher of Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.
Invite Sid Fernandez to the game.
Bring a mule to the game.
Have a fun ceremony before the game. Â Have Howie Rose emcee. Â Talk about Mets history and show some fun clips. Â There’s a way to do it without piling on or being negative. Â Silly stuff happens to all of us. Â You can “make fun of” the grand slam single for example. Â Bring out a new version of Mettle the Mule (is original Mettle still alive?).
Bring the fanbrick out, introduce McDowell and Fernandez, talk about the mistake and let us cheer for Sid and Roger! Â It’s not like we’re going to boo the guy who kept us in the game or the winning pitcher.
Then put the brick in the museum in an “oops” section along with photos of Mettle and the grand slam single and whatever else we all come up with.
As the years go by the incorrect fanbrick will become a curiosity and something to go see, and something to show your kids….and that will start a conversation about the 1986 Mets, team history, who really won the game…and suddenly a mistake (again quickly corrected) becomes COOL.
Another picture of the Shea Stadium scoreboard in 1965
Yesterday in the comments we were discussing the Shea Stadium scoreboard in 1965, and those of us who weren’t around yet are fascinated by the “video screen” that was atop the scoreboard.
Jesse sent this picture over, that’s a band called The Beatles who were quite popular in the 1960s. Â You may have heard of their bass player Paul McCartney, who played a concert at Citi Field in 2009. Â Anyways, check out the scoreboard – the screen is where the Mets logo is.
