New York Mets

Interesting Facts

• Every time a Met player hits a home run at Shea Stadium, a big red lighted apple comes up behind center right field.
• Only one home run has been hit to the Upper Level of Shea Stadium so far. Tommie Agee's blast there on April 10th, 1969, has been marked with a sign.
• Nolan Ryan started his career with the Mets, helping them to win the 1969 World Series, against the Baltimore Orioles, albeit in a reliever's role.
• The Mets are the oldest Major League franchise without a no-hitter. (Several notable Mets players did pitch no-hitters with other teams, including Nolan Ryan (7 career no-hitters), Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, and Al Leiter). On July 9, 1969 at Shea Stadium, Seaver came within two outs of a perfect game, but gave up a one-out, ninth-inning single to the Chicago Cubs' Jimmy Qualls for the only hit in the Mets' 4-0 victory. The latest "near-no-hitter" occurred on August 14, 2005, when Pedro Martinez was within five outs of pitching a hitless game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He ultimately gave up a triple and a home run in the eighth inning, however, and wound up losing the game, 2-1.
• On July 16, 1997, during the first year of interleague play, the Mets defeated the New York Yankees, 6-0, in the first ever regular-season game played between the crosstown rivals, thanks to a masterful performance from pitcher Dave Mlicki.
• The first major sports event to take place in New York City after the events of September 11 was played in Shea Stadium on September 21, 2001 when the Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves. It was made even more memorable courtesy of a home run in the eighth inning by Mike Piazza, to put the Mets ahead in the game. The game was attended by then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a devout fan of the rival New York Yankees. In spite of this, he was cheered by the crowd for his leadership in the preceding ten days.
• George Herbert Walker, Jr., uncle of President George H. W. Bush, was a member of the original ownership group when the franchise was created. He served as vice president and treasurer until 1977. http://www.tarpley.net/bush1.htm
• The "Amazin' Mets" and the 1969 World Series were featured in the movie Frequency starring Dennis Quaid and James Caviezel.