Now, before you read this post, I really want you to play this song – it’ll make it so much better!
SO STEP RIGHT UP AND MEET THE METS!
Why are the called the Mets?
Team officials asked fans to choose a nickname from among 10 finalists when New York was awarded an expansion National League franchise in 1961. The finalists were Avengers, Bees, Burros, Continentals, Jets, Mets, NYBS, Rebels, Skyliners, and Skyscrapers.
The team received 2,563 mailed entries, which included 9,613 suggestions, and 644 different names. Mets was the resounding winner, followed by two nicknames that weren’t among the team’s 10 suggestions—Empires and Islanders.
Why am I excited to see their city?
See New York Yankees:
For the record and fast fact, the Mets play in Queens, whilst the Yankees play in The Bronx. Each year they play in two interleague series called “The Subway Series”.
Here’s some photos of me at this very series (and trying to get a photo with Mr Met – more about him later)
What is a tradition at their ballpark?
The Mets are another team with a relatively new stadium, but one cool feature of the stadium is the “Big Apple” (get it), that gets raised every time the Mets score a home run! (or you can watch below for a premature apple rise – pure Mets, pure gold!)
Very gimmicky, but it really gets the fans going!
Also, we have got another one of the coolest mascots who is a tradition at all Mets events – MR MET!
Hmmmmm, feels like we’ve seen this guy before?
Is it possible that the Reds mascot is simply Mr Met in disguise? Did Mr Met go commie on us at one point, or did Red shave and drop his heritage??
The investigation will continue when I’m on the ground – stay tuned.
Who is a famous fan?
Again, like the New York Yankees and these other big East Coast teams, there is no shortage of celebrity fans of the Mets.
It seems, much like their play on the field (a joke), plenty of comedians love the Mets.
Jimmy Kimmel, Chris Rock, John Stewart and my boy KFC from Barstool Sports all LOVE the Mets (which will probably be the death of KFC one day).
But I’m going with the Jewish Juggernaut himself, Mr Jerry Seinfeld!
CUE THE STANDUP!
A fun/weird fact about the Mets?
The Mets use the colours Blue, Orange, Black and White.
The reason? These are the colours of the Dodgers and Giants (you’ll recall from earlier in this blog that both these teams left New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco respectively – if you don’t, I suggest you catch up son!).
It was thought that to engage the New York fans who felt let down by the teams leaving for the Wild West, these colours could be used and quickly adopted… the result? Errrrrr not so much – but for these fans it would still beat cheering for the Yankees!
Thirty before 30 