The Mets That Were, by Leonard Shecter, Dial Press, 1970.
It is generally accepted that Shea Stadium was not one of the classic ballparks in the long history of the national pastime. Yet more than 56,000 were on hand for the final game on Sept. 28, 2008.
On the other hand, when the same Mets played the final game of the very historic Polo Grounds, less than 2,000 showed up to pay their respects. Granted there wasn’t all the hoop-de-do that modern events seem to balloon into, always looking for make an extra buck by playing on people’s nostalgia, but even so…
The dropped pop-up by Luis Castillo against the Yankees with two outs in the ninth inning could just as easily easily been seen during those first two seasons, as Shecter — who is too often forgotten for his contributions to Jim Bouton’s essential Ball Four — captures so humorously in this little gem, as he focuses on the team’s first two seasons. They may have played in the home of the Giants of John McGraw, but they sure didn’t play like the Giants.
Did the Mets really seem to invent ways to lose that were heretofore beyond consideration or was it all just media spin? Surely the Dodgers (with Casey Stengel as their leader) or the Browns or the pitiful Pirates of the 1950s were just as creative. Perhaps it was the absence of a National League rerpesentative that made New Yorkers more tolerant. Bad baseball is better than no baseball at all. Or perhaps not, as Schecter writes during the 1963 season:
The fact, though, that while Mets fans loved the Mets when they lost, it was a love like that a mother bestows on a son who has just missed a scholarship. Better things had been expected.
Shecter, a sportswriter for The New York Post who died in 1974 at the age of 48, wrote Once Upon in the afterglow of the Amazin’ year and concludes with the consequences that success engendered:
It is different now, obviously. Casey Stengel is gone. A pennant has been won, and a world championship. It is a glorious thing, and yet somehow sad. For what we feel for the Mets now will never be quite the same as what we felt during those first two years. We have tasted victory and we shall root not for survival, but for more victory. It was inevitable, we understand now, for this to happen; it’s only that it happened so soon, so swiftly. Still, the Mets are there (at slightly higher prices) and there is still much joy to take from them. We cannot be blamed, though, those of us who sit amidst the thundering crowd and quietly tell our young ones a tale that begins: “Once upon the Polo Grounds…”
Speaking og “higher prices,” I wonder what Shecter would say these days. By the way, the list price for the original hardcover edition? $3.95.
As big a Mets fan as I am, I had never heard of this title but I’m glad I found it. Shecter is an overlookd writer. It’s too bad he couldn’t have stuck around longer to enjoy the success of Ball Four and add further oevures to his portfolio.
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From “A Day in the Bleachers” by Arnold Hano (from 1954):
“Dodgers fans are a surly lot, riddled by secret fears and inferiority complexes which have good basis, of course. They have suffered not only inferior teams in the past, but also with the specter of clowns in uniform instead of baseball players. The sight of two Dodger runners on one base is legend. That this happens as often to other ball teams is ignored. It seems a Dodger trademark, and the fans know it. It is a stigma and not even pennant-winning teams can remove it. Thus, they take their secret shame with them wherever they go, and to compensate they become rude, overbearing, and superlative-addicted.”
I don’t know many Mets fans, but I’d say this passage describes a lot of fans whose teams sink low for long stretches (like I was with the Tigers all through the 90s and early 00s). I’d say that last line describes the fans of the Red Sox to a ‘t’.
From “A Day in the Bleachers” by Arnold Hano (from 1954):
“Dodgers fans are a surly lot, riddled by secret fears and inferiority complexes which have good basis, of course. They have suffered not only inferior teams in the past, but also with the specter of clowns in uniform instead of baseball players. The sight of two Dodger runners on one base is legend. That this happens as often to other ball teams is ignored. It seems a Dodger trademark, and the fans know it. It is a stigma and not even pennant-winning teams can remove it. Thus, they take their secret shame with them wherever they go, and to compensate they become rude, overbearing, and superlative-addicted.”
I don’t know many Mets fans, but I’d say this passage describes a lot of fans whose teams sink low for long stretches (like I was with the Tigers all through the 90s and early 00s). I’d say that last line describes the fans of the Red Sox to a ‘t’.
This terrific book was reissued in paperback in 1983 with a slightly adjusted title “Once Upon a Time-The Early Years of the New York Mets” It was published by the Dial Press and cost $5.95.
Another interesting early Mets book is “The Mets Will Win the Pennant” by William R. Cox, published by Putnam in 1964. The author predicted the Mets would someday win “with Mrs Payson loot and Mr. Weiss’s brains” and by playing the way they did in beating the Dodgers in L.A. on Casey Stengel’s birthday in 1963, which is a focus of the book.
Harvey Poris
This terrific book was reissued in paperback in 1983 with a slightly adjusted title “Once Upon a Time-The Early Years of the New York Mets” It was published by the Dial Press and cost $5.95.
Another interesting early Mets book is “The Mets Will Win the Pennant” by William R. Cox, published by Putnam in 1964. The author predicted the Mets would someday win “with Mrs Payson loot and Mr. Weiss’s brains” and by playing the way they did in beating the Dodgers in L.A. on Casey Stengel’s birthday in 1963, which is a focus of the book.
Harvey Poris
Thanks, Harvey. I’ll have to see if I can find that Cox book.
Thanks, Harvey. I’ll have to see if I can find that Cox book.
Ron,
While we are on the subject, there are a few other good books on the early Mets. Of course Jimmy Breslin’s “Can’t Anyone Here Play This Game?” tops the list. Published by Viking Press in 1963 ($2.95), it is a true classic. Maury Allen, who was the Mets beat writer for the New York Post at the time, wrote “Now Wait a Minute, Casey! ” which covered the first three years of the Mets. Published by Doubleday ib 1965 ($4.50), it has terrific anecdotes and stories, many about the incomparable Casey Stengel. Finally, “Backstage at the Mets” by long-time Mets announcer Lindsey Nelson, came out in 1966. Published by Viking Press ($3.95), it covers Nelson’s broadcasting career and the first 4 Met seasons. Lots of good stories.
I’d be interested to know if there are any other books on the early Mets
Harvey Poris
Ron,
While we are on the subject, there are a few other good books on the early Mets. Of course Jimmy Breslin’s “Can’t Anyone Here Play This Game?” tops the list. Published by Viking Press in 1963 ($2.95), it is a true classic. Maury Allen, who was the Mets beat writer for the New York Post at the time, wrote “Now Wait a Minute, Casey! ” which covered the first three years of the Mets. Published by Doubleday ib 1965 ($4.50), it has terrific anecdotes and stories, many about the incomparable Casey Stengel. Finally, “Backstage at the Mets” by long-time Mets announcer Lindsey Nelson, came out in 1966. Published by Viking Press ($3.95), it covers Nelson’s broadcasting career and the first 4 Met seasons. Lots of good stories.
I’d be interested to know if there are any other books on the early Mets
Harvey Poris
All are excellent titles, Harvey. Don’t recall if you mentioned one boom I have in my library: The Amazin’ Mets, by New York Post sportswriter Jerry Mitchell, first published by Tempo Books (.50!) in 1964, revised the following year to include the 1965 season. There might be a few other pre-1969 titles of which I’m not aware.
All are excellent titles, Harvey. Don’t recall if you mentioned one boom I have in my library: The Amazin’ Mets, by New York Post sportswriter Jerry Mitchell, first published by Tempo Books (.50!) in 1964, revised the following year to include the 1965 season. There might be a few other pre-1969 titles of which I’m not aware.
I have the Tempo Books edition as well as the hardcover first published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1964 and updated in 1965. The hardcover is “The Amazing Mets” (they didn’t drop the g) and it sold for $4.95.
I have the Tempo Books edition as well as the hardcover first published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1964 and updated in 1965. The hardcover is “The Amazing Mets” (they didn’t drop the g) and it sold for $4.95.
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