1962 new york mets

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

hello to everyone. i was wondering does anyone out there have a favorite 1962 new york met or a favorite moment from that 1st season, would like to hear from you take care everyone. LONG LIVE THE POLO GROUNDS donald detroit mi :clapping

[The Commissioner]

I wasn't around then, but my favorite moment has to be when they got stuck in an elevator a day before their first game.

[MetsFan11368]

Anything Casey Stengel said or did.

[DODGER DEB]

We went to several games at the Polo Grounds in 1962, mostly to see OUR former Players, who were now Mets.

The one game that stands out in my mind was the Old Timers Day Game. It was around mid-July, I don't remember the exact date. The Polo Grounds was PACKED, I don't think you could have fit an ant into the place. Here were the METS, losing almost every game they played, but you should have heard the crowd, you couldn't hear yourself think! IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZIN'!

The NY fans were so hungry for NL Baseball again that even the METS, as bad as they were, made everyone stand up and cheer, NY style!

c.

[donzblock]

Throneberry failing to touch first and second base on his way to a "triple."

[jaykay]

We went to several games at the Polo Grounds in 1962, mostly to see OUR former Players, who were now Mets.

The one game that stands out in my mind was the Old Timers Day Game. It was around mid-July, I don't remember the exact date. The Polo Grounds was PACKED, I don't think you could have fit an ant into the place. Here were the METS, losing almost every game they played, but you should have heard the crowd, you couldn't hear yourself think! IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZIN'!

The NY fans were so hungry for NL Baseball again that even the METS, as bad as they were, made everyone stand up and cheer, NY style!

c.

Information, please. Despite my age, there are still many gaps in my education, so perhaps Deb will be kind enough to fill in this one. In 1962, the Mets' inaugural season, who played in their Old-Timers' Game? Or are you referring to the 1962 Mets themselves?

Seriously.

[DODGER DEB]

Information, please. Despite my age, there are still many gaps in my education, so perhaps Deb will be kind enough to fill in this one. In 1962, the Mets' inaugural season, who played in their Old-Timers' Game? Or are you referring to the 1962 Mets themselves?

Seriously.

I probably could have been, jaykay, but I wasn"t.

That 1962 Old Timers Day event was a combination of retired BROOKLYN DODGERS and New York Giants, in addition to those who were actually playing for the METS at that time.

c.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

hello to everyone the date of the 1st mets oldtimers game was JULY 14 1962 it was a rematch of the 1951 dodgers vs 1951 giants playoff series. IT was held before the regular season dodgers vs mets game and it was only 2 innings long. BY THE WAY in the regular season game the LA DODGERS won big 17-3 over the NY METS take care everyone DONALD DETROIT MI :laugh

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Throneberry failing to touch first and second base on his way to a "triple." THAT cost the mets the game as they fell short in the game losing to the cubs 8-7, LOU BROCK HIT his famous bleacher homerun shot in the game the 1st into the rightfield bleachers also donald detroit mi :laugh

[DODGER DEB]

hello to everyone the date of the 1st mets oldtimers game was JULY 14 1962 it was a rematch of the 1951 dodgers vs 1951 giants playoff series. IT was held before the regular season dodgers vs mets game and it was only 2 innings long. BY THE WAY in the regular season game the LA DODGERS won big 17-3 over the NY METS take care everyone DONALD DETROIT MI :laugh


Thanks for putting the date on the game, PG57!

c.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

HELLO to everyone. I was only 1 year old when the mets played there 1st season at the polo grounds. but over the years i have collected a huge collection of 1960,s mets games on audio. I still enjoy listening to them even today. SO i have my favorite 1962 mets players and moments that i would like to share with you all. MY favorite 1962 mets are marv throneberry and GIL HODGES. AND my favorite games that i enjoy listening over again are the LA DODGERS AND SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS 1ST games back to new york since 1957.ON may 30 1962 THE LA DODGERS came back to NEW YORK for a holiday doubleheader with the mets at the polo grounds in front of a packed crowd of 55,704 WHICH was the largest baseball crowd at the polo grounds since 1942.the dodgers won the 1st game 13-6 with MAURY WILLS hitting 2 homeruns from both sides of the plate including a inside the park homerun, and other homeruns from RON FAIRLY WILLIE DAVIS and the mets GIL HODGES ALSO hit a homerun in the losing cause. WINNING PITCHER WAS sandy koufax and the losing pitcher for the mets was JAY HOOK. IN GAME 2 OF THE DH the dodgers won a close game by the score of 6-5. WITH HOMERUNS hit by RON FAIRLY AGAIN, FRANK HOWARD and willie davis again. GIL HODGES HIT 2 HOMERUNS FOR THE METS FOR A TOTAL OF 3 in the doubleheader and jim hickman also hitting a homerun for the mets. WINNING PITCHER FOR THE DODGERS WAS JOHNNY PODRES AND THE LOSING PITCHER FOR THE METS WAS BOB MILLER. the mets also had there a triple play in the 6th inning. ON JUNE 1 1962 the SF GIANTS returned to the polo grounds for the 1st time since they left in 1957, in front of a crowd of 43,742. WILLIE McCOVEY hit 2 homeruns in his 1st 2 at bats at the polo grounds and willie mays hit a HR in his first game back to the PG. ALSO jim davenport hits a GRANSLAM in the 7th inning.THE METS HOT ROD KANEHL hit his first ever ML HOMERUN in the losing cause. WINNNG pitcher for SF is BILLY PIERCE and the losing pitcher was ROGER CRAIG. THESE games i enjoy listening to over again the crowd at the PG was very vocal.ALSO LA DODGERS RON FAIRLY HIT 5 HOMERUNS AT THE polo grounds that year and WILLIE DAVIS HIT 6 homeruns at the polo grounds that year, MAURY WILLS ALSO hit 4 HR runs at the PG that year. THE POLO GROUNDS lead all NATIONAL LEAGUE PARKS in homeruns with 213 homeruns hit there in 1962. I listen to about 2 to 3 games a week and i also enjoy having a cold RHEINGOLD BEER while listening to the games. TAKE CARE EVERYONE donald detroit mi :waving

[donzblock]

hello to everyone the date of the 1st mets oldtimers game was JULY 14 1962 it was a rematch of the 1951 dodgers vs 1951 giants playoff series. IT was held before the regular season dodgers vs mets game and it was only 2 innings long. BY THE WAY in the regular season game the LA DODGERS won big 17-3 over the NY METS take care everyone DONALD DETROIT MI :laugh
I attended that horror show. Frank Howard did colossal damage in that 17-3 game. In the Oldtimers' game, Branca made Bobby Thomson skip and then retired him on a short fly to center. Snider caught it and pretended to be overjoyed. The only thing missing was a sign stealer in the scoreboard.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

HELLO to everyone. just wanted to talk to you about the baseball games on audio tape that alot of you people out there enjoy listening to.MANY of you may not know who is the person that taped these games years ago. HIS name was PAT RISPOLE and he lived in the SCHENECTADY NEW YORK area. HE started taping brooklyn dodger and new york yankee games in 1957. after the dodgers left town he continued to tape the yankee games on reel to reel. IN 1962 he started to tape THE NEW YORK METS GAMES. and in 1969 he was able to tape some montreal expos games on reel to reel. THE METS GAMES were taped off of WGY-810 AM SCHENECTADY NEW YORK. and they had commercials of rheingold beer and kool and viceroy cigarettes. THE DODGER GAMES had schaefer beer commercials and the new york yankees had BALLANTINE BEER MR RISPOLE continued to tape baseball games on reel to reel tape until his death in 1979. SO if any of you out there got any audios out of the BASEBALL DIGEST THE OLD DANRICK ENTERPRISES or the miley collection these games are from MR PAT RISPOLE. so we have mr rispole to thank for having all of these games to listen to. LETS HOPE that these games are .preserved so that future generations can listen to brooklyn dodgers games from ebbets field the NY METS from the polo grounds and shea stadium and all of the old stadiums that are no longer around REST IN PEACE MR RISPOLE AND THANK YOU FOR SAVING AND PRESERVING THESE CLASSIC GAMES ON AUDIO take care everyone DONALD DETROIT MI LONG LIVE THE POLO GROUNDS 1891-1964. :waving

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

HELLO on 9-23-1962 the NEW YORK METS closed out there home portion of the 1962 baseball season at the polo grounds by beating THE CHICAGO CUBS by the score of 2-1. IN the game 17 year old ED KRANEPOOL got his 1st major league hit a double down the left field line in the 8th inning. CHICAGO scored first in the 1st inning by leading 1-0. the mets tied the game in the 6th on FRANK THOMAS HITTING his 33rd homerun of the year.AND the mets won the game in the 9th by frank thomas hitting a single to score CHOO CHOO COLEMAN from 3rd base.CRAIG WAS THE WINNING pitcher 10-23 and BREWER WAS THE LOSING PITCHER 0-1. the attendance for what everyone thought would be the last mets game at the polo grounds was 10,304. final attendance for the year at the polo grounds was 922,530. take care everyone DONALD DETROIT MI :clapping

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here are the 1962 mets at spring training with casey stengel and the gang.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from the mets first home game on 4-13-1962 taken during the national anthem

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the first pitch in the mets first home game at the polo grounds in 1962.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is marv throneberry at the polo grounds in 1962.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is richie ashburn with the 1962 new york mets at the polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is felix mantilla at the polo grounds in 1962.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is al jackson at the polo grounds in 1962

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is mets catcher chris cannizzaro at the polo grounds in 1962

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a postcard of the polo grounds from 1962.

[64Cards]

As always, great stuff Donald!:clapping

[mikeq1023]

my favorite 1962 met- ed kranepool, i know he wasn't on the opening day team.
my favorite moment of the year was the first met game i went to, i don't remember the date. the mets were playing the phillies and we had seats right behind the mets dugout. the game went back and forth and ended with the score, i think, 13 to 12, mets loss. near the end of the game casey was walking back from the mound, looked up to the sky held his hands up and shook his head like there was no hope. after the game we listened to the post game show hosted by howard cosell. this was my first memory of him. he started off the show by saying this was the worst exhibition of baseball he had ever seen.

[Lprof]

hello to everyone. i was wondering does anyone out there have a favorite 1962 new york met or a favorite moment from that 1st season, would like to hear from you take care everyone. LONG LIVE THE POLO GROUNDS donald detroit mi :clapping
I fully realize that this answer isn't exactly within your designated framework, but in the SECOND season I remember a great moment (as a kid just out of high school I was covering the Mets for a Queens weekly and sitting in the press box)--Roger Craig had lost umpteen games in a row, and changed his number to 13 and carried rabbits' feet to change his luck. He was losing to the Cubs in the ninth when, with 2 out and the bases loaded, all runners moving on the pitch, Jim Hickman hit a game winning grand slam. Craig came out and took a bow.

[Lprof]

I probably could have been, jaykay, but I wasn"t.

That 1962 Old Timers Day event was a combination of retired BROOKLYN DODGERS and New York Giants, in addition to those who were actually playing for the METS at that time.

c.I recently came across a fun book, "Tales from (of?) the 62 Mets"; it was published a couple of years ago. It was very, very tough, on one level, for a former Dodger fan--used to at least some level of success--to put up with the equivalent of the 1956 Pittsburgh Pirates, but on another level, it was pure heaven; my four years of wandering in the baseball desert--listening to Les Keiter recreate games, watching piped in Phillies games, and watching the Yankees--had ended.

[Lprof]

HELLO to everyone. I was only 1 year old when the mets played there 1st season at the polo grounds. but over the years i have collected a huge collection of 1960,s mets games on audio. I still enjoy listening to them even today. SO i have my favorite 1962 mets players and moments that i would like to share with you all. MY favorite 1962 mets are marv throneberry and GIL HODGES. AND my favorite games that i enjoy listening over again are the LA DODGERS AND SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS 1ST games back to new york since 1957.ON may 30 1962 THE LA DODGERS came back to NEW YORK for a holiday doubleheader with the mets at the polo grounds in front of a packed crowd of 55,704 WHICH was the largest baseball crowd at the polo grounds since 1942.the dodgers won the 1st game 13-6 with MAURY WILLS hitting 2 homeruns from both sides of the plate including a inside the park homerun, and other homeruns from RON FAIRLY WILLIE DAVIS and the mets GIL HODGES ALSO hit a homerun in the losing cause. WINNING PITCHER WAS sandy koufax and the losing pitcher for the mets was JAY HOOK. IN GAME 2 OF THE DH the dodgers won a close game by the score of 6-5. WITH HOMERUNS hit by RON FAIRLY AGAIN, FRANK HOWARD and willie davis again. GIL HODGES HIT 2 HOMERUNS FOR THE METS FOR A TOTAL OF 3 in the doubleheader and jim hickman also hitting a homerun for the mets. WINNING PITCHER FOR THE DODGERS WAS JOHNNY PODRES AND THE LOSING PITCHER FOR THE METS WAS BOB MILLER. the mets also had there a triple play in the 6th inning. ON JUNE 1 1962 the SF GIANTS returned to the polo grounds for the 1st time since they left in 1957, in front of a crowd of 43,742. WILLIE McCOVEY hit 2 homeruns in his 1st 2 at bats at the polo grounds and willie mays hit a HR in his first game back to the PG. ALSO jim davenport hits a GRANSLAM in the 7th inning.THE METS HOT ROD KANEHL hit his first ever ML HOMERUN in the losing cause. WINNNG pitcher for SF is BILLY PIERCE and the losing pitcher was ROGER CRAIG. THESE games i enjoy listening to over again the crowd at the PG was very vocal.ALSO LA DODGERS RON FAIRLY HIT 5 HOMERUNS AT THE polo grounds that year and WILLIE DAVIS HIT 6 homeruns at the polo grounds that year, MAURY WILLS ALSO hit 4 HR runs at the PG that year. THE POLO GROUNDS lead all NATIONAL LEAGUE PARKS in homeruns with 213 homeruns hit there in 1962. I listen to about 2 to 3 games a week and i also enjoy having a cold RHEINGOLD BEER while listening to the games. TAKE CARE EVERYONE donald detroit mi :wavingFYI, a great place to get old tapes, particularly of NY related games, is the Miley Collection, run by John Miley, out of some place in Indiana. I don't have the phone number handy, but he may have a web site or if you need it I could track down the number (I recently bought from him a tape of the 69 Mets-Cubs game where Hands knocks down Agee in the first, and Koosman then hits Santo in the elbow the next inning).

[Lprof]

HELLO to everyone. just wanted to talk to you about the baseball games on audio tape that alot of you people out there enjoy listening to.MANY of you may not know who is the person that taped these games years ago. HIS name was PAT RISPOLE and he lived in the SCHENECTADY NEW YORK area. HE started taping brooklyn dodger and new york yankee games in 1957. after the dodgers left town he continued to tape the yankee games on reel to reel. IN 1962 he started to tape THE NEW YORK METS GAMES. and in 1969 he was able to tape some montreal expos games on reel to reel. THE METS GAMES were taped off of WGY-810 AM SCHENECTADY NEW YORK. and they had commercials of rheingold beer and kool and viceroy cigarettes. THE DODGER GAMES had schaefer beer commercials and the new york yankees had BALLANTINE BEER MR RISPOLE continued to tape baseball games on reel to reel tape until his death in 1979. SO if any of you out there got any audios out of the BASEBALL DIGEST THE OLD DANRICK ENTERPRISES or the miley collection these games are from MR PAT RISPOLE. so we have mr rispole to thank for having all of these games to listen to. LETS HOPE that these games are .preserved so that future generations can listen to brooklyn dodgers games from ebbets field the NY METS from the polo grounds and shea stadium and all of the old stadiums that are no longer around REST IN PEACE MR RISPOLE AND THANK YOU FOR SAVING AND PRESERVING THESE CLASSIC GAMES ON AUDIO take care everyone DONALD DETROIT MI LONG LIVE THE POLO GROUNDS 1891-1964. :wavingSo that's why there are all these upstate NY ads on those tapes; I also have some with Saratoga area ads orare on an Albany station.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

So that's why there are all these upstate NY ads on those tapes; I also have some with Saratoga area ads orare on an Albany station.I have alot of 1962 and 1963 mets games from the polo grounds from mr miley. i try to listen to them once a year.Mr miley of the miley collection by the way changed his email address. if anyone would like his new email addres contact me. Donald detroit mi

[Lprof]

Tell me the name of the Mets relief pitch for the first year wh attended Yale, class of 56. I interviewed him and wrote a column about him in the Long Lisland Post, a Queens weekly, where he said he suspected he was the lowest paid member of his collegel class. Also, who was the aeronautical enigineer from Northwestern on the pitching staff? Are these too easy?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Tell me the name of the Mets relief pitch for the first year wh attended Yale, class of 56. I interviewed him and wrote a column about him in the Long Lisland Post, a Queens weekly, where he said he suspected he was the lowest paid member of his collegel class. Also, who was the aeronautical enigineer from Northwestern on the pitching staff? Are these too easy?
Without checking this out in a book i am going to guess and say JAY HOOK. i recall watching the 1986 mets history video and he was talking about marv throneberry asking him to make a sign for him in the clubhouse for i guess his locker.

[Lprof]

Without checking this out in a book i am going to guess and say JAY HOOK. i recall watching the 1986 mets history video and he was talking about marv throneberry asking him to make a sign for him in the clubhouse for i guess his locker.Jay Hook was the engineer from Northwestern (and he could tell you the physics of a curve ball a lot better than he could throw one). Ken Mackenzie went to Yale (because of his thick glasses, he had a very studious look).

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of the giants playing the mets on july 16 1962. Jack Sanford is facing the mets third baseman Felix Mantilla.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a ticket stub from 6-3-1962 san francisco giants at new york mets. this was the last game of the giants historic first series back into the polo grounds and new york city.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from game action in the 6-3-1962 Giants at Mets game at the historic polo grounds. you can see the bullpen that was in fair territory.Listerine is on the awning of the bullpen in the photo.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This photo is also from the giants first series back at the polo grouds and new york city. this photo is from the first game of the series that was played on 6-1-1962.you see willie mays coming down the visitors clubhouse stairs before the historic game at the polo grounds.

[milladrive]

Some great pix. Thanx, Polo! :D

I can't help but notice that Dewar's Whiskey ad on the outfield wall next to Listerine. I guess the two could go well together. heh.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is Casey Stengel at the polo grounds on 4-13-1962. this was the first mets home game against the pittsburgh pirates.this photo was taken before the historic game.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of my 1962 new york mets pennant.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a autographed photo of Marv Throneberry of the 1962 and 1963 new york mets.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a ticket stub from the memorial holiday doubleheader of the La Dodgers at the New York Mets at the historic Polo Grounds. this was the dodgers first series in new york since 1957. the mets lost both games of the doubleheader. Gil Hodges hit 3 homeruns in this doubleheader.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a ticket stub from the first ever new york mets home game at the polo grounds on 4-13-1962.

[The Thomas J.]

WOW!
I never went to the polo grounds as I am only 32 but my Dad & uncles tell storys about my Grandfather taking them there as kids.

I have a scale replica of the Polo grounds and I have always been fasinated by its design & the alleys, My Dads said it was a dump, Very dirty, but had lots of character.

I was also able to play a video game on EA 2005 version of its baseball game for PS2, they had incorporated all the old stadiums in that years version, So cool!

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

WOW!
I never went to the polo grounds as I am only 32 but my Dad & uncles tell storys about my Grandfather taking them there as kids.

I have a scale replica of the Polo grounds and I have always been fasinated by its design & the alleys, My Dads said it was a dump, Very dirty, but had lots of character.

I was also able to play a video game on EA 2005 version of its baseball game for PS2, they had incorporated all the old stadiums in that years version, So cool!
Alot of oldtimmers that i have talked to liked the polo grounds and thats including brooklyn dodger fans.and i have been told by people who went there that the polo grounds was not a dump. the mets moved into a dump in 1964. the mets have not had a real stadium since the Polo Grounds.

[Thommy]

Very Good :eek:

Where did you get those Pictures?

[Dalkowski110]

"the polo grounds was not a dump."

By the time the Mets went there in 1962-1963, from what my Dad said, "a dump" was just about the only term to describe it. My Dad was using the Polo Grounds from 1950-1957 (when it was well-maintained and kept up) as a comparison, and when he walked back into the blueish-green-painted Polo Grounds in 1962, he literally said upon entering "What the hell did they do to the place?" It hadn't been kept up properly (sure, it was maintained from 1958-1961, but not properly) and suffered as a result. Had it been kept up, I'm sure it wouldn't have turned into a dump. But it wasn't, so it did. The Polo Grounds of the Mets was horrible. To say that Shea Stadium was not a real stadium compared to the '62-'63 era Polo Grounds is nothing short of a bad joke. To say that Shea was nothing compared to the Polo Grounds of the 1950's is a completely different story, but we're not talking about that. Blame poor maintenance that allowed the Polo Grounds to fall apart, not Shea Stadium.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

"the polo grounds was not a dump."

By the time the Mets went there in 1962-1963, from what my Dad said, "a dump" was just about the only term to describe it. My Dad was using the Polo Grounds from 1950-1957 (when it was well-maintained and kept up) as a comparison, and when he walked back into the blueish-green-painted Polo Grounds in 1962, he literally said upon entering "What the hell did they do to the place?" It hadn't been kept up properly (sure, it was maintained from 1958-1961, but not properly) and suffered as a result. Had it been kept up, I'm sure it wouldn't have turned into a dump. But it wasn't, so it did. The Polo Grounds of the Mets was horrible. To say that Shea Stadium was not a real stadium compared to the '62-'63 era Polo Grounds is nothing short of a bad joke. To say that Shea was nothing compared to the Polo Grounds of the 1950's is a completely different story, but we're not talking about that. Blame poor maintenance that allowed the Polo Grounds to fall apart, not Shea Stadium.

When the mets moved into the polo grounds they renovated the stadium in 1962. and the stadium was used after the giants left in 1957. remmber the new york titans of the AFL. They changed there name to the new york jets in 1963.
Also the polo grounds was not a dump and it was not falling down. when the stadium was torn down in 1964 the demolition company said that there was nothing wrong with the stadium that it could have lasted along time.sorry to all of you shea stadium fans but i hate that ballpark with a passion. and i still say that i cant wait to see shea stadium come down. the mets have not had a real stadium to play in since the polo grounds. everyone has the right to there opinion and nobody will change my opinion.

[Shotgun Shuba]

Alot of oldtimmers that i have talked to liked the polo grounds and thats including brooklyn dodger fans.and i have been told by people who went there that the polo grounds was not a dump. the mets moved into a dump in 1964. the mets have not had a real stadium since the Polo Grounds.


Shea Stadium is NOT a dump and it certainly wasn't in the 60's and 70's. Shea was always very similar in design to Dodger Stadium and deserves some respect. It has become vogue to call Shea a dump but I doubt many of those people have attended games there. Is it time for a new stadium? Yes, but it served the Mets well and just because it is representative of the cookie cutter era doesn't mean it is terrible.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Shea Stadium is NOT a dump and it certainly wasn't in the 60's and 70's. Shea was always very similar in design to Dodger Stadium and deserves some respect. It has become vogue to call Shea a dump but I doubt many of those people have attended games there. Is it time for a new stadium? Yes, but it served the Mets well and just because it is representative of the cookie cutter era doesn't mean it is terrible.
Well Shotgun Shuba you have the right to your opinion.to me and alot of people shea stadium has always been a dump. they should never left the polo grounds.the mets have not had a real stadium since 1962 and 1963.if the new york yankees can still today play across the river at yankee stadium then the mets could still have been playing at a renovated polo grounds.and as far as the area around the polo grounds there would have been a ton of police around during game days.again look across the river at yankee stadium.

[Dalkowski110]

"and as far as the area around the polo grounds there would have been a ton of police around during game days"

I'll move over and defer to my father. My Dad was an ADA at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for 29 years (he currently works as a consultant and is in his 30th year at the office). In those 29 years, he personally had FOUR murders in the Polo Grounds Projects (Albeit one was a triple homicide involving two guys, thus reducing your convicted murderer count in the IMMEDIATE AREA to three...) and about a dozen more within a half mile radius. Yeah, nice neighborhood...

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

"and as far as the area around the polo grounds there would have been a ton of police around during game days"

I'll move over and defer to my father. My Dad was an ADA at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for 29 years (he currently works as a consultant and is in his 30th year at the office). In those 29 years, he personally had FOUR murders in the Polo Grounds Projects (Albeit one was a triple homicide involving two guys, thus reducing your convicted murderer count in the IMMEDIATE AREA to three...) and about a dozen more within a half mile radius. Yeah, nice neighborhood...
You are talking about a apartment complex today not a ballpark. look at how bad the area around yankee stadium is. i was there in 1988. but when there is a game going on the city makes sure that there is police all around.this subjest about the polo grounds has been debated for a while. and i still say if the polo grounds was still there and improvements to the surrounding area things would be diffrent today. they could still play baseball at the polo grounds.and i also was at the polo grounds towers in 1988. look at the thread about whats on the property today of old stadiums. i took photos there at the polo grounds towers in 1988.

[Dalkowski110]

"You are talking about a apartment complex today not a ballpark."

So what? It's the SAME AREA.

"look at how bad the area around yankee stadium is."

Yes...and still nothing compared to the area around where the Polo Grounds stood...

"but when there is a game going on the city makes sure that there is police all around."

The 32nd Precinct (which covers the area around the former Polo Grounds) should honestly not have to commit inordinate amounts of its police officers just because of a baseball stadium, no matter how notalgiac. The 32nd Precinct covers an EXTREMELY high crime area. So what happens when a game's going on? Do we just protect the fans over everyone else? When people's lives start becoming an issue, I wouldn't care if it was the greatest ballpark ever made. Demolish it and get out of there. Baseball, while the greatest of games, is still JUST a game, and innocent citizens shouldn't have to be put at risk just to protect it.

"they could still play baseball at the polo grounds."

That dear sir is a ridiculous fairy tale. NOTHING should take priority over human life.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

"You are talking about a apartment complex today not a ballpark."

So what? It's the SAME AREA.

"look at how bad the area around yankee stadium is."

Yes...and still nothing compared to the area around where the Polo Grounds stood...

"but when there is a game going on the city makes sure that there is police all around."

The 32nd Precinct (which covers the area around the former Polo Grounds) should honestly not have to commit inordinate amounts of its police officers just because of a baseball stadium, no matter how notalgiac. The 32nd Precinct covers an EXTREMELY high crime area. So what happens when a game's going on? Do we just protect the fans over everyone else? When people's lives start becoming an issue, I wouldn't care if it was the greatest ballpark ever made. Demolish it and get out of there. Baseball, while the greatest of games, is still JUST a game, and innocent citizens shouldn't have to be put at risk just to protect it.

"they could still play baseball at the polo grounds."

That dear sir is a ridiculous fairy tale. NOTHING should take priority over human life.
You sound like to me that you think that you are a know it all.things would be diffrent today if the polo grounds was still there and not a apartment complex. and if the polo grounds was still there the area around the stadium would have been improved. like i said i have been to the polo grounds towers in 1988 and was the only white man in that area at the time. i took my photos and got out of there. i never have also said that i know everything about the polo grounds but i do know alot. and i did help out with Mr Joshua Prager with his echoing green book. my name is in the back of his book for helping him. and i got the information about the condition of the polo grounds in 1964 from the demolition company. so i know what i am talking about when i say that the polo grounds was not falling down and was not a dump.

[Dalkowski110]

"You sound like to me that you think that you are a know it all."

I don't give a whit how I come across. I have friends in the 32nd Precinct. I don't give a darn if you know everything to know about the Polo Grounds.

"and if the polo grounds was still there the area around the stadium would have been improved. like i said i have been to the polo grounds towers in 1988 and was the only white man in that area at the time."

Crime knows no race. And I find that to be pretty discriminatory. Incidentally, it was in the 1950's that crime was taking off in the area. When Mapp vs. Ohio came down from the Supreme Court in 1961 and a crook knew he could carry a gun without being searched, the floodgates came open. But even before then, the neighborhood was turning bad.

"and i got the information about the condition of the polo grounds in 1964 from the demolition company."

From what it's worth, Donald, take your information from a city or state surveyor. I don't have access to the structural reports from said surveyor, but to trust a demolition company with structural integrity is never a good idea. I will extend this not only to the Polo Grounds, but to every man-made structure within recent memory. Unless you do actually believe the company demolishing what was left of the Oklahoma City Federal Building that had just been blown up by Timothy McVeigh was correct when it said the structure was "fundamentally sound" and "capable of standing upright."

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a great photo showing Gil Hodges rounding 1st base on his way to a inside the park homerun at the polo grounds in May of 1962.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

From what it's worth, Donald, take your information from a city or state surveyor. I don't have access to the structural reports from said surveyor, but to trust a demolition company with structural integrity is never a good idea. I will extend this not only to the Polo Grounds, but to every man-made structure within recent memory. Unless you do actually believe the company demolishing what was left of the Oklahoma City Federal Building that had just been blown up by Timothy McVeigh was correct when it said the structure was "fundamentally sound" and "capable of standing upright."
This will be the end of this period.there is a big diffrence in a demolition company coming in to tear down a half blown up building than a demolition company coming in to tear down a perfectly good building like how the polo grounds was.the demo companys know what they are doing.they go into every building and study it on how to take the building down.and they said back in 1964 that there was nothing wrong with the polo grounds. it was not falling down or a dump like shea stadium fans think.now i suggest people to go out and get Mr Joshua Pragers book called Echoing Green which i helped him with this book. and you can read for yourself the comments that the demolishion company said back in april of 1964.

Now Lets Get back on topic here.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a page of facsmile autographs that the mets sent out to fans in 1962. see if you can find you favorite 1962 Met. on the other side of this page was the 1962 new york mets team photo.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of Roger Hornsby and Stan Musial before a mets cardinals game at the polo grounds in 1962.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In this photo taken at the polo grounds before the mets left for St Louis for there 1st game ever at old sportsman park, you can see Don Zimmer, Roger Craig and the gang before a practice.you also see the workers putting the finishing touchs on the new scoreboard on the facing of the clubhouse building.and they still have to put up the batters back ground out in the centerfield bleachers.

[Dalkowski110]

"there is a big diffrence in a demolition company coming in to tear down a half blown up building than a demolition company coming in to tear down a perfectly good building like how the polo grounds was."

That was an extreme example of some of the worst that a demolition company had to offer regarding structural integrity, and not meant as typical (and also meant as a bit of a jab at the demolition contractors). However (and no offense to demolition contractors...they're doing their jobs), demolition companies are notoriously unreliable for estimating the strength (or lack thereof) of buildings. A building that is "structurally sound" or that "has nothing wrong with it" means the building's structure. I meant in no way shape or form that the Polo Grounds was structurally in danger of caving in. That's ALL a demolition company is worried about (epecially when they use a wrecking ball and not explosives...the Polo Grounds fell to a wrecking ball).

Again, a city, county, or state surveyor would be a far more reliable choice than a demolition contractor (a surveyor would also be tasked with monitoring possible renovations to a building...repairing water damage, finding small, non-structural cracks not dangerous to the collapse of the structure but still coming under the guise of damage, and even estimating future "hot zones" for damage/disrepair). And even then, they're not worried about fan accomodations...or an incredibly high crime rate.

I'll say it right here...if the crime rate's high (especially if the murder rate's high...) at any given stadium AND pulls police officers off their jobs in inordinately high numbers (anything that would be an inhibition to the correct distribution of a given precinct's police officers), bulldoze the darn thing and move out. A baseball stadium is not worth a human life. And like I said, I have friends in the 32. White, black, and hispanic, so the whole crap about being the "only white face in the neighborhood" not only fails to impress me, it angers me (Ever been to the funeral of a police officer killed in the line of duty? Did I mention he was Puerto Rican?). Polo Grounds or no Polo Grounds, the place would be extremely dangerous (And was from about 1962 to maybe the mid-1990's...though the neighborhood itself really began deteriorating in the early 1950's, and while not "high crime" by today's standards, it was "high crime" by the standards of the times.).

Bottom line, Donald, you can live your fairy tale, but just realize that's all it is.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the cover of the old timmers day program from 7-14-1962 at the polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the back of the 7-14-1962 old timmers day program from the polo grounds.you can also see the rheingold beer ad.

[The Thomas J.]

I have no great love for Shea, I always thought it was a boring Satdium with no character, aside from my fond memories that I have experianced there, which Inculde My First Baseball game in 1985 that my Dad took me too, a bunch of playoff memories, 88' vs. the Dodgers, 1999 I saw a bunch of games there inculding a rained out game orginally scheduled for July against the braves that was rained out and I wound up getting tickets too 3 of the last 7 games that seasom against The Pirates and some other team, I forget too, & game 5 Against the Braves in the 99' postseason as well ( I think it was game 5)
And Last but not least in 2000 against the Cards when we beat them to go to the series. My love is for the team not the Stadium.

I think Shea pales in comparison to Ebbitts, Polo Grounds & Yankee Stadium.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the back of a 1962 new york mets schedule showing the ticket info and ordering information.

[Shotgun Shuba]

I think that everybody should have fond memories or great interest in the Polo Grounds, it was a very unique stadium. Shea was not and is not the best park in the league, I know that, but it was better than most of that era:
Fulton County, Three Rivers, Riverfront, Veterans Stadium and Candlestick. I don't agree that the Polo Grounds was some holy, sacred ground. The dimensions were bizarre and not conducive for baseball. How can people villify the LA Coliseum for baseball and revel in the Polo Grounds. They both were diamonds crammed into football stadiums. To knock the Mets for choosing the style they chose for Shea is like looking back at pictures from the 60's and saying "what was I thinking wearing that?" It's not fair to compare eras. The Polo Grounds day was up, period.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I think that everybody should have fond memories or great interest in the Polo Grounds, it was a very unique stadium. Shea was not and is not the best park in the league, I know that, but it was better than most of that era:
Fulton County, Three Rivers, Riverfront, Veterans Stadium and Candlestick. I don't agree that the Polo Grounds was some holy, sacred ground. The dimensions were bizarre and not conducive for baseball. How can people villify the LA Coliseum for baseball and revel in the Polo Grounds. They both were diamonds crammed into football stadiums. To knock the Mets for choosing the style they chose for Shea is like looking back at pictures from the 60's and saying "what was I thinking wearing that?" It's not fair to compare eras. The Polo Grounds day was up, period.
Yes the dimensions of the polo grounds were diffrent but that is what made the stadium so unique and special.todays ballparks all look the same.the polo grounds could have lasted alot longer than 1964. as i have said in other posts the stadium was not falling down and was not a dump. the polo grounds does not get the respect that yankee stadium and ebbets field gets today.
sorry to all of the shea stadium fans but i have a deep hatred for that stadium just like i have with the new comiskey park and the tigers new stadium. and i do suggest that people should read Mr Joshua Pragers new book called Echoing Green which i helped him with the book. people will learn by reading his book that the polo grounds was not in bad shape when she was torn down.I really get ticked off when i read in a book or hear someone say that the polo grounds needed to be torn down because she was to old and falling apart which i know is not the true. and i do realize that the polo grounds was not perfect it had the posts that ebbets field, old comiskey park, tiger stadium, and all of the classic stadiums had.and if i could today i would love to go back in time to those stadiums and watch a baseball game even if i had to sit infront of a post.

[Dalkowski110]

"which i helped him with"

Sir, if I am a "know it all," then you are a braggart. And at least I didn't decide to private message this one to you in a cuss word-inclusive tirade...which you did twice last night with me (and I didn't respond).

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

"which i helped him with"

Sir, if I am a "know it all," then you are a braggart. And at least I didn't decide to private message this one to you in a cuss word-inclusive tirade...which you did twice last night with me (and I didn't respond).
Will you please leave it alone. you are coming across as a trouble maker. Leave it alone and stay ON TOPIC.and i will not respond to these posts anymore from you unless you post with something on topic with this thread.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice 1962 Sinclair gasoline ad from the back of the 1962 new york mets program. the ad shows the polo grounds the home of the mets.the yankees have a sinclair ad also with yankee stadium in it.

[Dalkowski110]

I'm coming across as a troublemaker? :rolleyes: Am I the one sending private message rants to people? And why should I leave it alone? My opinion should be as valid as anyone else's. I happen to know city surveyors. Before my father was an ADA, his job was to deal with them on a daily basis. I don't know the ones who surveyed the Polo Grounds before its demolition, but can tell you right now that whatever their opinion...solid as a rock, or in a sorry state of disrepair, doesn't matter...it probably carries a lot more weight than that of a demolition contractor. Either one of us could theoretically find out by simply going to the New York Public Library, which has copies of Dept. of Public Works survey documents on microfilm going back to the mid 1800's (at least).

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of mets announcer and former pirate Ralph Kiner and Stan Musial before a mets game in 1962 at the polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a Jays Postcard of Frank Thomas of the mets. Jays use to put out team postcard sets back in the 1960s.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a Jays postcard of Charlie Neal of the new york mets and a former brooklyn dodger.this is from 1962.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Rheingold beer was the mets major sponsor back in 1962 and 1963.today you can hear those classic rheingold beer commercials on the mets games that exist today on audio tape.and there are plenty of 1962 and 1963 games on audio today.

[metsfanbook]

I loved that beautiful lilting waltz tune in the old Rheingold Beer commercials. The sound of it in my head brings back the old days of the Mets more than just about anything. Do you happen to know of anyplace on the Web where you can get the audiofile? On my book website, I wanted three pieces of music: 1) the original "Meet the Mets" with all the verses. I did find that; 2) the "My Beer is Rheingold the Dry Beer" song, which I haven't found yet; and 3) the recording of the "Flag of Victory" march that was used by Ralph Kiner as the theme music for "Kiner's Korner." I've found several recordings of "Flag of Victory," but I haven't found the actual "Kiner's Korner" music. If anyone could post links to either of these last two, I would be very grateful.

http://metsfanbook.com

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I loved that beautiful lilting waltz tune in the old Rheingold Beer commercials. The sound of it in my head brings back the old days of the Mets more than just about anything. Do you happen to know of anyplace on the Web where you can get the audiofile? On my book website, I wanted three pieces of music: 1) the original "Meet the Mets" with all the verses. I did find that; 2) the "My Beer is Rheingold the Dry Beer" song, which I haven't found yet; and 3) the recording of the "Flag of Victory" march that was used by Ralph Kiner as the theme music for "Kiner's Korner." I've found several recordings of "Flag of Victory," but I haven't found the actual "Kiner's Korner" music. If anyone could post links to either of these last two, I would be very grateful.

http://metsfanbook.com

As far as the rheingold beer song there are plenty of 1962 and 1963 new york mets games that still exist today on audio tape. many of these games have the original commercials including the rheingold beer commercials during the game.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a 1962 Topps Casey Stengel card

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a 1962 topps Jay Hook card

[Dalkowski110]

http://usera.imagecave.com/Dalkowski110/1962ToppsMets.JPG

We have Casey Stengel's card up there, but I figured I'd add a few. Note that Don Zimmer, the Mets first of many third basemen, had already been traded to the Reds by the time the card was printed! Ken McKenzie, the only 1962 Mets pitcher with a winning record (5-4), wears a Milwaukee Braves uniform. On the bottom row, Sammy Drake, who was basically Herb Washington with good baseball knowledge, wears a Cubs uniform. Roger Craig, the first Mets ace pitcher, wears a Dodgers uniform. Gus Bell, a laregly forgotten original Met, wears the uniform of the Cincinnati Reds. The middle may be recognized as a bit of a joke to some people. Richie Ashburn, one of the team's few legitimate all-around players, kept having problems with Elio Chacon (left wearing a Reds uniform) coming out at short or second (his primary positions). Well, Joe Christopher told him Elio couldn't speak any English. "He speaks Spanish, and 'I got it' in Spanish is 'Yo la tengo'." When Ashburn ggot his next fly ball, he shouted "Yo la tengo! Yo la tengo!" and Chacon stopped. Then Chacon said something that Ashburn didn't understand. However, he likely soon found out what he meant as Frank Thomas (right), an early Mets power hitter, slammed into him and bowled him over because he didn't hear "I got it."

[Dalkowski110]

25359

Here's Chris Cannizzaro's 1962 Topps card. Cannizzaro's best seasons would come much later in his career with the Padres, and while he was once an All-Star, he never quite lived up to the expectations everyone had for him.

[Dalkowski110]

25360

Neil Chrisley and Righty Bob Miller.

Neil Chrisley was a total bust, even by 1962 Mets standards. A power-hitting infielder in the mid-Minors, Chrisley struggled with hitting the breaking ball at a AAA level. The Mets had high hopes for him, as the back of his card (remember, they actually tried writing interesting stuff on the backs of 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's Topps cards) would indicate, but he never played a game in a Mets uniform. Righty Bob Miller was the better of the two Bob Millers, with Lefty Bob being pretty terrible. Righty Bob went 1-12 with an abysmal 4.89 ERA, but rebounded the next season as a swingman with the LA Dodgers. Ironically, he came back and finished his career with the Mets in 1973 and 1974, though didn't make a playoff or World Series appearance in '73, having only pitched one game and being ineligible. His 1974 stats actually had him pegged as a good reliever...with a 3.58 ERA slightly below league average.

[Dalkowski110]

25366

Rick Herrscher was the 1962 Mets only real shortstop prospect (in the true sense of the word). However, much like Neil Chrisley, Herrscher struggled with hitting breaking balls (and being a free-swinger didn't help), though he was a good defender (except at third base, where he made two errors). He could also field first base very well (and this, surprisingly, translated into MLB). Because of this, he came to the Majors for 35 games. In fifty at-bats, he got just 11 hits, including 3 doubles and a homerun. He had six RBI's and scored five runs. He also drew five walks, and struck out 11 times. Initially the property of the Baltimore Orioles, Herrscher was highly touted everywhere he went. However, after his 35 game trip to the Majors in 1962 with the woeful Mets, the right-handed-hitting third baseman never emerged from the Minors again.

[Dalkowski110]

25367

Hobie Landrith was the Mets second pick of their expansion draft. When asked why he picked Hobie Landrith, Casey Stengel replied "Well, you need a catcher." Though a weak hitter, Landrith had, at least in the past, been a good defender behind the plate. However, he was dreadful, even by 1962 Mets standards, with a fielding percentage of just .968 in his 21 games with the original team. Landrith was shipped off for for an Orioles first baseman on June 7th. The first baseman's name? Marv Throneberry.

Harry Chiti is here pictured with the Cleveland Indians (and actually wearing a Detroit Tigers uniform), but I chose to include him as Landrith's even-worse successor for a number of reasons. First, Chiti never appeared with the Mets on a baseball card. And second, how the Mets got him is a great story. Well, the Mets traded for Chiti (a one-time power hitter for the Cubs and A's) for a player to be named later. After going 8-for-41 at the plate in 15 games (with a .971 fielding percentage), the Mets had seen enough. The player to be named later the Mets traded for Harry Chiti turned out to be Chiti himself, who was quickly released by the Indians. He thus became the only player in history to be traded for himself.

Jim Marshall, a first baseman, couldn't be more different than the two pitiful catchers I've just talked about. Some say Casey Stengel didn't like him (indeed, he was a headstrong player who later became a manager). Others say the Mets just didn't know what on earth was going on. But Marshall was batting .344/.400/.656 and fielding 1.000 when the Mets traded him for Vinegar Bend Mizell, the washed up pitcher who would later become a US Representative. While Marshall posted poor BA and SLG numbers with the Pirates, he had a good OBP relative to his BA. After that stint with the Pirates, the 31-year-old slugger was done. Perhaps it was because he came up as a 27-year-old rookie, and rookies over 25 rarely lasted in the Majors back then unless they were VERY talented.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

25366

Rick Herrscher was the 1962 Mets only real shortstop prospect (in the true sense of the word). However, much like Neil Chrisley, Herrscher struggled with hitting breaking balls (and being a free-swinger didn't help), though he was a good defender (except at third base, where he made two errors). He could also field first base very well (and this, surprisingly, translated into MLB). Because of this, he came to the Majors for 35 games. In fifty at-bats, he got just 11 hits, including 3 doubles and a homerun. He had six RBI's and scored five runs. He also drew five walks, and struck out 11 times. Initially the property of the Baltimore Orioles, Herrscher was highly touted everywhere he went. However, after his 35 game trip to the Majors in 1962 with the woeful Mets, the right-handed-hitting third baseman never emerged from the Minors again.

Rick Herrscher had his first hit on 8-5-1962 in the Cincinnati at New York Mets game at the Polo Grounds.it was a homerun off of reds pitcher Jim O'Toole.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

One of the hilites for the mets during the 1962 season was when Gil Hodges hit 3 homeruns in the holiday doubleheader on May 30 1962 at the polo grounds vs the Los Angeles Dodgers.the mets did lose both games of the DH.

[Barry G. Disbrow]

Throneberry failing to touch first and second base on his way to a "triple."

Allegedly, manager Casey Stengel told First Base Coach Solly Hemus to argue the call against Marvelous Marv for missing first. Hemus allegedly answered, "Don't bother, he missed second base, too." As for Marv Throneberry's alleged incompetence in the field, it was more legend than fact. His range and fielding percentage was about average for a first baseman in his career. As a matter of fact, he would sometimes be used as a defensive relacement in late innings for Bill Skowron when he was with the Yankees.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Allegedly, manager Casey Stengel told First Base Coach Solly Hemus to argue the call against Marvelous Marv for missing first. Hemus allegedly answered, "Don't bother, he missed second base, too." As for Marv Throneberry's alleged incompetence in the field, it was more legend than fact. His range and fielding percentage was about average for a first baseman in his career. As a matter of fact, he would sometimes be used as a defensive relacement in late innings for Bill Skowron when he was with the Yankees.

That mistake by throneberry cost the mets the game. they lost by one run to chicago. also in that game Lou Brock hit his homerun into the rightfield bleachers at the Polo Grounds. i just listened to this game on audio tape last week.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1962 Topps card for Charlie Neal of the Mets.he is one of a handfull of former brooklyn dodgers who played for the mets during there 2 year stay at the historic polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1962 topps card for mets infielder Felix Mantilla.

[Barry G. Disbrow]

Well Shotgun Shuba you have the right to your opinion.to me and alot of people shea stadium has always been a dump. they should never left the polo grounds.the mets have not had a real stadium since 1962 and 1963.if the new york yankees can still today play across the river at yankee stadium then the mets could still have been playing at a renovated polo grounds.and as far as the area around the polo grounds there would have been a ton of police around during game days.again look across the river at yankee stadium.

I would not call Shea Staduim a dump. However, it does suffer from the same malady of all stadiums that try to accomodate both baseball and football. The placement of the stands provides less than optimum viewability of the action compared to the seating arrangements in stadiums designed exclusively for either football or baseball. That is why the Jets moved from Shea Stadium to Giants Stadium. One may also notice that many of the stadiums built in the 60's and 70's to accomodate both football and baseball have been demolished in favor of separate stadiums for baseball and football teams. Stadiums that try to please both baseball and football fans end up pleasing neither.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I would not call Shea Staduim a dump. However, it does suffer from the same malady of all stadiums that try to accomodate both baseball and football. The placement of the stands provides less than optimum viewability of the action compared to the seating arrangements in stadiums designed exclusively for either football or baseball. That is why the Jets moved from Shea Stadium to Giants Stadium. One may also notice that many of the stadiums built in the 60's and 70's to accomodate both football and baseball have been demolished in favor of separate stadiums for baseball and football teams. Stadiums that try to please both baseball and football fans end up pleasing neither.

Well i will say this i never liked shea stadium and cant wait to see it come down.it will make up for that April day in 1964 when the polo grounds was torn down.

[Dalkowski110]

In case anyone's wondering, Hodges and Neal are actually wearing Dodgers uniforms. Mantilla is wearing a Braves uniform. Jay Hook is portrayed in a Cincinnati Reds uniform. Neil Chrisley is with the Tigers. Al Jackson's '62 Topps card was late series, and portrays him with the Mets. Topps often took backup photos of every player without their caps on just in case they were traded.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

When Richie Ashburn decided to retire after the 1962 season the mets hitting suffered big time in the 1963 season.Ashburn just could not take another mets losing season.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is the 1962 topps card for the ace of the 1962 mets pitching staff Al Jackson.and you can see that the photo for the card was taken at the polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a great photo of the polo grounds taken on 4-13-1962 when the pittsburgh pirates played the mets in there first home game.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello all. i have posted here in the past about the 1962 and 1963 new york mets games at the polo grounds that i have on audio tape. i will post here my list of games from the polo grounds from the 1962 season that i have.

4-14-1962 PITTSBURGH at NY METS
4-29-1962 PHILADELPHIA at NY METS GM 1 DH
5-11-1962 MILWAUKEE at NY METS
5-13-1962 MILWAUKEE at NY METS
5-30-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS GM 1 DH
5-30-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS GM 2 DH
6-1-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
6-3-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
6-15-1962 CHICAGO CUBS at NY METS
6-17-1962 CHICAGO CUBS at NY METS GM 1 DH
7-8-1962 ST LOUIS at NY METS
7-13-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS
7-15-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS GM 1 DH
7-15-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS GM 2 DH
7-16-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
8-2-1962 PHILADELPHIA at NY METS
8-4-1962 CINCINNATI at NY METS GM 1 DH
8-22-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
8-25-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS
8-26-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS
9-18-1962 HOUSTON at NY METS GM 1 DH
9-23-1962 CHICAGO at NY METS

I will also list my 1963 mets games from the polo grounds on audio.
i do have some road games on audio also.

there are some games that do exsist that i do have yet.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a letter that i picked up back in the 1980s. It came from the mets office at the polo grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from 8-18-1962 when the mets gave hall of famer Stan Musial at nite at the polo grounds with gifts before the game between the cardinals and mets.this game also excists today on audio but the miley collection only kept the pregame musial ceramony.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a very happy young mets fan meeting Casey Stengel near the dugout at the polo grounds during the 1962 season.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here are some of the old timmers at the polo grounds on 7-14-1962.

[metfan13]

I would not call Shea Staduim a dump. However, it does suffer from the same malady of all stadiums that try to accomodate both baseball and football. The placement of the stands provides less than optimum viewability of the action compared to the seating arrangements in stadiums designed exclusively for either football or baseball. That is why the Jets moved from Shea Stadium to Giants Stadium. One may also notice that many of the stadiums built in the 60's and 70's to accomodate both football and baseball have been demolished in favor of separate stadiums for baseball and football teams. Stadiums that try to please both baseball and football fans end up pleasing neither.

I agree. It's unfair to call the Shea of the 60's and 70's a dump. I'm with the earlier poster whose Dad went to games at the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field in the 40's and 50's, then the PG in 1962-63, my Dad also thought the Polo Grounds of the Mets years was and old dump that needed to be replaced. He was happy to have a new stadium to go to in 1964.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I agree. It's unfair to call the Shea of the 60's and 70's a dump. I'm with the earlier poster whose Dad went to games at the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field in the 40's and 50's, then the PG in 1962-63, my Dad also thought the Polo Grounds of the Mets years was and old dump that needed to be replaced. He was happy to have a new stadium to go to in 1964.

You like everyone has the right to a opinion, but the fact is that the mets have not played in a real ballpark since 1963 and the polo grounds which was not a dump like shea stadium. i do hope that someone here in this baseball forum posts a thread just for demolition photos of shea stadium.

[metfan13]

You like everyone has the right to a opinion, but the fact is that the mets have not played in a real ballpark since 1963 and the polo grounds which was not a dump like shea stadium. i do hope that someone here in this baseball forum posts a thread just for demolition photos of shea stadium.

In one sentence you say everyone has a right to an opinion, then in the next you completely discount it by claiming "fact" that the Mets have not played in a real ballpark.

That is your opinion.

Many were happy to have a new ballpark in 1964 and grew up watching baseball at Shea. It was our home.

Now I'm not one of those who is going to miss it too much as it has become a bit worn over the years.

Looking forward to the Mets playing at a new park in a couple of years.

[metfan13]

By the way PG 1957 I love all the old photos and memorabilia you have from the oldtime parks. They definitely shouldn't be forgotten.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In one sentence you say everyone has a right to an opinion, then in the next you completely discount it by claiming "fact" that the Mets have not played in a real ballpark.

That is your opinion.

Many were happy to have a new ballpark in 1964 and grew up watching baseball at Shea. It was our home.

Now I'm not one of those who is going to miss it too much as it has become a bit worn over the years.

Looking forward to the Mets playing at a new park in a couple of years.

The fact is the mets have not played in a real ballpark since 1963.you can like shea stadium all you want but there are many people out here that hates the ballpark or dislikes the stadium. its a dump in 2007 and was one in 1964. i cant wait to those demolition photos of shea stadium.

[metfan13]

The fact is the mets have not played in a real ballpark since 1963.you can like shea stadium all you want but there are many people out here that hates the ballpark or dislikes the stadium. its a dump in 2007 and was one in 1964. i cant wait to those demolition photos of shea stadium.

You can keep cutting and pasting the same tired reply but it doesn't make it fact. Fact is many people have enjoyed Shea. Millions have attended games there, some have gone their to see their first major league game (Seaver vs. Marichal, 1968). People have memories of championships and favorite players. They're not going to take kindly to you calling the park of their youth a dump.

Like it or not, it was is a REAL park. Been major league games there every year since 1964.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

You can keep cutting and pasting the same tired reply but it doesn't make it fact. Fact is many people have enjoyed Shea. Millions have attended games there, some have gone their to see their first major league game (Seaver vs. Marichal, 1968). People have memories of championships and favorite players. They're not going to take kindly to you calling the park of their youth a dump.

Like it or not, it was is a REAL park. Been major league games there every year since 1964.

SHEA STADIUM IS A DUMP like it or not and the fact is that there are alot of people on this forum that feels the same way i do. the mets have not played in a real park since 1964.this is starting to get way off of topic. you can like shea stadium and i will hate shea stadium.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

The New York Mets were not the only sports team to call the Polo Grounds home in 1962. the AFL New York Titans played at the Polo Grounds from 1960 until 1963. in 1963 the teams nickname was changed from titans to Jets.the jets played the last event at the polo grounds in december of 1963 with a game against the Buffalo Bills.

[metfan13]

SHEA STADIUM IS A DUMP like it or not and the fact is that there are alot of people on this forum that feels the same way i do. the mets have not played in a real park since 1964.this is starting to get way off of topic. you can like shea stadium and i will hate shea stadium.

This is a Mets forum, so discussing the ballpark they play in isn't off topic. Tom Seaver played at Shea. Ron Swoboda made an amazing catch in the 69 Series at Shea. Agee made two. Seaver pitched his near perfect game at Shea. The Mets won two World Series IN that park. In 1973 coming down the stretch Cleon Jones played a ball that hit of the top corner of the fence, hit the cut-off man who threw it to Ron Hodges for the out. The Pete Rose, Bud Harrelson fight was at Shea. They clinched at Shea too. The Bill Buckner play was at Shea. Doc Gooden pitched there, Straw hit some blasts there. Mike Piazza slugged some big homers at Shea, especially that memorable one in the forst game after 9/11. The Mets have returned to the top of the standings this decade, still at Shea. Endy Chavez made one of the great catches in post season history, at Shea.

Yes it's been a ball park, our ball park. Warts and all, call it what you like, Big Shea, home of the Mets for 44 seasons now.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This is a Mets forum, so discussing the ballpark they play in isn't off topic. Tom Seaver played at Shea. Ron Swoboda made an amazing catch in the 69 Series at Shea. Agee made two. Seaver pitched his near perfect game at Shea. The Mets won two World Series IN that park. In 1973 coming down the stretch Cleon Jones played a ball that hit of the top corner of the fence, hit the cut-off man who threw it to Ron Hodges for the out. The Pete Rose, Bud Harrelson fight was at Shea. They clinched at Shea too. The Bill Buckner play was at Shea. Doc Gooden pitched there, Straw hit some blasts there. Mike Piazza slugged some big homers at Shea, especially that memorable one in the forst game after 9/11. The Mets have returned to the top of the standings this decade, still at Shea. Endy Chavez made one of the great catches in post season history, at Shea.

Yes it's been a ball park, our ball park. Warts and all, call it what you like, Big Shea, home of the Mets for 44 seasons now.

I am going to say this one more time. THIS IS OFF TOPIC. this thread is about the 1962 new york mets and not DUMPY SHEA STADIUM. go talk about shea stadium elsewere in this mets forum. this thread is not about shea stadium. i will ignore you from now on about shea stadium. we will get back on topic with this thread.

[metfan13]

I am going to say this one more time. THIS IS OFF TOPIC. this thread is about the 1962 new york mets and not DUMPY SHEA STADIUM. go talk about shea stadium elsewere in this mets forum. this thread is not about shea stadium. i will ignore you from now on about shea stadium. we will get back on topic with this thread.

Ok whatever, you're the one who keeps bringing up Shea and calling it a dump. A little respect for the feelings of Mets fans on the Mets forum would be nice.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of mets pitcher Jay Hook taken at the Polo Grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a color photo showing the Polo Grounds and its parking lot on the stadiums 1st base side.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In this photo you are on 8th ave looking at the Polo Grounds and its parking lot.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In this photo you are looking at the polo grounds.the road next to the apartments on the right side of the photo is 157th street.and you can also see the 8th ave side of the Polo Grounds.

[metfan13]

Great photos. Thanks!

[Baseball Guru]

Lets all play nice here..


POLO GROUNDS has created this thread about the 1962 so lets please try to keep it on that topic..

If we want to discuss who like Shea and who doesn't lets just start another thread which is what I intend to do...

Thanks:)

[Bob Koenig]

Here is a photo from the mets first home game on 4-13-1962 taken during the national anthem

Thanks for bringing back a memory. My dad took me up to the Polo Grounds that day. I remember I got to skip school and it was a crumby, cloud and cold afternoon. The ballpark was a mess and stunk. I remember Bob Friend pitched for the Pirates and we lost. Naturally, I had a wonderful time.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Thanks for bringing back a memory. My dad took me up to the Polo Grounds that day. I remember I got to skip school and it was a crumby, cloud and cold afternoon. The ballpark was a mess and stunk. I remember Bob Friend pitched for the Pirates and we lost. Naturally, I had a wonderful time.

Glad to hear this.you have to remmber that this game was the first baseball game at the polo grounds since 1957. i have seen photos and the mets did spend alot of money on renovations at the stadium even since at that time they only planned to stay at the Polo Grounds for only 1 season.Thank god that we got another year at the PG in 1963

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo showing Willie Mays coming out of the vistors clubhouse at the polo grounds before the giants first game at the historic stadium since they left after the 1957 season

[penncentralpete]

hi everyone: with all due respect to everybody here, i attended 41 games at the polo grounds in '62 and '63. it was NOT a "mess". it did NOT "stink" ("stunk"). it was very beautiful and smelled of beer and hot dogs. the paint-job was ok and the grass was very nice. i do admit, i never tried to park a car there (i took the train). never once did i feel i was in a dump. i LOVED that stadium and wish it was still standing! by the way, the last time i was in yankee stadium (2004), it reeked of marijuana and i did NOT feel very safe. a guy had a fistfight next isle over from me CARRYING A BABY IN ONE ARM! just my two cents. the "harlem horseshoe" was a great park for baseball. charming, majestic, and historic all at the same time. regards, pete p.s. yes, i'm old enough to have attended giants games at the PG in the 50's, too. i watched jackie and willie in that fine old place.

[alpineinc]

Hello all. i have posted here in the past about the 1962 and 1963 new york mets games at the polo grounds that i have on audio tape. i will post here my list of games from the polo grounds from the 1962 season that i have.

4-14-1962 PITTSBURGH at NY METS
4-29-1962 PHILADELPHIA at NY METS GM 1 DH
5-11-1962 MILWAUKEE at NY METS
5-13-1962 MILWAUKEE at NY METS
5-30-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS GM 1 DH
5-30-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS GM 2 DH
6-1-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
6-3-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
6-15-1962 CHICAGO CUBS at NY METS
6-17-1962 CHICAGO CUBS at NY METS GM 1 DH
7-8-1962 ST LOUIS at NY METS
7-13-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS
7-15-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS GM 1 DH
7-15-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS GM 2 DH
7-16-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
8-2-1962 PHILADELPHIA at NY METS
8-4-1962 CINCINNATI at NY METS GM 1 DH
8-22-1962 SF GIANTS at NY METS
8-25-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS
8-26-1962 LA DODGERS at NY METS
9-18-1962 HOUSTON at NY METS GM 1 DH
9-23-1962 CHICAGO at NY METS

I will also list my 1963 mets games from the polo grounds on audio.
i do have some road games on audio also.

there are some games that do exsist that i do have yet.


Are these available for trade or purchase either from you or elsewhere, even if for the cost of reproducing them? I would be very interested to obtain some of these. All I have from '62 is the first ever game from St. Louis, which is wonderful with Bob Murphy continuously hawking beer and cigarettes ("wouldn't an ice cold Rheingold taste good right about now...and while you're at it, why not light up a Viceroy?" - classic!). Anyway, any info would be great.

P.S. And as a Mets fan born in '63, the P.G. evokes great history - would have loved to have seen a game there - but not necessarily sadness on its demise - likely a generational thing. Also, I think '60's Shea is a beautiful reflection of the era (definitely Dodger Stadium light), but by the '80's became a noisy, garishly colored mishmash, albeit with great childhood memories. (he says, ducking from thrown Knickerbocker and Rheingold beer cans - lol)

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Are these available for trade or purchase either from you or elsewhere, even if for the cost of reproducing them? I would be very interested to obtain some of these. All I have from '62 is the first ever game from St. Louis, which is wonderful with Bob Murphy continuously hawking beer and cigarettes ("wouldn't an ice cold Rheingold taste good right about now...and while you're at it, why not light up a Viceroy?" - classic!). Anyway, any info would be great.

P.S. And as a Mets fan born in '63, the P.G. evokes great history - would have loved to have seen a game there - but not necessarily sadness on its demise - likely a generational thing. Also, I think '60's Shea is a beautiful reflection of the era (definitely Dodger Stadium light), but by the '80's became a noisy, garishly colored mishmash, albeit with great childhood memories. (he says, ducking from thrown Knickerbocker and Rheingold beer cans - lol)

Yes you can ge these games. call Mr John Miley from the miley collection at 1-800-844-9143. i also have a list of games that i have from the 1963 season at the polo grounds in the 1963 mets thread here.

[gjeggrace@earthlink.net]

Here are the 1962 mets at spring training with casey stengel and the gang.
In regards to the photo of 7 NY Mets sitting around at Spring Training 1962, I can recognize Casey to the far left and Yogi next to him. Can anyone tell me if the lanky player to the far left is Neil Chrisley? Neil is my mother's first cousin from South Carolina. Thanks! My email is gjeggrace@earthlink.net. Gregg

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In regards to the photo of 7 NY Mets sitting around at Spring Training 1962, I can recognize Casey to the far left and Yogi next to him. Can anyone tell me if the lanky player to the far left is Neil Chrisley? Neil is my mother's first cousin from South Carolina. Thanks! My email is gjeggrace@earthlink.net. Gregg

Hello here are the players in that photo from spring training in 1962

CASEY STENGEL
GIL HODGES
DON ZIMMER
CHARLIE NEAL
CLEM LABINE
ROGER CRAIG
COOKIE LAVAGETTO

[penncentralpete]

the following is all you need to k1962 New York Mets


1962 New York Mets Official Logo

Complete Roster

# Pitchers Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
20 Craig Anderson 6-02 205 Right Right 1938-07-01
26 Galen Cisco 5-11 215 Right Right 1936-03-07
38 Roger Craig 6-04 191 Right Right 1930-02-17
35 Ray Daviault 6-01 170 Right Right 1934-05-27
27 Larry Foss 6-02 187 Right Right 1936-04-18
27, 34 Dave Hillman 5-11 168 Right Right 1927-09-14
47 Jay Hook 6-02 182 Right Left 1936-11-18
29 Willard Hunter 6-02 180 Left Right 1934-03-08
15 Al Jackson 5-10 169 Left Left 1935-12-25
36 Sherman Jones 6-04 205 Right Left 1935-02-10
41 Clem Labine 6-00 180 Right Right 1926-08-06
19 Ken MacKenzie 6-00 185 Left Right 1934-03-10
24 Bob Miller 6-01 182 Right Right 1939-02-18
36 Bob Miller 6-01 185 Left Right 1935-07-15
26 Vinegar Bend Mizell 6-03½ 205 Left Right 1930-08-13
26 Herb Moford 6-01 175 Right Right 1928-08-06
22 Bob Moorhead 6-01 208 Right Right 1938-01-23
# Catchers Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
8 Chris Cannizzaro 6-00 190 Right Right 1938-05-03
44 Harry Chiti 6-03 225 Right Right 1932-11-16
17 Choo Choo Coleman 5-09 165 Right Left 1937-08-25
12 Joe Ginsberg 5-11 180 Right Left 1926-10-11
5 Hobie Landrith 5-10 170 Right Left 1930-03-16
5 Joe Pignatano 5-10 180 Right Right 1929-08-04
16 Sammy Taylor 6-02 185 Right Left 1933-02-27
# Infielders Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
3, 11 Ed Bouchee 6-01 205 Left Left 1933-03-07
2, 7 Elio Chacon 5-09 160 Right Right 1936-10-26
6 Cliff Cook 6-00 188 Right Right 1936-08-20
12 Sammy Drake 5-11 175 Right Both 1934-10-07
6 Rick Herrscher 6-02½ 187 Right Right 1936-11-03
14 Gil Hodges 6-01½ 200 Right Right 1924-04-04
10 Rod Kanehl 6-01 180 Right Right 1934-04-01
21 Ed Kranepool 6-03 215 Left Left 1944-11-08
18 Felix Mantilla 6-00 160 Right Right 1934-07-29
6 Jim Marshall 6-01 190 Left Left 1931-05-25
4 Charlie Neal 5-10 165 Right Right 1931-01-30
2 Marv Throneberry 6-00 197 Left Left 1933-09-02
17 Don Zimmer 5-09 177 Right Right 1931-01-17
# Outfielders Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
1 Richie Ashburn 5-10 170 Right Left 1927-03-19
3 Gus Bell 6-02 196 Right Left 1928-11-15
23 Joe Christopher 5-10 176 Right Right 1935-12-13
29 John DeMerit 6-01½ 195 Right Right 1936-01-08
9 Jim Hickman 6-04 205 Right Right 1937-05-10
16 Bobby Gene Smith 5-11 185 Right Right 1934-05-28
25 Frank Thomas 6-03 205 Right Right 1929-06-11
11 Gene Woodling 5-09½ 195 Right Left 1922-08-16
1962 New York Mets Related Links
STATMASTER: Team Fielding, Hitting & Pitching Statistics
Team Schedule Message Board




The 1962 New York Mets played 160 games during the regular season, won 40 games, lost 120 games, and finished in tenth position. They played their home games at the Polo Grounds (Park Factors: 102/106) where 922,530 fans witnessed their 1962 Mets finish the season with a .250 winning percentage.

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a unique set of rosters not easily found on the Internet. Included, where data is available, is a 1962 New York Mets Opening Day starters list, a 1962 New York Mets salary list, a 1962 New York Mets uniform number breakdown and a 1962 New York Mets primary starters list:

1962 New York Mets
Opening Day Starters
Richie Ashburn
Gus Bell
Joe Ginsberg
Sherman Jones
Felix Mantilla
Jim Marshall
Charlie Neal
Frank Thomas
Don Zimmer



1962 New York Mets
Most Starts by Position

C Chris Cannizzaro (56)
1B Marv Throneberry (97)
2B Charlie Neal (85)
3B Felix Mantilla (95)
SS Elio Chacon (110)
LF Frank Thomas (126)
CF Jim Hickman (84)
RF Richie Ashburn (42)
RF Joe Christopher (42)

SP Roger Craig
SP Jay Hook
SP Al Jackson
SP Bob Miller

RP Ray Daviault
RP Willard Hunter
RP Ken MacKenzie
RP Bob Moorhead
CL Craig Anderson


1962 New York Mets
Salaries

No Salary Data Available

1962 New York Mets
Uniform Numbers

#1 Richie Ashburn
#2 Elio Chacon
#2 Marv Throneberry
#3 Gus Bell
#3 Ed Bouchee
#4 Charlie Neal
#5 Hobie Landrith
#5 Joe Pignatano
#6 Cliff Cook
#6 Rick Herrscher
#6 Jim Marshall
#7 Elio Chacon
#8 Chris Cannizzaro
#9 Jim Hickman
#10 Rod Kanehl
#11 Ed Bouchee
#11 Gene Woodling
#12 Sammy Drake
#12 Joe Ginsberg
#14 Gil Hodges
#15 Al Jackson
#16 Bobby Gene Smith
#16 Sammy Taylor
#17 Choo Choo Coleman
#17 Don Zimmer
#18 Felix Mantilla
#19 Ken MacKenzie
#20 Craig Anderson
#21 Ed Kranepool
#22 Bob Moorhead
#23 Joe Christopher
#24 Bob Miller
#25 Frank Thomas
#26 Galen Cisco
#26 Vinegar Bend Mizell
#26 Herb Moford
#27 Larry Foss
#27 Dave Hillman
#29 John DeMerit
#29 Willard Hunter
#34 Dave Hillman
#35 Ray Daviault
#36 Sherman Jones
#36 Bob Miller
#38 Roger Craig
#41 Clem Labine
#44 Harry Chiti
#47 Jay Hook

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Pete thanks for posting this great info.:clapping :clapping

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

You can now again buy classic 1962 and 1963 Mets games on audio tape from Danrick Enterprises who for years advertised in Baseball Digest. you can find these games on ebay with the USER name of Palmer999.

[Let's Go Mets!]

my favorite 1962 met- ed kranepool

Rookie Ed Kranepool at the Polo Grounds.........

[whoisonit]

Rookie Ed Kranepool at the Polo Grounds.........

Beautiful photo . . . do you have more ?

btw-welcome to BB-F !

[Let's Go Mets!]

Beautiful photo . . . do you have more ?

btw-welcome to BB-F !

Thanks! I have some more, but not many from 1962.

Here's the Duke from 1963....

[whoisonit]

Thanks! I have some more, but not many from 1962.


Never saw this one before. No matter if there from '62, post 'em all ! Thanks !

[Let's Go Mets!]

Beautiful photo . . . do you have more ?

btw-welcome to BB-F !

Here's another..... from what looks like the Mets first road trip to Wrigley Field (early 1962) of Gil Hodges.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a Letter from the Polo Grounds that was sold on ebay. the letter is from 6-27-1962 and you can see the envolope also

[link]

My school was on split session and I was out at 12 noon. My buddy and I would hop on the subway at 179th street in Queens, zip into the city and ride up to the Polo Grounds. I was there at the 1st game on that dreary afternoon, watching them lose to Pitt 4-3. Sat in the upper deck down the right field line and had a real good view of Frank Thomas's HR. Seems like yesterday. I can't recall if it was 1962 or 63 when they had the first Banner Day, but...I was there with my friend marching around the warning track holding our banner. If I still had it I sure it would go for a good amount today on EBAY, but I probably wouldn't part with it. What I did save though was my stub from that first game. Great memories!

[metsfanbook]

My school was on split session and I was out at 12 noon. My buddy and I would hop on the subway at 179th street in Queens, zip into the city and ride up to the Polo Grounds. I was there at the 1st game on that dreary afternoon, watching them lose to Pitt 4-3. Sat in the upper deck down the right field line and had a real good view of Frank Thomas's HR. Seems like yesterday. I can't recall if it was 1962 or 63 when they had the first Banner Day, but...I was there with my friend marching around the warning track holding our banner. If I still had it I sure it would go for a good amount today on EBAY, but I probably wouldn't part with it. What I did save though was my stub from that first game. Great memories!

Link, I was at the first Banner Day. It was the last weekend game at the Polo Grounds, September 15, 1963. I was celebrating my ninth birthday with my family. I remember everybody marching around with their banners between the games of the doubleheader (the Mets lost both). I envied all of those people down on the field, including, it seems, you.