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History of the New York Mets
The history of the New York Mets began in 1962 when the team was introduced as part of the first expansion in the National League (NL) in the 20th century. The team has won two World Series championships and five NL pennants. The team's current owner is Steve Cohen, the president is David Stearns, and the manager is Carlos Mendoza.
In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants relocated from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, respectively, leaving the largest city in the United States with no NL franchise (and only one team overall, the American League's New York Yankees).
Two years later, on July 27, 1959, New York-based attorney William Shea announced the formation of a third major baseball league, the Continental League. Shea tried to get several existing NL clubs to move, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds, but no club was interested in doing so.
One of the Continental League's five charter members was to be a team in New York City. Majority interest in the club was held by Joan Whitney Payson and Charles Shipman Payson, former minority owners of the Giants. The second largest stake in the club was held by George Herbert Walker Jr. (uncle of the future President George H. W. Bush), who served as the vice president and treasurer until 1977. Former Giants director M. Donald Grant became chairman of the board. Grant had represented the Paysons' interests on the Giants' board; and had been the only board member to oppose the team's move west.
The NL and AL, each of which had considerably more autonomy from MLB at the time, responded with plans to add four new teams, two in each league. One of the new NL teams was to be placed in New York. The NL offered this new franchise to the Continental League's New York group, provided that they commit to building a new ballpark. Shea told New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Jr. that he had to personally cable all of the NL team owners and guarantee that the city would build a new facility.
The new team required a new name, and many were suggested. Among the finalists were "Bees," "Burros," "Continentals," "Skyscrapers," "Skyliners," "Jets," "Empires" and "Islanders.". Although Payson had admitted a preference for "Meadowlarks", the owners ultimately selected "Mets", because it was closely related to the club's already-existing corporate name, "New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc." The name is also an ode to the New York Metropolitans, a late 19th century New York team in the American Association from 1880 to 1887. In addition, the brevity would naturally fit in newspaper headlines. The name was received with broad approval among fans and the press. Two of the finalists that were not selected would eventually be used by other New York sports teams. The American Football League's New York Titans would change their nickname to the "Jets" before the 1964 AFL season. In 1972 the National Hockey League expanded to Long Island with the new team calling itself the New York Islanders.
From the beginning, the Mets sought to appeal to the large contingent of former Giants and Dodgers fans. The Mets' team colors of orange (from the Giants) and blue (from the Dodgers) were chosen as a direct nod to the NL's past in New York. The Mets also paid homage to the Giants by adopting their interlocking "NY" cap insignia for their own. Orange and blue are also New York City's official colors, appearing on its city flag. Though the Giants and Dodgers had been bitter rivals since the 19th century, most of the despondent members of each clubs fan base joined in support of the Mets. The Mets have continued to honor the Giants and Dodgers legacy into the 21st century, most notably in their home ballpark Citi Field, whose outside and entry rotunda was inspired by the Dodgers home ball park Ebbets Field. In addition to that, in 2022 the Mets retired the number 24 of Willie Mays, thus fulfilling a promise made by Payson to Mays to retire his number. Mays, the long-time Giant, returned to New York to play with the Mets for the final two seasons of his career and also served as a team coach after his retirement from playing.
The Mets began play in 1962 and played home games at the historic Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan, which it shared with the American Football League's New York Titans, who had been playing there since 1960. The Polo Grounds, formerly the home of the NL's New York Giants, the AL's New York Yankees (in the early 20th century before the opening of the original Yankee Stadium across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds in 1923) and the National Football League's New York Giants, needed a heavy facelift (including a fresh paint job, and new Mets signage) before the Mets moved in as temporary tenants while Shea Stadium was being constructed in the Flushing Meadows neighborhood of Queens.
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History of the New York Mets
The history of the New York Mets began in 1962 when the team was introduced as part of the first expansion in the National League (NL) in the 20th century. The team has won two World Series championships and five NL pennants. The team's current owner is Steve Cohen, the president is David Stearns, and the manager is Carlos Mendoza.
In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants relocated from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, respectively, leaving the largest city in the United States with no NL franchise (and only one team overall, the American League's New York Yankees).
Two years later, on July 27, 1959, New York-based attorney William Shea announced the formation of a third major baseball league, the Continental League. Shea tried to get several existing NL clubs to move, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds, but no club was interested in doing so.
One of the Continental League's five charter members was to be a team in New York City. Majority interest in the club was held by Joan Whitney Payson and Charles Shipman Payson, former minority owners of the Giants. The second largest stake in the club was held by George Herbert Walker Jr. (uncle of the future President George H. W. Bush), who served as the vice president and treasurer until 1977. Former Giants director M. Donald Grant became chairman of the board. Grant had represented the Paysons' interests on the Giants' board; and had been the only board member to oppose the team's move west.
The NL and AL, each of which had considerably more autonomy from MLB at the time, responded with plans to add four new teams, two in each league. One of the new NL teams was to be placed in New York. The NL offered this new franchise to the Continental League's New York group, provided that they commit to building a new ballpark. Shea told New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Jr. that he had to personally cable all of the NL team owners and guarantee that the city would build a new facility.
The new team required a new name, and many were suggested. Among the finalists were "Bees," "Burros," "Continentals," "Skyscrapers," "Skyliners," "Jets," "Empires" and "Islanders.". Although Payson had admitted a preference for "Meadowlarks", the owners ultimately selected "Mets", because it was closely related to the club's already-existing corporate name, "New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc." The name is also an ode to the New York Metropolitans, a late 19th century New York team in the American Association from 1880 to 1887. In addition, the brevity would naturally fit in newspaper headlines. The name was received with broad approval among fans and the press. Two of the finalists that were not selected would eventually be used by other New York sports teams. The American Football League's New York Titans would change their nickname to the "Jets" before the 1964 AFL season. In 1972 the National Hockey League expanded to Long Island with the new team calling itself the New York Islanders.
From the beginning, the Mets sought to appeal to the large contingent of former Giants and Dodgers fans. The Mets' team colors of orange (from the Giants) and blue (from the Dodgers) were chosen as a direct nod to the NL's past in New York. The Mets also paid homage to the Giants by adopting their interlocking "NY" cap insignia for their own. Orange and blue are also New York City's official colors, appearing on its city flag. Though the Giants and Dodgers had been bitter rivals since the 19th century, most of the despondent members of each clubs fan base joined in support of the Mets. The Mets have continued to honor the Giants and Dodgers legacy into the 21st century, most notably in their home ballpark Citi Field, whose outside and entry rotunda was inspired by the Dodgers home ball park Ebbets Field. In addition to that, in 2022 the Mets retired the number 24 of Willie Mays, thus fulfilling a promise made by Payson to Mays to retire his number. Mays, the long-time Giant, returned to New York to play with the Mets for the final two seasons of his career and also served as a team coach after his retirement from playing.
The Mets began play in 1962 and played home games at the historic Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan, which it shared with the American Football League's New York Titans, who had been playing there since 1960. The Polo Grounds, formerly the home of the NL's New York Giants, the AL's New York Yankees (in the early 20th century before the opening of the original Yankee Stadium across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds in 1923) and the National Football League's New York Giants, needed a heavy facelift (including a fresh paint job, and new Mets signage) before the Mets moved in as temporary tenants while Shea Stadium was being constructed in the Flushing Meadows neighborhood of Queens.