Why Don't The Mets Pay Tribute To Past Stars?

This afternoon, the Yankees honored past ball players with their annual Old Timers Day game.

Why don't the Mets do this anymore?

It has been 20 years since the Mets have honored players from their past. Part of the problem with today's youth is they have no connection to the past. They have a difficult time staying up to watch these games that don't end until 11:00 PM, West Coast games that don't begin until 10:00 PM EST, and the incessant ads on TV that extend games longer and longer into the night.

What better way to teach today's children and adolescents about our Mets heroes from the past than an annual Old Timers Game?

I remember being fortunate enough to be at Shea Stadium the day Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Duke Snider, and Willie Mays entered the field together from Center Field at Shea, back on July 16, 1977. I was thrilled to see the great Brooklyn Dodger (Snider) and NY Giant (Mays) enter my teams CF lawn...Willie had finished his career as a Met. As for the two Yankee CF's, who cared. It was great. I asked my grandfather about these players, and as I got older, began to read about them.

Today's generation aren't one's to research the past, so it should by up to MLB and individual teams to help to teach the youngsters about the history of our game, along with family and loved ones, and the team they now follow.

The Mets, for reason's unknown, are remiss to celebrate and pay tribute to their past. This is a shame. Why isn't Keith Hernandez' #17 retired? Why haven't these great past players help pull off the "games remaining" numbers from the outfield wall; Koosman for 36, Piazza for 31, Grote for 15, Hernandez for 17, Seaver for 41, etc.?

Brian Biegel wrote a nice Op-Ed piece for mlb.com regarding this.

C'mon Fred and Jeff, let's celebrate our past; whether it's remembering the zany Casey Stengel and Marv Throneberry, the intense Keith Hernandez and John Stearns, the greats like Seaver and Piazza, the underrated like Koosman and Alfonzo...let's celebrate Mets history. Bring back the Old Timers Game!