Dan Reilly, the original Mr. Met, was not included in the closing ceremonies of Shea Stadium.
Reilly, now 70, says he isn’t bitter, just that he would have liked to take part in the closing ceremonies. Reilly recalls how he had friendly relationships with the likes of Seaver, Grote, Koosman, Swoboda, etc.
Reilly recalls how he became the first baseball mascot, Mr. Met back in 1964. Reilly played the Mets mascot on and off the field from 1964 through 1967, the first three of his nine years with the club. Reilly had joined the club in 1964 originally as part of the ticket sales staff two months before the debut of their new home.
Reilly, now 70, says he isn’t bitter, just that he would have liked to take part in the closing ceremonies. Reilly recalls how he had friendly relationships with the likes of Seaver, Grote, Koosman, Swoboda, etc.
Reilly recalls how he became the first baseball mascot, Mr. Met back in 1964. Reilly played the Mets mascot on and off the field from 1964 through 1967, the first three of his nine years with the club. Reilly had joined the club in 1964 originally as part of the ticket sales staff two months before the debut of their new home.
Reilly is quoted as saying, “It was a snowy February morning the day of my interview,” Reilly said last week, as he walked the grounds of the soon-to-be-demolished stadium. “From the outside, it looked like an orange-and-blue skeleton. Nothing was happening and nobody was around. Inside, they were still putting the seats in. And now I’m watching them take those seats out. It’s sad.”
Mr. Met recalls the Mets winning the World Series in 1969, and running down to join the celebration. There is a picture of him being doused with champagne by Jerry Grote in the 1970 Mets yearbook. Reilly called the members of that team, “my guys.”
For a real interesting read, check out Mr. Met recalls heady times as first mascot for Amazin’s
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