The Mets haven’t yet disclosed who will be honored with throwing out the first pitch at Gil Hodges Memorial Park.
Many have believed it will be the tandem of Seaver to Piazza. Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News wrote how two former pitchers, “Stephen Dillon, 66, and Bill Wakefield, 67, hope to take the mound one last time to honor the Mets' oft-overlooked first few seasons, as the team slowly evolved from lovable losers into formidable competitors." These two men pitched in the first night game at Shea Stadium in 1964.
I have a different idea. As I wrote about Jack Fisher back on January 29th, Fisher was the first Mets pitcher to toe the rubber at Shea. This article by Hirshon goes into a subject that I have chronicled on many occasions; the Mets don’t respect their history, unless it is 1969. The Mets were the nation’s lovable losers until that miraculous season of 1969, and those who are still living from those teams should be respected. They are as much, if not more, of Mets history than the teams that followed.
Said former Met Art Shamsky of the idea of having Wakefield and Dillon throw out the first pitch, "That would be a nice tribute. I love those touching things. They make the game of baseball special. That's what separates the game from the other sports."
Both Dillon and Wakefield, who pitched the first night game at Shea Stadium on May 6, 1964, would love to be apart of the opening of GHMP. According to the article, “A Mets official said then that the team is still hashing out first-pitch plans for the season. When asked again recently, the team officials said plans were still fluid, even as Amazins' alumni endorsed the on-field salute to the longtime ballpark's first evening affair.”
Metsfan73 would throws my endorsement behind Jack Fisher, the first Mets pitcher to pitch at Shea Stadium, back on April 17, 1964.
Who do you think should throw out the ceremonial first pitch?
Many have believed it will be the tandem of Seaver to Piazza. Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News wrote how two former pitchers, “Stephen Dillon, 66, and Bill Wakefield, 67, hope to take the mound one last time to honor the Mets' oft-overlooked first few seasons, as the team slowly evolved from lovable losers into formidable competitors." These two men pitched in the first night game at Shea Stadium in 1964.
I have a different idea. As I wrote about Jack Fisher back on January 29th, Fisher was the first Mets pitcher to toe the rubber at Shea. This article by Hirshon goes into a subject that I have chronicled on many occasions; the Mets don’t respect their history, unless it is 1969. The Mets were the nation’s lovable losers until that miraculous season of 1969, and those who are still living from those teams should be respected. They are as much, if not more, of Mets history than the teams that followed.
Said former Met Art Shamsky of the idea of having Wakefield and Dillon throw out the first pitch, "That would be a nice tribute. I love those touching things. They make the game of baseball special. That's what separates the game from the other sports."
Both Dillon and Wakefield, who pitched the first night game at Shea Stadium on May 6, 1964, would love to be apart of the opening of GHMP. According to the article, “A Mets official said then that the team is still hashing out first-pitch plans for the season. When asked again recently, the team officials said plans were still fluid, even as Amazins' alumni endorsed the on-field salute to the longtime ballpark's first evening affair.”
Metsfan73 would throws my endorsement behind Jack Fisher, the first Mets pitcher to pitch at Shea Stadium, back on April 17, 1964.
Who do you think should throw out the ceremonial first pitch?
1 comment:
Personally I would like to do it. Since you were a catcher we have our team. We can represent Met fans and bloggers everywhere!
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