New York Mets: Facts, History, Stats, and Resources

• Buffer
• Tweet

History of the New York Mets

The New York Mets were formed by William Shea, an attorney in New York, in 1959. He wanted to form a third major league of baseball called the Continental league. The Continental League is never formed, but the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club receives membership from the National League of baseball. Their first game is played at Shea Stadium. The team loses to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1969, the team held first place in their division , and in the same year the team won the National League East Championship. They went on to win the World Series in 1969. The team won another World Series championship in 1986 against the Boston Red Sox.

Fun Facts about the New York Mets

What are New York Mets team colors?
Blue, Orange, White, Black

Where did the New York Mets get their name and why are they called it?
The Mets was a shortened version of the team’s foundation, the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc. Their owner, Joan Payson, stated that the name of the team was well received by the public and the press, was related to the team’s longer name, was representative of the Metropolitan area of New York and was nice and short, easy to remember, write and say. Other names considered for the team included the Skyliners, Burros, Continentals, Avengers, Jets and Islanders.

Who designed the New York Mets logo?
The Mets “Mets” logo is the same logo that was used by the New York Giants (font and color). The main logo of the New York Mets was designed by Ray Gatto, a noted sport cartoonist. He included the New York Skyline, which in his logo includes a church spire that symbolizes Brooklyn, the Woolworth Building, the Empire State Building, the Williamsburg Savings Bank and the United Nations Building.

Who is the mascot for the New York Mets?
Mr. Met is the mascot of the New York Mets. He is a human with a large baseball in place of a human head, wearing a Mets uniform. Mr. Met is one of three team mascots that have been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. The two other teams are Phillie Phanatic and Slider, the mascot of the Cleveland Indians.

Who owns the New York Mets?
The Mets are owned by Sterling Mets, L.P., chaired by Fred Wilpon.

What numbers have been retired by the New York Mets?
37 Casey Stengel
14 Gil Hodges
41 Tom Seaver
42 Jackie Robinson

What players from the New York Mets are in the Baseball Hall Of Fame?
Roberto Alomar
Richie Ashburn
Yogi Berra
Gary Carter
Rickey Henderson
Willie Mays
Eddie Murray
Nolan Ryan
Tom Seaver
Duke Snider
Warren Spahn
Casey Stengel

How many World Series have the New York Mets won?
The Mets have won two World Series titles (1969, 1986).

Fun Facts about Citi Field

What is the New York Mets stadium called?
Citi Field – The New York Mets played at Shea Stadium, named after William Shea, who first founded the team in 1959. Shea Stadium remained the team’s home from 1964 through 2008. In 2009, construction of Citi Field was completed across the parking lot from Shea Stadium, and the former stadium was demolished.

What is the address of Citi Field?
126th Street & Roosevelt Avenue
Flushing, NY 11368

How many seats are in Citi Field?
41,800 Seats

Items NOT allowed in Citi Field
Items larger than 16″x16″x8″
Hard-sided coolers
Metal cans
Glass bottles
Open containers
Commercial grade audio, video and photographic equipment
Alcoholic beverages
Illegal substances
Laser pointers
Noisemaking devices
Fireworks
Animals (except for assistive purposes)
Weapons and any items of a similar nature

When was Citi Field built?
Construction of Citi Field was completed in 2009. Its construction cost reached $900 million. The first regular season game was played at the stadium on April 13, 2009.

How far is it down the right field line in Citi Field?
330 feet

How far is it down the left field line in Citi Field?
335 feet

How far is the center field wall in Citi Field?
408 feet

Travel Information if You’re going to watch the New York Mets

Best restaurants in the area of Citi Field
1. Dugout Grill
12612 34th Avenue
New York, NY 11368
(718) 360-5009

2. Pine Restaurant of Queens
3710 114th Street
New York, NY 11368
(718) 672-1200

3. Spicy and Tasty
39-07 Prince Street
New York, NY 11354
(718) 359-1601

Best hotels near Citi Field
1. Best Western Queens Court Hotel
13351 39th Avenue
New York, NY 11354
(718) 888-1900

2. Comfort Inn
133-43 37th Avenue
New York, NY 11354
(718) 939-5000
comfortinn.com

3. Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel
135-20 39th Avenue
New York, NY 11354
(718) 460-6666

Top 5 Players of all time for the New York Mets

5. Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden played the majority of his Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets. He played for the team from 1984 to 1994, as the team’s pitcher. During his time with the team, he was a four-time All-Star selection, earning the honor in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1988. He was a World Series champion with the Mets in 1996, and went on to win World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1996 and 2000. He won the 1985 National League Cy Young Award and the 1984 National League Rookie of the Year. He was named the 1985 National League TSN Pitcher of the Year as well.
Win-Loss Record: 194-112
ERA: 3.51
Strikeouts: 2,293

4. Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez was the first baseman for the New York Mets from 1983 to 1989. During his time with the team, he was a three-time All-Star selection (five-time career selection). He was a World Series champion once with the Mets in 1986 and once with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. Hernandez holds an astonishing 11 Gold Glove Awards, earned during his entire career, recognizing his outstanding achievement in fielding. He was also a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
Batting Average: .296
Home Runs: 162
Runs Batted In: 1,076

3. Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman played for the New York Mets from 1967 to 1978. He was the team’s pitcher, and earned the title of Rookie of the Year after leading the league in strikeouts during his first year playing with the team. In his third year with the team, Koosman held a 17-9 winning record with an ERA of 2.28. He led the team to a World Series Championship in 1969.
Win-Loss Record: 222-209
ERA: 3.36
Strikeouts: 2,556

2. Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza played for the New York Mets from 1998 to 2005. He also played for the LA Dodgers, Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics, but his time at New York was at the height of his career. Piazza was a 12-time All-Star selection and a 10-time Silver Slugger Award Winner. He was named the 1993 National League Rookie of the Year and the 1996 MLB All-Star Game MVP. He will go down in history as one of the best-hitting catchers of all time. He holds the record for the most home runs hit by a catcher, with 427 total home runs.
Batting Average: .308
Home Runs: 427
Runs Batted In: 1,335

1. Tom Seaver
While this top five list is a bit heavy with pitchers, there is no denying that Tom Seaver was the best the Mets have ever had. He played his first ten years with the team, from 1967 to 1977. During his entire career, Seaver was a 12-time All-Star selection. He helped the Mets win the 1969 World Series, along with Jerry Koosman. He was a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year during his inaugural season in the MLB. He was a tw0-time National League TSN Pitcher of the Year. Seaver’s number, 41, was retired by the New York Mets. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992, the first year in which he was eligible for the vote.
Win-Loss Record: 311-205
ERA: 2.86
Strikeouts: 3,640

Resources about the New York Mets

The Official Site of the New York Mets
website

New York Mets – Mets Baseball Clubhouse – ESPN
website

NY Daily News – New York Mets
website

Sports Illustrated – New York Mets News, Schedule, Photos, Stats, Players, MLB Baseball
website

Resource by A.Moore

I just moved to Michigan from South Carolina. This is my first winter here and so far it's freezing. I enjoy traveling, drawing, camping, writing, and doing community service in my spare time. I work for a education company and help them with their outreach to teachers and students. Hope everyone enjoys my articles.

Related Research For Teachers, Students, and Kids