This is my second Homestead page, and it's dedicated to baseball teams that play in the New York area, especially on Long Island (geographically). Also check out my other Homestead pages, and their links:
We will start with the New York Mets. I have been following them since they first began, back in 1962. Their first ballpark was the Polo grounds, in Manhattan at 8th Avenue and 155th Street. Since 1964 they have been playing at Shea Stadium. Shea Stadium is only about 1 mile from where I grew up.
While the Mets may not be as well known or have won as many World Series as the other New York team, they have done pretty well for an expansion team. They were the first expansion team to win the Fall Classic, in 1969. Another expansion team would not win it again until 1985.
In 1964 I went down to Shea two hours before a game and got a baseball autographed by six men: Ed Kranepool, Rob Taylor, Joe Christopher, Larry Bearnarth, and coaches Wes Westrum Sherriff Robinson. These six went next to those of Gil Hodges and Tommy Holmes who signed at a sports night at my church in 1962 (see 1962 photo below of Coach Holmes).
Another highlight at Shea Stadium, on Opening Day 1969, was the first international major league game - the New York Mets played the Montreal Expos in the Expos' first game. The Expos won 11-10, but in October of that year the Mets won it all!
After that I have to admit that I did not go to games very often, especially since I was in the Air Force from 1971 to 1975. But while stationed in Louisiana I did get to follow the 1973 World Series, and cheer the Mets while they tried to win the World Series a second time (no luck).
A new era began in May 1983 when my brother-in-law got four free tickets to a Mets/Dodgers game. While the Mets lost that game, it revived my interest in the Mets, and baseball itself. Great memories of the games that I sent to in the 1960's came to mind. I ended up going six times that year, including two out of three in a June weekend series against the Expos. The Mets won the Friday game in 17 innings. On Sunday Tom Seaver pitched, and the two national anthems were sung by the boys choir from St. Agnes Cathedral of Rockville Centre, which was my church at the time.
Of course 1986 was an exciting season. The playoffs were among the most exciting in history, especially Game 6 against the Astros. It went into extra innings, and that night the Islip Fire Department was scheduled to go to the training facility in Yaphank. We waited as long as we could to leave, but finally the captain practically ordered us on the road so that we could be on time. But the dispatcher did broadcast highlights over the department's radio, and we learned that the Mets won the pennant by the time we arrived in Yaphank. Of course the 1986 World Series in the most exciting ever (at least to me). It had my favorite baseball team playing the Boston Red Sox, New York's arch rival in everything. The Mets lost the first two at Shea, but on October 25, 1986 they came from behind to beat the Red Sox and force game 7. My wife and I were in Quebec Canada on holiday, but I could not watch the game. I honestly believe that I would have had a heart attack, and not be here doing this web-page. But game 7 was rained out on the 26th (my birthday) and the Amazins won it all on October 27, 1986. It was still a great birthday present for me.
We did not go to Shea Stadium, or any other ballpark, in 1995 or 1996 in protest against the Players' Strike. We started going again in 1997, and in July 1999 my wife, daughter, and I had supper in the Diamond Club as part of a St. John's Univeristy Alumni event. As part of the gala, pitcher John Franco (another alumnus) came up to the Diamond Suite and visited us. I did not get a chance to get autographs, but it was great to be in the same room with John. Unfortunately, the Mets lost miserably to the Braves in the game that followed. The only consolations were that there were fireworks after the game, and comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander came out onto the field. At the end of the 1999 season the Mets went on a winning streak to force a playoff game in Cincinatti, which they won. They then faced the Braves to try and advance to the pennant. Unfortunately, the underdog Mets lost to the Braves in 6 games.
2000: The first Subway Series in New York since 1956. Unfortunately, the Mets lost in 5 games to the other New York team. As they used to say every year in Brooklyn: Wait 'til next year!
A good thing about this Subway Seres: we got a Subway Series custom plate for our car.
2001: In May we all went to see the Mets play the Arizona Diamondbacks, again wth the SJU Alumni. This time we sat in the picnic area, but before the game I was able to get autographs from pitcher Turk Wendell, and photograph another pitcher, Rick Reed. Unfortunately, the home team jinx was on and the Mets lost. When I went to other ballparks in 2001, including the other major league park in New York, the home team always lost.
2002: We actually did not get a chance to go to Shea Stadium that year. Time and ticket prices prevented that. But I did get to see the Ducks three times.
2003: The Mets lost to the Diamondbacks when we visited them.
2004: We saw the Mets play the Pittsburgh Pirates in April and lose, but in June they played the Detroit Tigers and won.
2005: On April 17 I went to see the Mets play the Florida Marlins and lose. The hometeam jinx is on.
2006: On April 9 we watched them beat the Florida Marlins, 3-2. Our last visit to Shea Stadium.
2007 & 2008: the spectacular collapses and missing the playoffs.
2009: The last remnant of Shea Stadium came down in February. Citifield opened in April.
The next team saluted is the Long Island Ducks. They have played in the independent Atlantic League since 2000. I have gone to several games each year, mainly because my fire company has season tickets and each member gets two free sets, and that Citibank Park is only about two miles away from my home in Islip. Citibank Park is now my baseball home away from home, since I no longer live in walking distance of Shea Stadium
The very first Ducks game that I went to was against the now defunct Aberdeen Arsenal. It was early in the season and Citibank (then called EAB) Park was cold. During the 2000 season I also saw the Somerset Patriots and the Atlantic City Surf. The Ducks first manager was former Mets shortstop and manager Bud Harrelson.
In 2001 I got to see the Surf and Patriots again. The Ducks shared the home team jinx with the Mets that year. In December 2001 former manager and current vice president Bud Harrelson was signing autographs at Citibank Park. I naturally went down to get Bud to sign a card for me, and got my picture taken with him.
For 2002 I saw the Ducks three times: against the Pennsylvania Road Warriors, the Surf and the Camden RiverSharks. The Ducks won against the Road Warriors and the Surf, but lost to Camden. But another great highlight of the 2002 season was the July Blood Drive at Citibank in July 2002. I got to donate a pint of blood, and spend a couple of hours talking to several players about the Atlantic League, major league baseball, and several other topics.
In 2003 I went to see the Ducks on four occasions: against the Bridgeport Bluefish, the Atlantic City Surf, the Newark Bears, and the Pennsylvania Road Warriors. The Ducks had their July Blood Drive on July 26, 2003 and I went to donate my pint. After getting unstuck, I spoke to several players and had 5 members of the team autograph a baseball. I took pictures at the Atlantic City game, and also at the blood drive. Two photos from the blood drive are in the albums that follow.
The 2004 blood drive was held, but since I had a bad cold, I was not able to donate blood. Hopefully other Ducks fans did.
Then on September 26, 2004 the ultimate happened: the Ducks won the Atlantic League championship!!!
On June 26, 2005 we continued the home team jinx, as the Ducks lost to the Somerset Patriots by a score of 7-0. I have elaborated about the game on the blogs that I maintain. However, on August 12 we saw the ducks play the Lancaster Barnstormers and win 5-2. Hopefully the hometeam jinx is broken.
The Ducks hosted a charity game on September 10, 2005 for the benefit of victims of Hurricane Katrina and for the support of Quality Services for the Autism Community group. We attended and I met several New York Mets veterans and Ducks. There is a link to the game on this isite.
See also a website on Yahoo Geocities dedicated to the Ducks:
The third team to play on Long Isand is the Brooklyn Cyclones. They are the Mets' Short Season Single A team in the New York Penn League. After a game of musical chairs with the League, and the Toronto Blue Jays regarding teams, the Cyclones moved to Brooklyn from Queens (as the Queens Kings, playing at St. John's University) in 2001. They won their division during their first season, and were crowned co-champions with the Williamsport Cross Cutters after the terrible events of September 11, 2001 when the League ended the play-offs.
On August 21, 2005 my other half and I went to a Brooklyn Cyclones game with our univeristy alumni association. The Cyclones played the Aberdeen Ironbirds. After trailing most of the game, and the lead see-sawing in the 7th and 8th innings, the Cyclones won, 9-6. I even have a web-page here on Homestead: www.brooklyn43cyclones.homestead.com
We also salute a team that used to play on Long Island, until September 24, 1957 - the Brooklyn Dodgers. They are one of the Mets' ancestors. Unfortunately I never got to see the Dodgers play at their famous ballpark - Ebbets Field. But I hear that it was quite an experience. Some great things happened there: the end of the color barrier in 1947; the first televised game in 1939. Don't forget to check out some great books written about the Brooklyn Dodgers: Wait Until Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn, The Lords of Baseball by Harold Parrott, The Last Good Season by Michael Shapiro.
Check out some 1957 Topps baseball cards featuring members of the Brooklyn Dodgers
Lest we forget!!
On June 14, 2003 I went to a Dodger Fest at the Freeport Recreation Center for a chance to get autographs and meet many of the Brooklyn Dodger greats. I was able to meet Don Newcombe, Roger Craig Johnny Podres, Randy Jackson, and Carl Erskine. I also photographed several players who did not play in 1957: Joe Pignatano, Clyde King, Spider Jorgensen, and several others. The photographs are in the album that follows.
I believe that Gil Hodges should be in The Hall of Fame. He was an outstanding player for the Dodgers. As a manager, he performed a miracle in 1969. He was the manager that the Mets needed. Gil also did a good job managing Washington Senators II.
3000 miles east of Long Island, baseball is popular in London UK. I have created a web-site dedicated to London baseball (see above) and did start a group on Yahoo in which members can send messages and post pictures. Send an e/mail to greater_london_baseball-subscribe@yahoogroups.comand you are in. The teams need not be based within M 25: other UK teams' topics are welcome, as well as those from North America.
Here are some photos from Shea Stadium and Citibank Park
St. John's University also plays on Long Island, in Jamaica NY at Jack Kaiser Stadium (formerly the Ballpark at St. John's Univerisity and Father McCallen Field). In 2000 the Queens Kings played there before moving to Brooklyn to become the Cyclones.
In the photo here I am playing for the SJU Alumni against the varsity team. Considering that I did NOT play while at SJU, I had a great time participating with SJU baseball alumni, some of whom are in organized minor league baseball.
Another teammate played for the Nashua Dodgers in the 1940's with Dodger greats like Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella.
That's All Folks
Here is a photo gallery of the 1957 Topps Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cards
Please check out the Brooklyn Dodger video below on www.youtube.com
Ducks' mascot Quackerjack visiting fans during a game, 2000
May 6, 2001: Rick Reed is signing autographs near the Shea Stadium picnic area
May 6, 2001: a view of the picnic area and the scoreboard.
May 6, 2001: here I am walking through the Shea Stadium parking lot on the way home. I had a goatee then (but shaved it off the following month). The sweatshirt shows you where my loyalties lie.
Me at St. John's U Alumni Varsity game: Oct. 4, 2003
Yours truly and Bud Harrelson at the autograph signing session. Citibank Park December 15, 2001.
Ducks vs Aberdeen Arsenal at Citibank (EAB) Park, 2000
