Table of Contents
New York Mets
National League Revival
The Mets were founded in 1962 to bring National League baseball back to New York after the Dodgers and Giants departed 1)
The Miracle Mets
The 1969 New York Mets shocked the baseball world with their first World Series title, defeating the Baltimore Orioles 2)
Multi-Pennant Franchise
The Mets have won five National League pennants, appearing in the World Series in 1969, 1973, 1986, 2000, and 2015 3)
A Pair of Championships
The Mets have won two World Series: 1969 and 1986 4)
Mets Moniker
“Mets” is short for “Metropolitans,” evoking New York’s metropolitan identity 5)
Orange and Blue Legacy
The Mets' team colors (orange and blue) are a tribute to the departed Dodgers (blue) and Giants (orange) 6)
First Manager’s Famous Number
Casey Stengel, the Mets’ first manager, had his No. 37 retired for his contributions 7)
Shea Stadium Beginnings
The Mets played at Shea Stadium from 1964 to 2008 8)
Citi Field Era
They moved to Citi Field in 2009, where the stadium’s features honor New York’s NL baseball heritage 9)
Unique Orange Foul Poles
Citi Field is the only stadium in MLB with orange foul poles, a carryover from Shea Stadium 10)
Jackie Robinson Rotunda
The main entrance to Citi Field, called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, celebrates the barrier-breaking Hall of Famer 11)
Massive Home Run Apple
The Mets’ “Home Run Apple” rises from center field to celebrate every Mets home run at Citi Field 12)
Mr. Met’s Debut
Mr. Met, the team’s iconic mascot, first appeared in 1963 and is one of the first MLB mascots 13)
“Mettle” the Mule Era
In 1979, the Mets briefly tried a mule mascot named “Mettle,” but he was retired after one season 14)
Mr. Met Hall of Fame
Mr. Met was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2007 15)
World Series at Home
The Mets are the only expansion franchise to win multiple World Series titles at home 16)
No-Hitter Milestone
Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in franchise history in 2012, ending a 50-year drought 17)
Nolan Ryan’s Early Years
Legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan began his MLB career with the Mets, including a win in the 1969 World Series 18)
Mets Hall of Fame
The Mets launched their official team Hall of Fame in 1981 to honor franchise legends 19)
Tom Seaver Statue
In 2022, a statue of Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver was unveiled outside Citi Field 20)
Daryl Strawberry’s HR Record
Daryl Strawberry is the Mets’ all-time home run leader with 252 career homers 21)
David Wright Captaincy
David Wright was named the team’s fourth-ever captain, serving from 2013 until retirement 22)
Longest Game Marathon
A July 1985 Mets-Braves contest lasted 19 innings and over 8 hours, among the longest games in MLB history 23)
Jesse Owens as Coach
Olympic legend Jesse Owens was once hired as a running coach for the Mets in the 1960s 24)
Wild Card Comeback Kids
The Mets have made the playoffs as a Wild Card team five times: 1999, 2000, 2016, 2022, and 2024 25)
Citi Field’s Shea Bridge
Citi Field features the “Shea Bridge” in the outfield, inspired by New York’s iconic Hell Gate Bridge 26)
Unique Blue-and-Orange Logo
The interlocking “NY” in the Mets’ logo pays homage to the New York Giants’ classic lettering 27)
“Amazin’ Mets” Slogan
The Mets’ 1969 World Series run gave rise to the famous nickname “Amazin’ Mets” 28)
Citi Field’s Coca-Cola Corner
The ballpark’s right field overhang—known as the Coca-Cola Corner—emulates Tiger Stadium’s porch design 29)
Record 108 Wins
The team’s all-time best single season came in 1986 with 108 regular-season victories 30)
Expansion Team Firsts
The Mets were the first expansion team to win a pennant (1969) and the first to win a World Series 31)
No. 42 Always Retired
The Mets, like all MLB teams, retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42, celebrated in Citi Field’s main rotunda 32)
Clubhouse Amenities
Citi Field’s Delta Sky360 Club includes a restaurant, bar, and 1,600 premium seats behind home plate 33)
Shea Stadium’s History
Named after lawyer William A. Shea, Shea Stadium hosted the Beatles’ first major stadium concert in 1965 34)
Mr. Met’s International Fame
Mr. Met entertained fans in Japan in 2000 as the Mets played MLB’s first regular season game overseas 35)
Billy Joel’s Banner Legacy
Billy Joel became the first entertainer honored with a permanent banner at Citi Field for his concert record 36)
“Ya Gotta Believe” Rally Cry
Pitcher Tug McGraw coined the Mets’ signature “Ya Gotta Believe!” rallying cry in 1973 37)
Queens Loyalty
The only MLB team to maintain headquarters, spring training, and primary home field in Queens 38)
Unique Club Colors
No other MLB team uses the exact blue and orange combination of the Mets 39)
Strikeout King
Tom Seaver, known as “The Franchise,” holds the Mets career strikeout record with 2,541 40)
Most Saves by a Lefty
John Franco not only leads the Mets in career saves with 276 but also is MLB’s all-time lefty saves king 41)
Mets In All-Star Games
Many Mets All-Stars—including Dwight Gooden and David Wright—have starred in the Midsummer Classic 42)
Mets Hall of Famers
Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, and other Mets legends have plaques in the National Baseball Hall of Fame 43)
First Retired Player Number
The first number the Mets ever retired was Gil Hodges’ No. 14 in 1973 44)
Mets’ Midsummer Classic Host
Shea Stadium hosted the All-Star Game in 1964 and Citi Field hosted in 2013 45)
Original Mets Yearbook Mascot
Mr. Met first appeared as a cartoon mascot on the 1963 Mets yearbook 46)