The latest batch of old photos auctioned off by Topps on eBay includes this gem — a shot of World Series hero Tommie Agee taken at Shea in 1970, if Topps’s records are to be believed.
The Topps Vault, as it’s called, has yielded lots of gems — I bought a photo of Hank McGraw, Tug’s brother, though I missed out on a Dave Schneck photo originally labeled as John Stearns. (Plus there are ironic gems — from the plane in the background to Stork himself, this George Theodore picture might be the most mid-70s Mets photo ever.) But this one is particularly great — I love the fact that Agee’s bat is pointing to more or less the exact spot where he hit the only fair ball to land in the upper deck at Shea, an April 10, 1969 shot commemorated with a marker in the old rattletrap’s final years.
Anyway, as you were. We won last night. With luck we’ll win again today. There’s 1776 and 1964, and the Hot Dog Eating Contest, and lots more. Happy 4th!
It sure is tough for the Mets to win games when Hairston homers, though. Wrigely grand slam not withstanding. Man.
Hi Jason,
Hope you had a chance to catch the 1964 edition of Mets Yearbook this evening. I don’t think any other film was able to capture the festive and carnival atmosphere that accompanied going to a Met game that certainly in no longer existent today.
Yes, part of that was due to the new ball park which was light years ahead of anything we had ever seen before and it being located adjacent to the World’s Fair. But it was more than just that. Unlike today’s ballparks that are built for luxury boxes and suites and rows and rows of stores are restaurants, Shea Stadium was built, literally, for the fans.
The cheering, the clapping of the hands, the yelling of “let’s go Mets,” was not artificially inspired by cues from scoreboard and P.A. system (even Jane Jarvis avoided doing that). And that festive atmosphere did not go away once the euphoria of the new ball park died down. Best way to describe why this was so is to compare the way it was to the way it was at the Polo Grounds. While old and falling apart, if one closed his or her eyes, he or she would not know if he was sitting in Manhattan or in Queens (except for the uncomfortable seats).
It was a time that will never be repeated again, not with the big business of baseball now being the BIG BUSINESS of baseball.
BTW – the only reason the Mets were leading in double plays turned was because our pitchers allowed so many runners to be on base.
Thanks for the reminder of the night (’86? ’87?) I bought Tommie a beer at the (now defunct, it’s a Staples and CVS) Bellerose Bowling Alley. At the time, Tommie was worked at a real estate company with my bowling teammate. My friend somehow convinced Tommie that he should come down to the lanes on a Thursday night. I bought a round, shook Tommie’s hand and said “thanks for ’69!” I have not since washed the hand that shook the hand that made the two catches…
edit… “At the time, Tommie was working..”