House of the Holy

By Shari Forst
Posted Saturday, February 17, 2007

Shea Stadium-Nostalgic or Just A Dump?

While driving home one night this week I had WFAN on and Mike Francesa was debating with Mets fans over the new Citi Field versus the old Shea Stadium. Francesa was saying how awful Shea is compared to Yankee Stadium and what a terrible place it is to see a game etc.

You know what? Francesa is a pompous blowhard and of course a Yankee fan, he never wants to say anything halfway decent about the Mets or the place they call home and everyone knows that. Doesn’t he think we all know Shea Stadium is an old, out of date ball park?

Sure it’s a dump, but it’s OUR dump.

I’m not opposed to the Mets getting a new ballpark, but what I got annoyed with was Francesa saying how awful it is and how there is no history there. Sure-no history for him or Yankee fans. However this ballpark is where I was introduced to baseball and the Mets on June 26th 1977 at a doubleheader as a 10 year old child.

Shea Stadium is where I witnessed the transformation of those putrid late 1970’s teams to the winning machine of the mid 1980s. I saw this happen before my eyes at Shea Stadium where as a teenager I attended just about every opening day with my friends. It’s the place where I saw an 18 inning game on April 28th 1985 when my boyfriend at the time had to get me to my 18th Surprise Birthday party. Everyone was waiting on us for hours because the game went so long and I refused to leave my perch at Shea. It’s also the place where every Met fan saw the Miracle of 1969, the Pennant of 1973, the dramatic World Series Victory of 1986, The Playoffs in 1988, and 1999, and the trip to the Series in 2000. Most recently, the 2006 NLCS which was one of the most exciting series I have seen in years.

So you see, Shea may be a place that has so-so food, no dome, it’s windy and cold in early April and early October. The seats are uncomfortable, the design not so modern, but it’s the place I feel most in love with the Mets and it holds a history and fondness for me.

I know I don’t speak for all Mets fans, but a lot of us have a fondness and nostalgia for the place the Mets have called home since the Polo Grounds.

With pitchers and catchers now reporting down in Florida, I’m sure there are plenty of Mets fans excited to see the 2007 Mets play at Shea Stadium. It would be really wonderful for the old place to go out with another World Series victory under it’s worn and battered belt.