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Ya Gotta Believe

A place for New York Mets fans made by a New York Mets fan. If you love baseball, you will love this blog.

4.17.2006

Shea Will Be Missed


The Mets recently announced plans to begin construct a brand new ballpar for the team scheduled to be open by Opening Day 2009. Although the park looks as though it will be a beautiful throwback to Ebbets Field, I can't say that it will be a sad day when Shea Stadium closes its doors. It goes like this: It's a dump, but it's our dump....

Shea is one of the oldest parks in league and is far from modern. It looks rundown, the facilities are dated, and it's flat out ugly at times. The apple coming out of the top hat is highlight and that looks like it was made during the Great Depression. This is an old park and it is only right that the Mets move on, but we will never forget the memories of this park.

Even though I'm relatively young, I can proudly say that I will have memories from that park that will last a lifetime. I've been to a handful of Opening Days with my dad. I've seen Mike Piazza, the greatest hitting catcher of all-time, hit a home run in person. Even though it may not be very easy on the eyes, the fans and some specific teams made that stadium the best place to be in the world at times.

I can remember in 1998 when the Mets got Piazza. It changed the whole team around. With Piazza, John Olerud, and Robin Ventura came hope. We went from up and comers to contenders and it was a great time. Shea was rockin' and I was there.

My dad's fondest memory is being a kid at Game 5 of the 1969 World Series. He was able rush the field as Jerry Koosman, his favorite player, finished his complete game win as the Mets won the World Series. He even still has a piece of the turf that he cut out.

Everyone can relive a memory they have had at this park. It's not the facade or the structure, but the feelings and memories that will be missed.

It's blue and orange. It's old. Parts of it smell. The seats are too close together. You can go on and on about why a new stadium will be great and I totally agree. It looks like an intimate, throwback ballpark and I look forward to watching David Wright double in Jose Reyes there for years, but there is part of me that is sad.

I've known no other ballpark in my young life and part of my youth will crumble when Shea is demolished. Let's enjoy our dump because after all, it's ours....

# posted by BTracy @ 8:12 PM
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