After informing MLB that he would be forming a third baseball league, The Continental League, New York attorney William Shea renounced his plans on the basis that MLB would allow four teams for the league into MLB. The Mets entered the league in 1962 and they played at the historic Polo Grounds in Manhattan. By 1964 their new stadium in Flushing Meadows, Shea Stadium was completed and the team moved to Queens. By 1969, the Mets were competing for their first ever World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.
In the 70’s, the Mets acquired outfielder Willie Mays and set a New York attendance record that would stand for 29 years breaking the New York Yankees record set in 1948 which they broke themselves five times. The Yankees took back the record in 1999.
In the beginning of the 1980, the Mets were sold to a group headed by Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilbpon for $21.1 million and in the mid 80’s acquired Hall of Fame Pitcher Gary Carter and won 98 games but still missed the playoffs. The following year (1986) the Mets posted the best ever record in the National League with a 108-54. They took out the Houston Astros in the NLCS and the Red Sox in the World Series.
The team would play well but declined well in to the 1990’s. It wasn’t until the 1998 season that the franchise acquired Mike Piazza from the Miami Marlins but again missed the playoffs by only one game. The following season, Piazza led the Mets back into the playoffs losing the NL Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves. The 2000 season saw the Mets win the National League Championship as a wild card team and earned a trip to the World Series against the New York Yankees.
In 2002, Pitcher AL Leiter defeats the Arizona Diamondback and becomes the first pitcher in the majors to defeat all 30 teams in the league. Later that August, on the 17th, Mike Piazza pops a two-run home run in the 7th inning which moved him past Johnny Bench for second place on the All Time Homers for a Catcher.
The Mets found themselves in a battle for the National League Championship in 2006 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Tony La Russa led his team to an 83-78 record and the Mets were heavy favorites. The series went 7-games and in the 9th inning of the 7th game it was tied 1-1 until St. Louis’s Yadier Molina popped a two-run home run to win the game 3-1.
In 2008, the franchise closed down Shea Stadium and in 2009 opened Citi Field and home was where the team won most of their games with a 41-40 record while on the road the team struggled with a 29-52 record. In 2010, the team looked to rebound from their injury plagued 09 season but failed to do so finishing in 4th place again which led to the firing of manager Jerry and GM Omar Minaya. Buy Mets Tickets and be a part of it all!
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