The first time my dear wife Karen and I caught a game at Citi Field, they won behind a one-hitter by R.A. Dickey, the day after Johann Santana pitched the first and still only no-hitter in our beloved New York Mets’ history.
But that was on a tour bus trip from Syracuse just a little more than a month after MDW had surgery to repair her broken kneecap and torn ligaments. She had the outside seat on the left side of the bus to best extend her leg. The Mets folks sent a golf cart to the bus to shuttle us to the stadium gate. We took an elevator up to our seats with the rest of the bus patrons up in the Pepsi Porch in right field.
We did our best to make our way to nearby concession stands, thoroughly enjoyed the game, and walked our way carefully back to they bus. Which wouldn’t start for two hours, by the way, giving us plenty of time to squat on a little square of grass in the parking and listen to our strandees talk about the cool sights they’d taken in around Citi Field.
We vowed to see them all next time.
Which was Saturday. Three years, three weeks, five days later.
Yes, we did.
Karen Miller Bialczak, meet William A. Shea.
That day in 2013, we’d heard how one of the Central New York couples on our bus had gotten engaged on the Shea Bridge. So we took time when we were a little antsy from sitting in the rain — top of the fifth inning, to be exact — to go down two levels from our promenade seating and find the Shea Bridge.
Walk this way, Mets fans.
Mets fans crossing.
It was behind center field. Named to keep the Shea Stadium tradition alive, I think the span is a very good idea for generations of Mets fans to come.
Protected from the elements.
The walk around the outfield was interesting, snaking underneath bleachers above …
That’s another scoreboard facing a plaza.
… and also encountering a huge open-air plaza with a scoreboard that included a video screen showing the game.
A scoreboard behind the scoreboard.
I suppose on a sunny day thousands of folks could gather there to eat, drink and be Mets fans.
Lines to buy but not to eat out.
Earlier this week, I covered how much we enjoyed our first stops, the Rotunda and having our photo taken at the big 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, and the World Series trophies from 1969 and 1986 and much more in the Mets Museum.
If you missed them: The Game, Fans and Friends, Mets Museum, Wet It Was.
Tomorrow: Mets Trip Miscellany
Mark Bialczak 
Wow, Karen is trooper! Sounds like a painful injury.
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It was awful for months, DE. She had to get through the PT, and now all is … better than it was then!
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Thank goodness! I blew my Achilles in 2001 and was on non-weight bearing status for three months. I got to be quite proficient on crutches. Then had ACL reconstruction in 2009. As I remember I did go to Jazz Fest 5 weeks after that. But blowing a knee cap?! Isn’t that what the mob does to people? That is supposed to be the most painful thing, ever. So glad she is doing well now.
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Your two sound perfectly awful as well. Karen fell slipping on a wet floor, landing forward on her knee cap. No Mob Job. Yes, pain, and now she can forecat the weather some, too.
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Oh, and tell Karen, she is beautiful!
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I will, again, DE! Thank you.
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Karen and I would be a hell of a team in a three legged race!
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I’d be rooting you on, DE!
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I like the idea of the Shea bridge. Enjoyed seeing the photos as I have never been to the stadium
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Thanks, Lisa. Our second time, and the next visit won’t be for another few years, I’m sure, with the expense and time factored in. I hope you get the chance to see it. Citi is a worthy successor to Shea.
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Such a beautiful smile your dear wife Karen has. Neat tour of the place.
Happy 4th of July to you and yours!
Having Strawberry Pie at my place! Yum in my Tum!
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Here’s to Yum in Your Tum, dear friend Nancy! Happy Fourth to you and your sweet, sweet man from me and my dear wife Karen. ❤
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THANK YOU!
****** Happy Fourth! ******
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i’ve never been there, but loved your shots, they gave me a real feel for it. and glad you went back –
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Yes, we fit all we could into this one day, Beth. We were glad we went back, for sure. Thanks for your kind words.
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Really neat pictures Mark. That’s an interesting layout at the stadium – very intriguing. Thanks for the walking tour.
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You’re welcome, Paul. They did a good job making it more than a mere ballgame experience, I must say.
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Nice to see Shea Stadium again. I was there once, around 1990. I’m not sure if it’s nice to mention it but I am glad it didn’t rain yesterday or the day before ;).
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That’s fine to mention it, Rose, the way you wiggle around your Cubbie shutouts of my Mets. 😉
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These are the Cubs, Mark. We get our joys where we can find them ^_^
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