Of course I know the lyrics to the song Meet the Mets.
It’s been playing in my brain since the early 1960s when Jane Jarvis would play it on the Shea Stadium organ and the crowd would be coaxed to sing along “bring your kiddies, bring your wife, guaranteed to have the time of your life.”
An old Mets record.
And so I loved seeing a jacket of a .45 of the ditty in the Hall of Fame when my dear wife Karen took the trip from A Bitty Better in the Liverpool neighborhood of Galeville to Cooperstown last week.
There is Mets memorabilia all over the joint.
The Old Perfesser.
There’s a statue of the Mets’ first manager, Casey Stengel, a man who could talk his way into any conversation and out of any logical flow of thought. He was wise and wily.
Our first great moundsman.
There’s 20th Century pop art of Tom Seaver, our first great pitcher, the man who brought us to that unlikely and unforgettable initial World Series title in 1969.
My favorite catcher.
There’s a new-inductee exhibit for Mike Piazza, who was inducted in August 2016 with Ken Griffey Jr.
Hover over a gallery photo for a description. Click on an image for an enlarged slide show.
Now we have two players who chose to go in as a New York Met. Tom and Mike.
Our chant, so enchanting.
The photo gallery includes a shot of Homer the Beagle holding a Let’s Go Mets sign, circa 1963. You gotta believe.
Tug McGraw coined it.
Another photo caught the legend of You Gotta Believe, which has spanned all of our World Series appearances, win (1969 and 1986) or lose 1973, 2000, 2015).
There’s an exhibit for the first game back after the horror of 9/11, when the Mets took the field at Shea Stadium wearing hats from first responders who battled the tragedy just across the river at the site of the Twin Towers, so fresh in the memories of the world.
It all made this Mets fan proud, every glimpse of the blue and orange.
I can’t wait to see more famous moments in seasons to come.
Tomorrow: On for a sample at Brewery Ommegang
Which is your favorite baseball team, and what’s your favorite fan story? Which is your favorite photo, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
Pingback: West Coast Mets Fans
Thanks for the link, Westcoastmetsfan!
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you know i’m a sucker for catchers, too ) love the shot of you and mikey p. –
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The interactive photo ops were too much for me to ignore, Beth. You will love it when you come visit Cooperstown (and us.) 🙂
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Well, that was a lovely trip into a museum. I like the feeling it left in me for the excitement of baseball.
My favorite team is the Orioles, but my favorite memory is when we watched the Yankees spring training after we moved from NJ to Florida. We were Yankee fans at the time. I have so many memories of those inexpensive games. Please don’t tell anyone from Maryland that I was a Yankees fan! Oh, I guess as a Mets fan, you wouldn’t like it either. 😐
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I won’t spill the beans, mltrajutz. I had a similar experience when I went from New York to attend the U of Maryland and gradually adopted a fondness for the Orioles. But at least it did not directly conflict with my main love, the Mets, being an American League squad. 🙂
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Great pictures, Mark, today and yesterday. Looking good in your Mets shirt! You know I love this. Less than a month away for opening day!!!
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Thanks, Mike. Yes, we will be rooting for our Metsies for real soon. Yay for the coming of Opening Day!
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I’m glad I met the Mets today, Mark, thanks to you.
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I saw much Red Sox memorabilia as well, Ann. Have you made the trip to Cooperstown yet?
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Not yet ….
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A good summer trip, I’d say.
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