Retired Numbers - New York Mets
The Mets are like a Chinese knock-off toy. You know, when you go to a 99cent city in the basement level of a sketchy mall where they have that weird toy section in the back where you find a Spider-Man figure painted to look like Batman and the package is labeled as "Super Team Force" or something that can't be sued over...yeah, that's the Mets. When you take a NY Giants figure, paint it to look like the Brooklyn Dodgers, add Yankees pinstripes for good measure and label the package "New York Baseball Team" or "New York Metropolitan Players"
Anyway, all kidding aside, here are the famous New York Metropolitan players.
#14 - Gil Hodges
#16 - Dwight Gooden
New York baseball in the 80's was a whirlwind of "If only..." hypotheticals. On the AL side, the story was "If only Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner went to couples counseling" and on the NL side it was "If only Strawberry and Gooden stayed clean." Dwight Gooden took the pitching world by storm when he debuted in 1984 and became the youngest player in history win win the Rookie of the Year award. He followed that up by winning the pitching triple crown and the Cy Young award in 1985. And to complete the trilogy, in 1986 he helped lead the Mets to winning the World Series. All three of those years (and 1988) were all star seasons for Dwight. Problems with alcohol, drugs, injuries and the law all weighed down Gooden's career after '86, but the Mets couldn't deny the impact of Dr. K.
#17 - Keith Hernandez
Who does he think he is? He's Keith Hernandez. The 1st Baseman of the 1986 World Series champions, one of the best defensive players of the 80s, and (for better or worse) the life of the party in Queens. Traded to the Mets in 1983, he continued his string of consecutive Gold Glove season until 1988. Meanwhile, he won a Silver Slugger in 1984, and went to the all star game as a Met in '84, '86 and '87. In '87, he was named as the first team captain in Mets history. With the Cardinals, he wore #37, but he needed to choose a different number with the Mets since it was retired for Casey Stengel. Now, anyone who wears 17 will have to pick something else because that number belongs to Hernandez.
#18 - Darryl Strawberry
#24 - Willie Mays
Willie Mays had a long and proud career in New York starring for the Giants. He left with them for San Francisco, but in 1972 the Mets traded to bring him back to the city where he'd end his career. The final 2 seasons of Willie saw the final 2 of a string of 24 straight all star games. In 2022, the Mets honored one of the best Centerfielders in history by adding his number to the collection of all time Mets.
#31 - Mike Piazza
One of the best hitting Catchers in baseball history, Mike Piazza's Mets career is almost entirely covered by the original Showdown cards. He arrived in 1998, and stuck around until 2005, collecting 7 of his 12 all star nods (yes, the 1998 all star game was played as a Met) as well as 5 of his 10 Silver Sluggers. He helped the 2000 Mets finally get over the hump and back winning the NL pennant. And of his 427 career Home Runs, arguable the biggest one of them all was the shot he hit at home in 2001 when baseball was finally getting started again after the 9/11 attacks stopped everything.
#36 - Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman did his best work as a Met from 1967-1978, where he'd make 2 all star teams. When the Miracle Mets needed a pitching hero in the 1969 World Series, they turned to Koosman. After dropping Game 1, Koosman stifled the Orioles in Game 2 for 8 2/3 innings to pick up the W. He then pitched and won the series clinching Game 5, giving the Mets their first ever title.
#37 - Casey Stengel
The Ol' Perfessor was already one of baseballs all time greatest managers when he was dismissed by the New York Yankees after 1960, so who better to lead the newest NY franchise when it debuted in 1962? With a brand new team without much in the way of talent, Stengel was the main attraction. There was no question to how bad the Mets were during those first three seasons, and Stengel wouldn't hide that fact with his sarcastic attitude and candid opinions. In '65 he stepped away from his duties and retired, and the Mets quickly honored their first managers number.
#41 - Tom Seaver
The Mets have made some trades in their history that the fanbase has looked back on with shame. Trading away Tom Seaver is without question one of the biggest examples. From 1967-77 and 1983, Tom Terrific was the star of the New York Mets. The ace of the staff, he led the Miracle Mets to their 1969 championship. The 1967 Rookie of the Year, a 3 time Cy Young winner and 9 time all star with the Mets, Seaver would go on to be the all time leader in Wins for the franchise. After his trade to the Reds in 1977, it just so happened that the all star game was being held at Yankee Stadium that year, and the Met fans showed where their allegiances lied as they gave him a standing ovation, while Shea Stadium attendance would begin to nosedive. When the Hall of Fame came calling in 1992, Seaver broke the record (at the time) for highest percentage of the vote.
Ralph Kiner
A Hall of Famer in his playing days, the New York Mets remember Ralph Kiner as the voice of their team from 1962-2013. His broadcasting work with the Mets earned him a local Emmy. After his death, the Mets honored him with a microphone among their retired numbers.
Bob Murphy
Along with Kiner in the booth, Murphy called Mets games from their inaugural season mostly via radio until 2003. A very optimistic announcer, it took a lot for the Mets to frustrate him. A Ford C. Frick award winner and member of the Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame, the Mets honored him with a microphone of his own among the retired numbers,
SHEA - William Shea
When the Dodgers and Giants left NYC for the west coast, leaving the National League with no team in the Empire State, William Shea decided to do something about it. His first idea was to lure an existing team into relocation. No one took him up on the offer. Next, he advocated for the league to expand additional teams and award a new franchise to New York. That too was a bust. Out of options, Shea threatened to create a new baseball league, the Continental League, and place a team in New York. MLB, not wanting competition, decided to rethink their expansion denial and Shea abandoned the Continental League idea. So because of Williams Shea's stubbornness, we not only have the Mets, but by extension also the Rangers, Astros and Angels. Though only the Mets saw a need to name their stadium after the man and put "SHEA" in their collection of retired greats.
