New York Mets – Baseball Travels

Fenway Park, Boston MA

First visit: Sunday April 18th 1999
Most recent visit: Sunday May 24th 2009

Our first visit to this baseball cathedral came in April 1999. We did not arrive together; my brother came up to Boston with some friends, and I traveled south from Yarmouth ME (just northeast of Portland). For me, the trip took about two and one-half hours, traveling south along Interstate 95. While the drive to Boston was uneventful, the drive through Boston was anything but. Since Fenway Park is nestled within the city, I had to navigate my way through downtown to reach it, which took longer than I expected. Having been to Fenway Park before (in 1996), I knew that there was precious little parking around the stadium, and I was shocked by the price of parking (which was about $30 back then), leaving my car in a gas station parking lot.

As expensive as the parking was for the Fenway, I was just across the street from the oldest MLB park. Not surprisingly, the neighborhood around the ballpark was packed, as vendors sold food, drinks and programs outside the park (often at greatly reduced prices). Fans milled around outside the stadium, as legions of others debarked from the “T” train (shorthand for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority or MBTA). This would be the last time I would drive to Fenway; taking the T from outside the the city to the park made so much more sense, with the Fenway Station stop a mere 500 feet from the park. If I wasn’t in a baseball mood coming up to Fenway, the sight of the venerable stadium and the buzz of the crowd would have certainly set the mood for me!

Ted Williams immortalized in bronze outside Fenway Park. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Entering the stadium from the home plate entrance, I emerged into the bright milky sunshine of Fenway Park. Much like I had seen on TV for so many years, the view of the stadium was dominated by the Green Monster. Almost a mythical presence, the Monster is one of the most recognizable ballpark features (along with the ivy in Wrigley Field) in baseball. Part of Fenway since it opened in 1912, the Monster has changed its appearance over the years, most notably adding seats at the top for the 2003 season. Beyond the Monster lies the iconic Citgo sign, another instantly recognizable feature to baseball fans. Unbeknownst to me before visiting, the sign is about one-quarter of a mile from Fenway; it looks much closer on TV.

After meeting up with my brother and his friends, we toured the ballpark. While the playing field and walls of Fenway Park are kept in good shape, the same cannot be said of the concourse stretching behind the seating areas from left field through home plate to right field. Actually, I was surprised to see how much this area has aged in comparison to the rest of the ballpark. In any event, we saw the staff at the concession stands standing with their arms crossed, not looking particularly friendly; I later read that this is a normal pose for them when not occupied. As was typical for me, I purchased hot dogs and a Coke before heading to our seats.

The bullpens at Fenway Park. Red Sox right fielder Dwight Evans made an amazing catch here to rob Cincinnati’s Joe Morgan of a go ahead home run in the top of the 10th inning of Game Six of the 1975 World Series. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

On that afternoon, we saw the Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Devils Rays, sitting near the right field foul pole. Though the view from the seats was not exactly fan friendly, I was just glad to be there. Sunshine and relatively light winds allowed temperatures to rise into the lower 60s (17 degrees C), which is pleasantly warm for northern New England in mid April. While the game was mostly unremarkable (as the Rays beat the Sox 5-1), my most vivid memory of the game (outside of finally visiting Fenway) was Jose Canseco’s solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. Fenway Park has short fences in both left and right field (though the Monster takes away some home runs due to its height), but no park (outside of Yellowstone) was going to hold the ball hit by Canseco. That home run was one of the longest home runs I have ever seen personally, easily clearing the top of the Monster, sailing over Lansdowne Street into the parking lot behind it.

For much of the rest of the game, I was marveling at the fact that I WAS AT FENWAY PARK! Along with Wrigley Field in Chicago, this ballpark is steeped in baseball tradition that dated back to World War I. As a kid, I watched the 1975 World Series from Fenway, which was one of the best series ever played. As a young adult, I saw the New York Mets sweep the games played here in the 1986 World Series on TV as well. Many Hall of Famers called Fenway home, and over a 40 year period (from the early 1940s through the early 1980s), only three players manned left field on a regular basis, and each one of these players is in the Hall of Fame. Though some changes had been made to the ballpark since my youth, it was still very much the stadium I remember from TV for all of those years.

A panorama of Fenway Park from the upper deck to the right of home plate. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Our second trek to Fenway Park together occurred on Sunday, May 24th 2009, as the Red Sox were hosting the New York Mets for the final game of a weekend series. My brother was visiting me in the Maine, and we drove down to Suffolk Downs (a racetrack), located outside of Boston. Parking there, we took the Green Line of the MBTA rail system to Fenway Park. Though the train ride was about 30 minutes, it was still faster (and cheaper) to park and ride than to drive to Fenway Park and attempt to find parking. As was the case a decade ago, the area outside of Fenway Station was buzzing with Sox fans, and that continued through our short walk to the ballpark. With a little more time to explore than our previous sojourn, we wandered through the neighborhood immediately around the park.

Jersey Street was reminiscent of Eutaw Street in Baltimore, with a wide variety of restaurants and food vendors near Fenway, serving practically any type of cuisine you could desire. Like Eutaw Street, we did not partake in the local food, but based on the number of people indulging, it appeared as though you could have a good afternoon simply sampling the food and drink the area has to offer. Instead, we chose to walk around the park. This time, my brother armed with his camera, we lit out, taking picture of the exterior of Fenway Park.

People milling around outside of Fenway Park well before game time. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As we past the left field wall, we saw a cab pull up to the curb. As the occupant exited, there was an audible murmur from the people nearest the vehicle. As we got closer, we could see that it was Mets centerfielder, Carlos Beltran. It seemed odd that (a) Beltran would get to the stadium so late (as I was sure the remainder of his teammates were already in the clubhouse), and (b) that the perennial All Star, who was near the end of a seven year, $119 million contract, would opt for a cab, and not a limo. Beltran disappeared quickly, not interacting with any of the cadre of Mets fans who were at Fenway for the weekend series.

After finishing our tour of the exterior of the park, we entered Fenway through the home plate entrance. Because the Red Sox were playing so well, tickets to the park were nearly impossible to obtain outside of third party resellers, and those prices were exorbitant. A coworker offered us his standing room only (SRO) tickets for the game. Since we NEVER choose the SRO option for games, we were not aware of the potential pitfalls of those accommodations. Once you enter the park with SRO tickets, you need to stake your claim at the rail of your choice and hold onto it for the remainder of the game. Had I known what an SRO ticket entailed, I would have paid the bloated prices for seats, even if they were obstructed (as there are still obstructed seats at Fenway, most of which are blocked by support girders in the lower levels).

The view from behind home plate during batting practice. This was definitely NOT our view for the game. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Though it had been a decade since our last visit, I was just as excited to be there that day, especially because the Mets were in town. We wandered the lower concourse toward right field after visiting the home plate area. It was still fairly early, but we noticed there was a fairly large contingent of Mets fans lining the right field line, which was a bit surprising considering the availability of tickets for the game. Walking to the right field bleachers, we reached the extent to which we could explore in that direction, so we headed toward the left field line and the Green Monster. We weren’t able to visit the seats of the Monster, as they section had a separate entrance from the street below.

A panorama of Fenway Park from centerfield. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Having explored as thoroughly as possible, it was time for us to find a place from which we would view the game on this warm and humid afternoon. Not surprisingly, most of the rails already had a couple of lines of spectators near them, which meant we would have to keeping looking for a spot, finally settling on a mediocre view of the action down the left field line. About 15 minutes before game time, a thunderstorm made its presence known north of the stadium. Though the storm was still a good distance away, it was clear that it was strong, and heading our way. Despite the clear and present danger, the decision was made to start the game, even as the ferocious storm neared.

A view of downtown Boston over the center field bleachers on this hazy, warm and humid afternoon at Fenway Park. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As the Mets took the field for the bottom of the first inning, the storm struck. Gusty winds, torrential rains, vivid lightning and continuous thunder accompanied the squall, sending the sellout crowd scurrying for cover. While it was clear this storm was going to impact the stadium, the game was started anyway, and I was at a loss to explain why the umpires would allow this to occur. A 45 minute rain delay ensued, as the fans in the tightly packed concourse waited increasingly impatiently for the storm to pass, if for no other reason than being able to get out of the concourse. When play resumed, both starting pitchers came back out, but had the rain delay lasted much longer, that might not have been the case.

Some entertainment on the videoboard as we waited for the storm to pass. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

In 2009, the New York Mets were on the decline, after having some success earlier in the decade, while the Red Sox were a bit more than a year removed from their latest world championship. That did not bode well for the Mets, but both starting pitchers were ineffective (due to the rain delay?), resulting in a mini slugfest through the first half of the game. After that time, the potent Sox offense feasted in the beleaguered Mets bullpen, and the their chances for victory faded after that point. All the while, we were relegated to viewing action from a couple of rows from the railing, which was a dismal experience. With the Mets losing, and tiring of the poor vantagepoint, we did something we have only done a handful of times in the nearly 40 years of seeing baseball games together; we left before the end of the game.

A close up of the Green Monster from the lower level field seats. The hand operated scoreboard was one of the last of its kind, but newer ballparks started installing them for the retro feel. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Disappointed by the bad look at the action, we headed out to catch the “T” back to Suffolk Downs. Though this experience was not as good as the first, it WAS still Fenway Park. With so many features, quirks and landmarks, it would be difficult to cover all of them in this missive. It is one of my favorite parks (even more so than Wrigley Field, its contemporary), even though it IS aging. In need of a facelift at least, perhaps it is time to consider a new home for the Sox, leaving Fenway Park in place as a living museum, a reminder of what baseball once was. This opinion does NOT align with most fans, but I would prefer that the ballpark NOT go through the same changes as Wrigley Field, which could alter Fenway Park so much that the original stadium becomes unrecognizable.

The view from the right field foul pole, dubbed the “Pesky Pole”, as Red Sox 2B Johnny Pesky would occasionally take advantage of the short porch near the line. These were our seats for the first visit to Fenway. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Shea Stadium/Citi Field Queens, New York

Shea Stadium from the subway platform across Roosevelt Boulevard. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Shea Stadium (1982-2008)

First visit: Sunday August 15th 1982
Last visit: Thursday September 25th 2008

For much of my life as a baseball fan, the New York Mets (my favorite squadron) were bad or awful, and 1982 was no exception. Though I was a lifelong Mets fan, I had not been to the venerable Shea Stadium. My MLB baseball experiences to that point had been relegated to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia PA and Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. Since we did not have access to a car in the early days, we took bus trips to see MLB games, and until 1982, we did not find any bus tours to Shea.

My brother and I decided to change that, and arranged to see the Chicago Cubs against the hometown Mets on August 15, 1982. Not having a car, and with no bus tours available for that game, we concocted what I now recognize as a risky plan to get to Shea Stadium. We took a NJ Transit bus from our hometown on the Jersey Shore to Port Authority in Manhattan. From there, we walked around the corner to catch the Number 7 train to Shea Stadium. Though this doesn’t seem particularly risky, I should add that I was 17 years old, and my brother was 10. Neither of us had ever ridden the subway, so we learned as we went. Of course, even at 17 I did not realize the precariousness that I placed both of us in with the trip. It was until many years later that my brother told me that I told our mother that we were taking a bus tour to Shea, so she had NO idea what we were doing. Mom would have NEVER allowed us to do anything so foolhardy, and I assume that’s why I lied to her.

Shea Stadium from the upper deck behind home plate. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Upon arrival, I was stunned by the size of Shea Stadium, as it was MUCH larger in person than on TV. We walked around a bit before looking for our seats. Not having a good idea of how the stadium was laid out, we found the correct seats numbers, but after consulting with an usher, we found that we were on the wrong level. Instead of the Loge, we were in the Mezzanine, one level up. We marveled at the fact that were were actually there, after talking about it for so long. By that time, Shea Stadium was 18 years old, and was beginning to show its age. The Mets were still sharing Shea with the New York Jets, and maintaining cleanliness within the stadium itself was a monumental challenge. Despite that, the playing field was in great shape, and we were set to enjoy the game.

Back in those days, Sunday afternoon games typically started at 130 PM, and we were a bit perplexed as to why this game was starting at 100 PM. We discovered that the Cubs and Mets would play a doubleheader that day, with Banner Day occurring in between games. My brother asked if we could stay for both games; from my perspective, we were doing fine, and I said yes without first checking to make sure we could make the necessary connections to get us back home. Though the Mets were stumbling toward the end of yet another dismal season, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The Shea Stadium scoreboard, complete with the Manhattan skyline on the top. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Shea Stadium was a multipurpose facility that was built as a home for the New York Mets and New York Jets. Opening in 1964, it underwent MANY changes from that time to our first visit some 18 years later. When we first saw Shea in 1982, it was already looking a bit haggard, and at times unkempt. With a seating capacity of over 56,000, Shea was an open air behemoth. Because of its size, it lacked the intimacy and accessibility of the “newer” parks. When the team was bad (which was often), the place seemed empty, only amplifying the hugeness of the venue. However, Shea Stadium housed our favorite team, and when the Mets were playing well, the place would literally SHAKE, making it feel like home.

At times, when Shea looked more drab and lifeless than usual, I would refer to it as a “toilet” (which the smell would occasionally bear out). But it was OUR toilet! While the ushers were helpful and generally polite, the same could NOT be said of the concession staff. Aramark was the vendor at Shea for many years, and seemingly each and every member of that team was surly and uncooperative. That feeling was verified when we began traveling, finding that the behavior of the vendors at Shea was unique to that park. Conversely, the vendors that hawked the food and beverages through the seating areas were typically more helpful. Hearing the calls of the beer vendors at Shea on TV was one of my first baseball memories (BEER HERE!).

A Spirit Airlines flight passing just beyond the upper deck in left field of Shea Stadium. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Located a mere three miles from LaGuardia Airport on the shore of Flushing Bay, players and fans alike were subjected to the seemingly unending air traffic during games. As winds turned to the south across western Long Island, the air traffic was routed directly over the stadium. That switch resulted in the roar of departing aircraft every minute or so (at least during the day). When this occurred, it was not unusual for players (especially visitors) to step out of the batter’s box and step off the pitching rubber to let the cacophony subside before resuming play. After a while, at least as a fan, you could begin to filter out the noise, or at least become accustomed to it; that was just a part of the experience.

We did not often go to big games in Mets history. Early on, just getting the Shea was difficult, and when the Mets were good, tickets were either difficult to come by, or we were priced out of the market. However, a few moments do jump out at me. Perhaps one of my very favorite memories was watching Tom Seaver strike out Pete Rose (then playing with the Philadelphia Phillies) to open the 1983 season. Others include seeing Kevin McReynolds hit not one but two walk off grand slam home runs, as well as the Mets winning the last game for us at Shea in 2008, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. Much of my joy was just seeing the games in a place I grew to love, even though my team was not good very often.

My brother posing next to the spot where Tommie Agee hit what was reputed to be the longest home runs in the history of Shea Stadium. Personally, I believe Dave Kingman hit a few balls further, but most of his titanic blasts landed in the parking lot, and were not measured.

Of course, I could write an endless story when it comes to Shea Stadium. Far from the nicest ballpark we have visited, it grew on us over the years, and by the time it was ready to be replaced, I lamented its loss. Fans were unruly, stadium staff could be unpleasant, early season night games were almost interminably cold, and the team was not very good for much of the time we visited. Even with all of that, it maintains a special place on my heart. It WAS a toilet, but it was OUR toilet. RIP Shea Stadium!

A view of the nearly complete Citi Field behind Shea Stadium. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes

Panorama of Citi Field on Saturday, August 24th 2013. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Citi Field (2009-2015)

First visit: Saturday May 9th 2009
Most recent visit: Sunday August 16th 2015

Our first visit to the newly minted Citi Field (built in the parking lot of Shea Stadium) came on Saturday, May 9th 2009, about a month after the doors opened for the first time. While wandering around the ballpark, we noticed that the Mets denoted the locations of the mound, home plate and each of the bases of the recently departed Shea Stadium with plaques in the Citi Field parking lot. Featuring a much nicer exterior than Shea, it seemed as though New York Mets baseball had finally joined the 21st century. Entering the ballpark through the rotunda (which was a replica of the rotunda that adorned Ebbets Field), the Mets Hall of Fame is located to the right of the spiral staircase. A quick visit revealed various displays and exhibits, including a couple of Tom Seaver’s Cy Young Awards, as well as a nod to the 1969 and 1986 World Champions.

Following our excursion to the Mets Hall, we headed out to explore the new park. Unlike Shea Stadium, the lower concourse of Citi Field encircled the ballpark, allowing us unfettered access to the park. One of the most notable features of the stadium was Shea Bridge, located beyond the center field wall. Named as a tribute to William Shea, the driving force behind the return of National League baseball to New York City, the wrought iron bridge was immediately a fan favorite. Just below the Shea Bridge were the bullpens, with the Mets bullpen covered from the elements. In centerfield there were bleachers, something Shea never had, and above the bleachers was an impressive video board. Obviously designed as a Citi Field centerpiece, the video board was a significant upgrade to the video system located behind the left field wall at Shea Stadium. Completing the circuit along the lower concourse, we crossed behind the left field stands moving toward home plate.

Shea Bridge at Citi Field, located just above the Mets bullpen. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Rather than follow the trend of the “newer” MLB parks, Citi Field was built with four decks extending from foul line to foul line. Accommodating these decks robbed the ballpark of intimacy, though many of the seats were closer to the field than Shea. In addition, only a portion of center field was open, with the remainder of the park enclosed by seats. To be fair, there isn’t much to see outside of the ballpark, but enclosing the stadium made it feel confined, reminiscent of the multi purpose stadiums of the 1960s and 1970s.

After reaching the rotunda once again, we climbed the staircase to the 300 level, where we had seats just to the left of home plate. Not surprisingly, there was a good crowd for the Saturday matinee, and it appeared as though most of the 42,000 seats were occupied before the first pitch. While waiting for the start of the game, I was surprised to see all of the seats across the park were forest green. While I didn’t expect to find the seats colored by level (as Shea was), it might have been better to have Mets blue for the seat color. It then struck me that there was not a clear indication that Citi Field was the home of the Mets. Citi Field’s size and lack of character was disappointing. Clearly, this was our first glimpse of the Mets new home, but I was NOT impressed.

The Big Apple made the trip from Shea Stadium to Citi Field, perched in the batter’s eye in centerfield. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Unbeknownst to me, the first pitch that afternoon was going to be thrown by a member of Howard Stern’s SiriusXM crew. Gary “Baba Booey” Dell’Abate was representing an autism awareness group, and graciously agreed to throw the first pitch before the start of the 110 PM contest. Dell’Abate confidently strode to the mound, toed the pitching rubber, and delivered the pitch. Unfortunately, the toss was VERY wild, hitting the home plate umpire, who was a few feet to the left of the plate. At first, I believed that Gary had intentionally thrown the ball that way, for comedic effect. Based on the reaction of the umpire, as well as the players on the field, it quickly become evident that the pitch was no joke. Dell’Abate appeared to shrug off the bad throw, waving to fans as he departed the playing field.

Thinking that the poor first pitch would be confined to Citi Field, Gary would later be horrified to discover that the pitch would become fodder for mainstream media. Any Howard Stern fan would tell you that Dell’Abate would receive the worst of the teasing from his compatriots, and that pitch is still celebrated on the show, more than a decade later.

Howard Stern producer Gary Dell’Abate delivering the infamous first pitch at Citi Field on May 9th 2009. Note starting pitcher John Maine standing behind the mound. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

While the ballpark was something of a disappointment (at least compared to Nationals Park in DC and Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia), it was a breath of fresh air for Mets fans, and hopefully a harbinger of good things to come. However, almost immediately I found myself missing Shea Stadium, as Citi Field lacked anything with which I could easily connect. The stadium felt almost sterile at times, and we found ourselves less drawn to this place as we were to its predecessor.

At first, we managed to attend a handful of games at Citi Field each year. As time passed, with little in the way of attraction to the ballpark, our visits became less frequent. Getting to Shea Stadium/Citi Field from NJ was never an easy task. Driving was far more trouble than it was worth, and taking the train to Manhattan, then catching the Number 7 subway to the ballpark often required three plus hours to complete (each way). Thus, a visit to Citi Field was a significant investment in time and energy, and eventually we would make the trek once a year (preferring to see the Mets in Philadelphia, which was closer and arguably offered a better baseball experience within the confines of Citizen Bank Park).

The skyline from the scoreboard at Shea Stadium also made the trip to Citi Field, mounted above the Shake Shack. Great food is available at the Shack, but wait times are often prohibitive. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Our most recent visit to Citi Field was Sunday, August 16th 2015, to see the Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates. As can happen during the summer, the game was marred by weather delays, as storms developed over the ballpark itself (providing an alarmingly close look at the lightning!), requiring us to take shelter several times during the game. We DID have tickets to Game 5 of the 2015 National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs, but quite unexpectedly the Mets swept the Cubs, and the game didn’t happen. Since then, we decided that the time and effort to see the Mets at home was not worth it, and have not been back.