We wrote a few posts recently aboutJane Jarvis, Shea Stadium’s premier music maker. She came up in the news last month after the NYC crane tragedy. A few of us wrote into the Mets asking if they would be remembering Jane in Shea’s final year. You can see at least one reply here.
Loge13 stalwart Bobster sent in his memories of Jane:
Everybody knows how a song can suddenly take you back to a time and place. An oldies station does that, making you remember a high school dance, or a football homecoming, or summer camp.
Reading about the former Mets organist Jane Jarvis certainly does that for me. I'll never forget the sense of anticipation as Jane launched into "Lets Go Mets" and the team stood on the front steps of the dugout at Shea, preparing to run onto the field to start the game. Or hearing that little ditty she played whenever a Met hit a home run (even before they installed the Home Run Apple). Or hearing her play the Mexican Hat Dance for the seventh inning stretch.
Here's a picture of Jane from the 1968 Mets yearbook.
For fans of my generation, the memory of her organ playing returns us to those summers of our youth, especially that magical summer of 1969. I'm glad Jane is starting to get remembered in this final season of Shea Stadium, and hope the Mets give her a fitting tribute this year.
Bobster
Thanks Bobster!
I was hanging with Loge13’s Ron Hunt and Don Hahn Solo last night. Trivia question from Hunt: What kind of organ did Jane Jarvis play?
Comments
The Thomas organ?