Loge 13

Shea Ramblings

2008-10-09T18:12:00Z

A few unrelated items I wanted to quickly post:

* In the 12 days since Shea's last game, I've noticed Met fans go right from depression to outright anger. The Shea auction has inspired alot of perturbed posts throughout the blogiverse. This item on Kranepool Society is just one example. I'm sure the economy is not helping our moods either. In fact, the two are related. Met ownership seems oblivious to the circumstances affecting its customer base. Hence, the constant spam about trying to sell off our favorite stadium - including $185 generic bathroom signs - to the highest bidders.

* While Mets ownership has wasted no time selling off Shea Stadium's spare parts (and spare "S"s - only $2,500!), they have been less aggressive returning our actual money we all laid out for postseason tickets. As has been noted in the comments of other posts, what are they waiting for? As partial season ticket holders, we're used to the Mets holding our cash as down payments on next year's tickets, a neat trick that lets them pocket the interest while creating the illusion that we're a part investor in the team. Since no ticket plans have been offered, what's the hold-up?

* On an earlier post, Mary Ellen commented that she called the Mets ticket office and asked about the status of partial season tickets at Citi Field. According to ME: "He [the ticket guy] told me they will be offered but it is still unknown what type of plans.

When I mentioned that the Yankees are doing it he got all annoyed with me."

Therefore, I encourage all of you to call the Mets ticket office at 1-718-507-TIXX (8499) and ask if and when the Mets plan to offer partial season tickets for Citi Field. I just did and was told Mets management has been in meetings "almost every day" since the season ended and we should hear something in the next few weeks or the next 1-2 months.

That number again is 718-507-TIXX

* Finally, a couple of Loge13 commenters have said that, in honor of Shea Stadium, they will never park over the hallowed ground of Shea's field next year or ever. I think that's a great tribute and I will do the same.

Shea Stadium - The Auction

2008-10-08T13:03:01Z

The Mets announced today the auction of various Shea Stadium stuff.

"Even though Shea Stadium has gone dark, and will be gone soon," we are told, "Mets fans can bid for many items both inside and outside of their team's former home."

First of all, I prefer not to think of Shea as our team's FORMER home. The way Citi Field tickets have been positioned, Shea Stadium is, more accurately, the LAST home for real Mets fans...outside of our REAL homes from which we will be watching most if not all Met games for the rest of our lives.

But back to the auction. The first items up for bid are kind of a hodge-podge of random things around the stadium. Here's a bathroom door sign. Only $185.

No interest? OK, here's a 1991 Yearbook cover for only $250.

Already got one? OK how about the letter "S" from the top of Shea Stadium, for $2,500. But hold on Vanna White. There are two "S''s up there. Which one am I buying? Wouldn't the Shea "S" be more expensive than the Stadium "S"? Get me PriceWaterHouse Coopers, assuming they're still in business.

But speaking of not still in business, this has to be the most ridiculous item on the block:

Who would pay $1,375 for this? Hank Greenberg, maybe. But given that the U.S. government paid $85 billion to bail out AIG, doesn't Uncle Sam technically own this sign?

And since my tax dollars are supporting the current bailout, don't I technically own this sign?

In fact, I was told the cost of the giant bailout/rescue plan per American family was roughly $2,300. That means, I already paid for this sign...and then some. Therefore, Mets organization, please send me my AIG outfield sign and a check for $925.

Unless you got some more cool bathroom signs.

Jane Jarvis Show

2008-10-06T13:09:56Z

I got a nice note from the planning committee for the All Nite Soul jazz festival at St. Peter’s Church in New York City to be held on October 12^th.

This year they are honoring are honoring Benny Powell and Shea Stadium legend Jane Jarvis.

If you're looking for a good way to get over your Shea blues, this might be it. I'm pretty sure St. Peter's Church will do a better job honoring Jane than the Mets did on Billy Wagner Bobblehead day back in August.

Here is the press release on the event. Some excerpts:

The Jazz Ministry at Saint Peter’s Church announces
The 38th Annual
All Nite Soul
with nearly 100 Musicians

Honoring Legendary Jazz Musicians
Benny Powell and Jane Jarvis

Sunday, October 12, 2008
(Columbus Day Weekend)

Jazz Vespers at 5 PM with the Tia Fuller Quartet
All Nite Soul concert at 7 PM

$20 Suggested Donation

619 Lexington (at 54th Street), New York City

    New York, NY – Saint Peter’s Church, known worldwide as the “Jazz Church,” will present its 38th Annual All Nite Soul on October 12, 2008, beginning with Jazz Vespers at 5 PM, featuring the Tia Fuller Quartet and continuing at 7 PM with nearly a hundred musicians performing live music until early Monday morning, Columbus Day. Homemade “soul food” will be sold in the Hungry Souls Café.

   All Nite Soul, a benefit for the Jazz Ministry, annually honors major figures in the jazz world. This year’s honorees are trombonist Benny Powell and pianist Jane Jarvis. Both are highly respected and loved in the jazz community and have long-standing connections with The Jazz Ministry.

Musicians who will perform include Benny Powell and Jane Jarvis, Dr. Billy Taylor, Randy Weston, Frank Wess, Dick Katz, Carline Ray, Jared Schonig, Catherine Russell, Dave Stryker, Steve Slagle, Darcy James Argue and the Secret Society Big Band, Jimmy Owens, Reggie Workman, Billy Hart, Steve Turre, Sarah McLawler, Rolando Briceno, Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, Sam Newsome, Helen Sung, Bernice Brooks, Bertha Hope, Chip Jackson, Francina Connors, Aaron Diehl, Gene Bertoncini, Sara Caswell, Jon Cowherd, T.K. Blue, Paul Knopf, Omer Klein, Ziv Ravitz, John Ellis, Billy Harper, Andrew Cyrille, Charles Tolliver, Chandra Rule, Ted Poor, Sayuri Goto, Essiet Essiet, Rhythmic Prophecies, Melissa Stylianou, Jamie Reynolds, Francesca Tanksley, Barry Harris, Keisha St. Joan, Brian Lynch, Joe Wilder, Dotti Anita Taylor and many others!


    Jane Jarvis, a renowned jazz pianist and composer of more than 300 compositions, has recorded 15 albums and has provided arrangements for numerous other jazz greats. Since 1978 she has concentrated on performing at jazz clubs in New York. In her early career she performed on radio and television. She also worked as the organist at the Milwaukee Braves’ County Stadium and at New York Mets’ Shea Stadium for the first 15 years of its existence. During the ’60s, Jane was employed at Muzak Corporation as staff composer and arranger, and eventually became corporate vice-president and director of recording and programming there. She studied music at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, the Bush Conservatory of Music, Loyola University Chicago, and DePauw University.

Breaking News: Shea Stadium Is Opening!

2008-10-04T00:58:42Z

We take you now to Flushing Queens, October 28, 1961.

New York's leading dignitaries have gathered to break ground on an ultra-modern arena in Queens, which will house the city's fledgling National League team, as well as the New York Titans football franchise and other potential attractions.

The state-of-the-art coliseum is known as Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium, but rumor has it the place may get named after the man who helped bring The Mets into existence - William A. Shea.

Here is your brochure for today's ceremonies. Just click on the thumbnail of each page to get a better view. Then take your seat before the Sanitation Department Band begins to warm up the crowd.

Thanks Bobster! You, as always, are awesome.

Shea Stadium's Felines and Foul Lines

2008-10-03T13:25:10Z

Question: What do stray cats and Met partial season ticket holders have in common?

Answer: There are presently no plans to relocate either party to Citi Field.

Back in July, 2007, I wrote a post about a possible plan to move Shea Stadium's stray cats to Citi Field (See "Fat Cats Sitting Pretty in Citi Field").

Today's Newsday has an update on the situation

Will it be known as Kitty Field?

At least one cat lover wants the Mets to bring Shea Stadium's feral felines to their new home, Citi Field.

"They're part of Mets lore," said Bryan Kortis of Neighborhood Cats, a Manhattan rescue group. "So why not keep them around?"

Since the ballpark opened in 1964, strays have occasionally scampered across the field during games, including one legendary 1969 incident when a black cat pranced in front of the Chicago Cubs dugout. The Mets went on to beat the Cubs for the National League East division title and won the World Series.

A spokeswoman for the city Parks Department said Shea staff believes only one or two cats live at the ballpark. She said when cats are caught, they are taken to shelters.

Anthony Rizzo, the parks department coordinator at Shea, said yesterday he's never seen cats at the stadium.

Kortis estimated the stadium may be home to 20 to 40 cats, based on Shea's size and its proximity to Flushing Bay, which makes the Willets Point section of Queens a haven for rodents.

"When they take out a tarp and roll it and a cat pops up ... it'd be unlikely there'd only be one or two," Kortis said.

The Mets referred questions about the cats to the parks department, which said there is no plan to move the cats to Citi Field. Kortis said cats could be useful at the new ballpark.

"They need cats there because they're right near the water, and if they don't have them, they're going to be overrun with rats," he said.

Shea At The Movies

2008-10-03T13:15:21Z

Shea Stadium starred in a quite a few flicks over the years, without ever going Hollywood on us.

I set up a SHEA AT THE MOVIES category to archive some of those moments. To be honest, though, it was hard to find alot of the clips.

But today, NY1 has done the busy work for us.

Here's a little segment they put together on Shea Stadium's best big screen moments.

The Odd Couple. Men in Black. Bang the Drum Slowly. Three Men and a Little Lady. That's just some of the good films Shea made great (OK I take that back about Three Men and a Little Lady).

And why didn't Bernard Gilkey even get NOMINATED for an Oscar!?!

Shea Stadium As Backdrop

2008-10-03T13:00:22Z

Greg from Faith and Fear sent along this clip and note ( Thanks Greg):

This video seems perfect for posting on Loge 13. It's Shea as backdrop for a conversation between Dan Rather and Baseball Prospectus stats guru Nate Silver, talking about his political polling site fivethirtyeight.com. It's a non-partisan discussion and not particularly interesting but seeing Shea as whole, possibly the last time it was used for filming something that was completely unrelated to the Mets is kind of...well, reassuring.

Even if you're not interested in politics, take a watch to see who exactly is warming up on the field. As they say in presidential elections, very elitist...

Shea Stadium Deconstruction Update Part 2 - Oct. 2, 2008

2008-10-03T03:17:15Z

Earlier, I posted the first Shea deconstruction update, including links to the NY Daily News slide show.

Cousin Bob went by Shea Stadium Thursday night and had this to say:

When I drove by tonight all the seats were gone from the Upper Deck in right field and from the Loge. The crane is set up in center field.

That means Loge13 as we knew it is probably now gone.

Just last week, we watched Wright strand Murphy at 3rd with no outs from Loge13. We rejoiced over Delgado's grand slam.We made fun of some dancing goofball down in the box seats. We celebrated Beltran's single to win the game in the 9th one week ago tonight.

One week later, those seats, that section is gone.

Guess there's nothing left to do but sing:

Images Of Shea Stadium - After The Closing Ceremony

2008-10-03T00:18:26Z

There have been reports that after the game and closing ceremony at Shea Stadium - and after the sold-out crowd had gone home - some Met employees and others stuck around and quietly said good bye to our mortally wounded ballpark.

Bikes was there and sent along a few poignant photos of Shea Stadium in her last hours before the deconstruction:

Thanks Bikes.

Shea Stadium Deconstruction Update - Oct. 2, 2008

2008-10-02T17:33:40Z

Cousin Bob drives by Shea every night while coming home from work. Last night, he reported that the lights were on and crews were hard at work.

They had a crane going in the outfield and the seats in the right field upper deck appeared to be gone already.

A few of you have also sent along this link from the NY Daily News' site today. They have published a short slide show chronicling the deconstruction project so far.

The city is taking Shea's spare parts to use throughout the Parks system.

I gotta be honest: it is really freaky to see photos of Shea getting dismantled. In January we moved to a new house. After three kids, the Kingman brood had outgrown our original home. We had to do it but seeing the old house still brings back memories. And (geniuses that we are), we only moved around the corner so I see my old house every day! The new owners are doing construction too so I'm living this slide show all the time.

Loge13 on NY1 Talking Shea Stadium

2008-10-02T14:33:12Z

NY1 came by Loge13 in September to chat about the closing of Shea Stadium. They interviewed Ron Hunt, myself and Mater Kingman.

Unfortunately, most of the interviews didn't make the final segment. But they did another piece about Shea and Yankee memorabilia and our own Ron Hunt is in there talking about his seats! Plus there is some B-Roll of Loge13 and all of us serenely sitting in our favorite place on earth.

Watch this clip. Loge13 is briefly featured right after the dirt.

Johan Santana Saturday

2008-10-02T02:37:33Z

As bad as Sunday was, Saturday, September 27, 2008 will go down as "The Santana Game."

That was the day Santana made himself a true Met. Pitching on three days rest, Johan went out and threw a dominant 3-hitter in a must-win game for the Mets. We learned that Santana just today had surgery on his left knee, which meant he was also pitching hurt. That dramatic effort would result in the last Met win at Shea Stadium.

Loge13 reader Jim from Joisy was there and sent along some photos. Jim is a fantastic photographer. You can check out his previous offerings here and his full body of work here.

Meanwhile, here are some images from that last Shea Stadium victory:

Bob Murphy Promos

2008-10-01T21:01:23Z

Found this clip. Kinda good to hear Murph's voice...

There Used To Be A Ballpark Called Shea Stadium

2008-10-01T16:53:13Z

The Bobster and Old Blue Eyes collaborated on this tribute to Shea Stadium. If you are still reeling from Sunday's loss to the Marlins and of Shea Stadium, this will not necessarily help your mood. But you must watch.

I want to also take a moment and thank everyone who has e-mailed and commented on the site this week. Y'all have been very generous both with your kindness regarding Loge13.com and, most importantly, about your feelings regarding the end of Shea's days. I definitely think it has helped soften the blow. If you sent me an e-mail, be patient. I'm trying to get back to everyone.

And now for our feature presentation: