The New York Mets have a strong following throughout the New York metropolitan area.
As a lifelong New York Mets fan — I was at Shea Stadium for the final game of the ’69 playoffs, when Nolan Ryan and the Mets beat Hank Aaron and the Braves — I’m looking forward to the upcoming World Series as much as anyone. But I’m an arts journalist with a site devoted exclusively to New Jersey arts. Not really an ideal outlet for my fandom.
But … would it be possible for me to put together a post that connects The Mets to the world of New Jersey arts? Of course I can. Here they are.
1. Hoboken indie-rock band Yo La Tengo included this version of the Mets’ theme song, “Meet the Mets,” on Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics, their 2006 compilation of songs recorded live at fundraisers at WFMU-FM in Jersey City.
2. Mets fan Gov. Christie tries his hand at the same song.
3. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band ended their 2002-03 The Rising Tour with three shows at Shea Stadium. This was the last song at the last show.
4. Comedian Jim Breuer, who lives in Chester Township, is the ultimate Mets fan, with his own Mets-related podcast and viral Facebook recap videos.
5. Here’s more of Breuer, riffing on great moments in Mets history.
6. Go to the 17-minute mark of this video to hear Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo discuss the band’s Mets-related name.
7. The late Yogi Berra, who managed The Mets to the World Series in 1973 (and was a longtime Montclair resident), showed off his comedic chops in this 1987 commercial, which also featured a young Jason Alexander (of Livingston) as an extra.
8. Do you want to hear Mets announcers Ralph Kiner and Tim McCarver pay homage to Frank Sinatra by singing “Summer Wind”? Of course you do.
9. New Jersey’s own Joe Piscopo gets a prominent cameo in this 1986 video.
10. Okay, this one may be a bit of a stretch, but here’s Tom Seaver singing a song strongly associated with Sinatra, “Nancy With the Laughing Face,” on television’s “Kraft Music Hall” in 1969, soon after the World Series win. Seaver’s wife’s name is Nancy; they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Bonus video: “Gets Metsmerized,” a rap video featuring members of the world championship 1986 team — including Dwight Gooden, Daryl Strawberry and Lenny Dykstra — came out on the Jersey-based JEM label.
Thanks to Heidi Heleniak, who suggested some of these.
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