Mr. Met - History

History

Mr. Met was first introduced on the cover of game programs, yearbooks, and on scorecards in 1963, when the Mets were still playing at the Polo Grounds in northern Manhattan. When the Mets moved to Shea Stadium in 1964, fans were introduced to a live costumed version. Mr. Met is believed to have been the first mascot in Major League Baseball to exist in human (as opposed to artistically rendered) form. He was also the first person on the Mets to be represented by a bobblehead doll.

In the 1960s, he occasionally appeared in print with a female companion, Lady Met (sometimes known as "Mrs. Met"), and less frequently with a group of three "little Mets" children; the smallest was a baby in Lady Met's arms.

In the mid-1970s, the Met franchise dissolved the Mr. Met mascot, and he remained absent for almost 20 years. Unfortunately, he was phased out prior to the upsurge in mascot popularity caused by The Famous Chicken and the Phillie Phanatic in the late '70s. In 1992, long time Met fan, Lois Kaufmann of Queens, New York, wrote a compelling appeal for his reinstatement and asking the Mets to resurrect the mascot. The team did not act quickly or grant Lois her request to be Mr. Met. However, in 1994, they did follow her advice and revived Mr. Met as part of a promotion with Nickelodeon. After a long absence, Mr. Met was quickly reembraced by New York Mets fans and has since remained a constant part of the franchise.

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On April 14, 2002, the Mets held a birthday party for Mr. Met at Shea Stadium. It was attended by costumed mascots from all around Major League Baseball and by Sandy the Seagull, mascot of the Brooklyn Cyclones, a Mets farm team.

In the 2003 season, first baseman Tony Clark was the first Met ever to wear #00, Mr. Met's number. In June of that season, he switched to #52 when Queens schoolchildren asked him what had happened to Mr. Met.

On September 14, 2007, Mr. Met was elected into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Beginning on August 14, 2009, throughout their series against the San Francisco Giants, the Mets wore throwback jerseys featuring a Mr. Met patch on the right sleeve.

Currently, Mr. Met can be seen at Citi Field during and after games. He is usually found near Mr. Met's Kiddie Field where fans can meet and pose for pictures with him. He can be rented for special events and private parties. Mr. Met is also featured on Mets Money, which are $1, $5 and $10 denomination gift certificates accepted at concession stands and souvenir shops at Citi Field. The design is somewhat reminiscent of standard U.S. currency, but instead features images of Mr. Met attired and posed similarly to the historical official (Washington, Lincoln or Hamilton) featured on the respective bill.

The original Mr. Met head is now on display at the New York Mets Hall of Fame and Museum at Citi Field.He Is "Baseball's Favorite Mascot"