But the returning '69 Mets will not be the only visitors that night.
The Phillies Nation blog has arranged a road trip to the Mets-Phillies game on Saturday night. They already have 200 people coming, but they have room for more. From Phillies Nation:
So if you'd like to watch the Phils embarrass the Mets further than they've already done themselves – sign up now!
I can't begrudge Phillies fans from making the trip to New York to see their team in what at the start of the season looked as if it would be an important game.
But what I do not want to see or hear is a disproportionate number of Phillies fans on a night that is meant to honor the Mets.
Fortunately, I expect that most Met fans with tickets to the game are likely to attend to see the celebration, so are unlikely to sell their tickets to Phillies fans.
And if Phillies Nation follows through on their plan to "make a big sign with the NL East standings," I would rather see that than a big sign featuring this:
It is bad enough that the Phillies are twelve games (and counting) ahead of the Mets. But for Citizens Bank Park to have a Wall of Fame with a plaque honoring MET great Tug McGraw, while there is nothing of the sort at Citi Field - now that is truly intolerable.
Photo by wallyg
Okay, Jon, let's review: As part of Mets bullpen but NOT as closer, Tug McGraw won a World Series; as Met closer, Tug lost a World Series and did not win one; as Phils closer, Tug closed out a World Series win. The Phillies had never won a World Series in 98 seasons of trying, until then; the city, not in half a century, since the A's of 1930. It was bigger for Philly than anything the Mets have ever done has been for New York. It was like Brooklyn finally winning in 1955. The Phils have every right to celebrate Tug.
ReplyDeleteBesides, if you want to protest something, protest the fact that both teams soiled Tug's Number 45 by giving it to someone whose misdeeds rival that of any character in a country song -- including those sung by Tug's son Tim and his wife Faith Hill.
I will be nowhere near Pity Field on Saturday. I am going to the belly of the beast, to experience a real rivalry. I'm not saying I'll be getting into Fenway Park (I recently came into some money -- don't worry, nobody died -- but not THAT much money), but I will be in the city of Boston this weekend.
I wonder if I'll run into Ben, Lindsey, and their now four-year old daughter, Carla Yastrzemski Wrightman.