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Despite loss, Mets fans stay for Shea closing ceremony

BY ARTHUR STAPLE | arthur.staple@newsday.com

September 29, 2008

John Lennon, a pretty big star who once played at Shea Stadium, had some words that aptly describe the scene for Shea's farewell party.

Strange days, indeed.

How else to report a cheerful goodbye ceremony just an hour after the Mets' 2008 season ended with such a thud?

But a good portion of the 56,059 on hand for the 4-2 loss to the Marlins stuck around for the 50-minute ceremony, which ended with Hall of Famer Tom Seaver throwing one final pitch on the Shea mound to soon-to-be Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza.

Seaver, 63, skipped the pitch to the plate, but never mind that. There were 45 former Mets celebrated on the field, with Piazza and Seaver designated the two biggest names and introduced last. Both got tremendous ovations as they walked out through the centerfield wall just before a fireworks display closed the evening.

But the biggest ovation may have been for Dwight Gooden. The troubled star of the 1986 World Series champions hadn't been back to Shea since the 2000 World Series - and that was as a Yankee. But he was welcomed back with open arms both on the field and before the game, during a rainy red carpet walk attended by several hundred fans outside the stadium.

"It's really heartwarming to see that the fans still support you, and that they're still there, and I wouldn't miss this for anything," Gooden told reporters before the game. "You get goosebumps all over. You try to look forward to what might happen, with expectations, but once you're in it, words can't explain it. It's a great feeling."

A few big names were absent, including Mookie Wilson, Ray Knight and Nolan Ryan, but the group on hand represented a cross-section of the team's history at Shea Stadium.

From the early days, Al Jackson and Ron Hunt; from the 1969 championship team, lesser lights like Wayne Garrett and Jim McAndrew, along with Art Shamsky, Ron Swoboda, Ed Kranepool, Ed Charles, Cleon Jones and Jerry Koosman; from the dark days of the mid-1970s, Dave Kingman, George Foster, Doug Flynn, John Stearns and Craig Swan.

A host of '86 Mets were on hand aside from Gooden: Wally Backman, Tim Teufel, Sid Fernandez (looking very svelte), Jesse Orosco, Lenny Dykstra, Gary Carter and several who work as team broadcasters - Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling, Darryl Strawberry and Lee Mazzilli.

And from the past decade: Robin Ventura, Al Leiter, Todd Zeile, John Franco and Edgardo Alfonzo.

[CORRECTIONS: Yogi Berra was a coach on the Mets' 1969 world championship team. The 1969 season outcome was misstated in a story yesterday. Pg. A13 ALL 9/30/08] Yogi Berra, a coach and manager with the 1969 and 1973 runner-up teams, but usually associated with the guys in the Bronx, got a rousing cheer. So did Willie Mays, whose final two seasons with the Mets, and in baseball, were not great.

Foster and Leiter were booed briefly before cheers took over, strangely. But the fans, despite the unhappiness of the previous three hours, gave the old players a strong send-off.

They had gotten their boos out of the way earlier, especially when several Marlins raced out to scoop some dirt from around home plate to take it with them.

The fans were especially upset when the Marlins celebrated the win on the field. "Off our field!" was the chant, and the Florida players quickly dispersed.

And Mr. Met, who had the privilege of taking down the last "games remaining" sign, got booed pretty loudly.

Ultimately, though, nostalgia took over.

"I've got a lot of memories about this place," owner Fred Wilpon said before the game, "but I think it's time for it to go."

And so it did, even if it felt more like a funeral at times than a celebration.