Mets make it official: Old-Timers' Day is Aug. 27 at Citi Field

Old-Timers’ Day is officially coming back to Queens.

On Aug. 27, the Mets will host more than 40 former players from throughout the decades — from Frank Thomas, Ron Swoboda and Jon Matlack to Daniel Murphy, Cliff Floyd and Endy Chavez — in their first such celebration since 1994. The announcement Tuesday marked the fulfillment of a promise last winter from owner Steve Cohen.

"Bringing back Old Timers’ Day was one of the most passionate requests I heard from our fans," Cohen said in a statement. "As we celebrate our 60th Anniversary season, having these legendary players return to the ballpark to hear cheers from Mets fans once again is the perfect way to honor our past."

Prior to the scheduled 7:10 p.m. game against the Rockies that Saturday, player introductions will begin at 5 p.m. Gates will open at 4:10 p.m.

During a video conference call with reporters, Robin Ventura said he was excited to see old friends and reminisce about their heyday — and playfully less excited for the rest of the goings-on, a sentiment shared by Murphy and Floyd.

"I don’t know about getting in uniform," Ventura said. "I’m going to have to shape up a little bit."

Murphy added, of his current on-field ability: "Don’t expect too much. I’ve been hitting a lot more golf balls and doing a lot more car lines than I have been doing any sort of baseball."

And Floyd: "Other than the fact that I’m terrified of hurting myself and doing something stupid, it should be fun."

Murphy, 36 years old and a year removed from retiring after 12 seasons in the majors, will be the youngest participant and maybe a surprising one considering it seems like it was just yesterday that he broke out during the Mets’ run to the 2015 World Series. He called his inclusion among the old-timers "in a lighthearted way quite comical."

"I see myself as a Met because of the years that we spent here," said Murphy, who also played for the Nationals (2016-18), Cubs (2018) and Rockies (2019-20). "Queens has a very special place in my heart."

Others announced to be in attendance are Felix Millan, Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson, Bobby Ojeda and Turk Wendell. The Mets said they will reveal more names in the coming months.

"I plan on taking some BP before the game," the 92-year-old Thomas, who led the original 1962 Mets with 34 home runs, said in the news release. "I hit homers at the Polo Grounds and at Shea. I would love to hit one at Citi Field."

The Mets’ more thorough embrace of their history began under the Wilpons — when longtime PR boss Jay Horwitz transitioned into a new role, vice president of alumni public relations and team historian — and has continued under Cohen. Related efforts include a 50th anniversary celebration of the 1969 World Series champion Mets, retiring Jerry Koosman’s No. 36 last year and doing the same for Keith Hernandez’s No. 17 this summer. And they plan to finally unveil a statue of Tom Seaver outside Citi Field before to their first home game of 2022.

The Mets used to do Old-Timers’ Day regularly. But a Mets executive, citing a lack of interest from ticket-buyers and sponsors, told the New York Times in 2009: "It died of its own unpopularity in the early ’90s."