This recent painting was based on my photos taken just before Shea Stadium was demolished and replaced with the new Citi Stadium in 2009.
The Mets moved to the new state of the art Shea Stadium in Flushing Queens in 1964, where for the first two seasons the Mets would be a side attraction to the World's Fair which was going on across the street from the new ballpark. In 1969, the Mets completed the biggest upset in World Series history. Donn Clendenon who hit three key Home Runs in the series was named World Series MVP, as the city embraced its Amazin' Mets. In a strange side note, Mayor John Lindsay, was reelected largely thanks to the good feelings around the surprise World Champions.
In the 1986 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, the Mets faced elimination leading into Game 6. The Red Sox scored two runs in the tenth inning and twice came within one strike of winning their first World Series since 1918. However, the Mets rallied and would come back in typical Amazin' Mets fashion, as the game became one of the most famous games in baseball history as the Curse of the Bambino appeared to be alive and well. In fact, it was in this series that talk of the curse began.
The Mets remain the only team to come within one strike of losing a World Series before recovering to become World Champions.
Limited edition prints of Shea Stadium are available in my Etsy Shop.
