What Mickey Callaway’s crew can learn from legendary 1969 Mets
Unless you have a stake in the upcoming presidential election you can forgive Mayor Bill de Blasio for using the wrong catch phrase attached to the 1969 world champion Mets.
“You gotta believe,” which de Blasio kept repeating during a ceremony Saturday afternoon at Citi Field to honor the Mets’ first World Series winners was actually coined by the 1973 National League champions. But why let the facts get in the way when retelling one of the most treasured events in New York sports history.
Regardless of de Blasio’s flub, the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the “Miracle Mets” may have arrived at the perfect time for the 2019 Mets, who could use some inspiration amid their worst slump of the season.
While the ’69 Mets got keys to the city from de Blasio, today’s Mets saw their losing streak extended to seven games following a 5-4 defeat to the division-leading Braves. Reliever Seth Lugo allowed back-to-back homers in the eighth to give Atlanta its margin of victory.
Manager Mickey Callaway said his team isn’t about to give up hope of making the post-season.
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“We put ourselves in a difficult position, but the bottom line is we can’t give up,” he said.
Callaway can point to the ’69 team as the ultimate example of fortitude. You don’t have to be 60 years old to appreciate the qualities of a team that came from 10 games out of first place in August 1969 to win the division by eight and ultimately defeat the Orioles in the World Series. It might have happened a half century ago, but the elements of teamwork, belief and great leadership can still resonate today.
That’s the message Mets legend Ed Kranepool hopes today’s Mets understand.
“They’ve got to believe in themselves,” Kranepool said. “They’ve got to do it on the field. You gotta go out there and produce. You can blame the manager all you want. But each player has to look in the mirror and know they have a job to do and go out and do it.
“There’s still time,” said Kranepool, a Bronx native, who played for the Mets for his entire 18-year career. “But you’ve got to win games and you’ve got to start now as opposed to saying in September ‘We’ll catch somebody.’ ”
Some of the 1969 team has died, while others are home on the disabled list. But Kranepool was there to wear his No. 7 jersey along with teammates Bud Harrelson, Art Shamsky, Jerry Grote, Jerry Koosman, Cleon Jones, Ron Swoboda, JC Martin, Wayne Garrett, Jim McAndrew, Duffy Dyer, Bobby Pfeil, Rod Gaspar, Jack DiLauro and Ron Taylor. And couple of others, Jim Gosger and Jesse Hudson, were inadvertently listed among the deceased, though both are still alive.
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All were saluted during a pregame ceremony by an adoring crowd of 40,809 happy to take a temporary break from their booing and think about a glorious season. The current Mets watched from the top step of the home dugout as highlights of the ’69 season were played on the jumbo screen. The black cat, the comebacks, the outfield catches, the clutch hits and the fans swarming the field.
“The greatest team in the world,” a champagne-soaked Tom Seaver said on the screen.
The old guys stood on the podium watching as if those memories were made yesterday. It gave today’s Mets a chance to see what it’s like to be celebrated for something 50 years after the fact.
“New York is the greatest sports town in the world,” Kranepool said. “If you win in New York they never let you forget it.”
As the old Mets came off the podium, the latest Mets were there to greet them, lining up to get a handshake from each of the champions and talk a little baseball. If there was one message they should understand it’s this from Jones, who caught the final out in the ’69 Series.
“Nobody wants to associate themselves with a loser. Nobody wants to be around a loser,” Jones said. “When you’re a winner, good things come your way.”
You only hope today’s Mets were paying attention.
