Master Index of Archived Threads


Your Mets Library

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 05 2013 07:07 AM

Anyone read this one?

Edgy MD Jan 05 2013 08:31 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Sounds great. It really should be called Choking Up, though. I was thinking just this morning, as I saw Team of Rivals on my coffee table with a "Lincoln Prize" stamp on it, that we should morph into the Crane Pool Mets Research Society, and award a Dana Brand Prize each year for outstanding Mets publication.

Ceetar Jan 05 2013 08:43 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Edgy MD wrote: Sounds great. It really should be called Choking Up, though. I was thinking just this morning, as I saw Team of Rivals on my coffee table with a "Lincoln Prize" stamp on it, that we should morph into the Crane Pool Mets Research Society, and award a Dana Brand Prize each year for outstanding Mets publication. I like this idea. Let's do it. Gotta catalogue all the Mets releases..here? put up a poll for each one as people read it during the year..

Edgy MD Jan 05 2013 10:34 AM Re: Your Mets Library

I wonder if we wouldn't have to be a little more professional in order to get the gravity of publishers sending us pre-release copies, hoping they can stamp that DB Prize stamp on on the book in time for it's second shipping. We might have to appoint a jury --- disqualifying anybody who's met Greg from voting for his book, shit like that. But I'm thinking beyond prize awarding --- though we're already there with the Schaefers. I'm thinking annual meeting, a semi-annual research journal, and stuff like that.

bmfc1 Jan 05 2013 11:23 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Anyone read this one? Off-topic, sorry: Felix Millan was one of the nicest Mets I met at Fantasy Camp. He always sat down with the campers at meals and endured our questions ("why did you choke up like that?"). One day, he saw me in uniform and asked if I was wearing 17 for him. I lied and said it was for him and Keith. Pete Schourek was sitting there and said "Felix, it's not for you, it's for Keith Hernandez."

SteveJRogers Jan 14 2013 09:46 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Brief overview of Mets books that have come out in the past couple of years, and upcoming releases.

Edgy MD Jan 14 2013 09:51 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Way to be on the ball, Steve. Should we do this?

Ceetar Jan 14 2013 10:02 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Edgy MD wrote: Way to be on the ball, Steve. Should we do this? yes.

Edgy MD Jan 14 2013 10:33 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Any suggestions for next steps?

Farmer Ted Jan 14 2013 10:36 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Cleaning out some boxes the other day and came across this gem. I musta read this thing 100 times growing up. Beat up as hell. Anyone else have it? http://www.amazon.com/The-Incredible-Wo ... aury+allen

Mets – Willets Point Jan 14 2013 10:44 AM Re: Your Mets Library

I'd be happy to set up an account on Library Thing (http://www.librarything.com/tour/) to make our own catalog of books about the Mets. They have organizational accounts too (http://www.librarything.com/organizations). I'd front the $25 for a lifetime membership if other Crane Poolers think that they'd actually use it.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 14 2013 11:03 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Farmer Ted wrote: Cleaning out some boxes the other day and came across this gem. I musta read this thing 100 times growing up. Beat up as hell. Anyone else have it? http://www.amazon.com/The-Incredible-Wo ... aury+allen I have that one yes.

Edgy MD Jan 14 2013 11:08 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Mets – Willets Point wrote: I'd be happy to set up an account on Library Thing (http://www.librarything.com/tour/) to make our own catalog of books about the Mets. They have organizational accounts too (http://www.librarything.com/organizations). I'd front the $25 for a lifetime membership if other Crane Poolers think that they'd actually use it. This is good idea, yes? I'll contnribute.

Ceetar Jan 14 2013 11:30 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Edgy MD wrote: Any suggestions for next steps? Keep an eye on Mets releases for 2013, create a forum/thread for each one to discuss/vote on on. pass said books around if you're willing so more of us can read them, etc. at the end of the year, everyone that's read most? of them votes for top three, MVP style (3 points for first, 2 for second, 1 for third?) and we tabulate the best Mets book of the year?

Kong76 Jan 14 2013 11:32 AM Re: Your Mets Library

The Mets' section of my computer room. Little outta focus but people familiar with the titles should be able to make 'em out. Looking at picture, there are two books that don't belong in the section ... can you name them?

Kong76 Jan 14 2013 11:33 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Four, actually.

Ceetar Jan 14 2013 11:35 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Kong76 wrote: Looking at picture, there are two books that don't belong in the section ... can you name them? moneyball presumably isn't "Mets" despite plenty of connections. I lobby we don't include the 2013 Mets Media guide as a book we need to read though.

Edgy MD Jan 14 2013 11:39 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Hey, I'm not saying you have to read through any of it. Non-Mets-specific subjects include: [list][*]Moneyball[/*:m] [*]The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract[/*:m] [*]The Glory of Their Times[/*:m] [*]Insider's Baseball[/*:m] [*]That green book that just says "Baseball" on the spine, but that could certainly be by a Metly author.[/*:m][/list:u] Now tell me when you broke into my house and photographed my bookcase.

Kong76 Jan 14 2013 11:44 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Baseball is authored by Ed Kranepool and Ed Kirkman. I believe our old friend Doc G game me that book at a game years ago.

Edgy MD Jan 14 2013 11:48 AM Re: Your Mets Library

I was thinking of that one. Nice.

Ceetar Jan 15 2013 07:32 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Metspolice has a post today about two upcoming books. Obviously the Piazza one, but Howie's got one too. [url]http://metspolice.com/2013/01/14/pre-order-mike-piazzas-book/

TheOldMole Jan 15 2013 10:44 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Inspired by this, I just bought Tales From The 1962 New York Mets Dugout: A Collection of The Greatest Stories from The Mets Inaugural Season.

Farmer Ted Jan 15 2013 10:51 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Still waiting for MBTN 2.0 to hit the market...

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 15 2013 10:57 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Farmer Ted wrote: Still waiting for MBTN 2.0 to hit the market... Settle in.

Edgy MD Jan 15 2013 11:01 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Inspired by this, I just bought Tales From The 1962 New York Mets Dugout: A Collection of The Greatest Stories from The Mets Inaugural Season. Inspired by this, I re-read one of our best threads ever.

Kong76 Jan 15 2013 11:09 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Wow, just printed that to re-read. I'm not green.

Edgy MD Jan 15 2013 11:16 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Really rich. Even as much of what he says confirms the party line on early Mets history, it reads as an honest and real first-hand version.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 15 2013 11:19 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Hard to believe that was over seven years ago now.

Edgy MD Jan 15 2013 11:23 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Frank F. Thomas wrote: In my book I mentioned the ("Yo la tengo") story and stated that I thought Richie made the whole thing up for its comic appeal, but I recently found photographic evidence that may now support Ashburn's story. While going through some old boxes of photos I found one of me helping Richie off the field after a collision. Richie is holding his head and I have my arm around his shoulders, and a very sympathetic look on my face. There's no date or caption on the photo, so I can't completely say that it confirms Richie's story, but it definitely adds credibility to his tale. Boy would I love to get my hands on that photo. Can't find a BB-ref account of Ashie leaving a game with an injury, however.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 15 2013 11:34 AM Re: Your Mets Library

These are the games where Richie Ashburn was replaced by another player: 1962-04-15 1962-04-17 1962-04-18 1962-04-24 1962-04-28 1962-04-29 1962-05-06 1962-05-12 1962-05-15 1962-05-16 1962-05-19 1962-05-20 1962-05-20 1962-05-25 1962-05-30 1962-06-01 1962-06-11 1962-06-15 1962-06-17 1962-06-18 1962-06-22 1962-06-29 1962-07-04 1962-07-14 1962-07-22 1962-08-04 1962-08-11 1962-08-18 1962-08-26 1962-08-31 1962-09-01 1962-09-04 1962-09-08 1962-09-15 1962-09-18 1962-09-18 1962-09-20 1962-09-20 1962-09-26 1962-09-28 1962-09-30

seawolf17 Jan 15 2013 11:57 AM Re: Your Mets Library

I remember that thread. Still have my card.

metirish Jan 15 2013 12:02 PM Re: Your Mets Library

That Frank Thomas was actually me........yeah, hard to believe that was 2005.

TheOldMole Jan 15 2013 12:20 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Just reread the whole Frank Thomas thread...loved it. I must have somehow stopped reading it before the end the first time around, because I never got my baseball card. That's OK, though. Thanks again for the memories, Frank.

Kong76 Jan 15 2013 12:40 PM Re: Your Mets Library

metirish wrote: That Frank Thomas was actually me........yeah, hard to believe that was 2005. Pretty convincing ruse.

seawolf17 Jan 15 2013 12:48 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Kong76 wrote: metirish wrote: That Frank Thomas was actually me........yeah, hard to believe that was 2005. Pretty convincing ruse. You couldn't tell? The Irish accent gave it away.

G-Fafif Jan 15 2013 01:05 PM Re: Your Mets Library

seawolf17 wrote: Kong76 wrote: metirish wrote: That Frank Thomas was actually me........yeah, hard to believe that was 2005. Pretty convincing ruse. You couldn't tell? The Irish accent gave it away. Now that you mention it, I thought it strange when Frank said "that was just Choo Choo takin' the piss."

Swan Swan H Jan 15 2013 01:05 PM Re: Your Mets Library

And when he called Marv Throneberry a feckin' wanker.

Mets – Willets Point Jan 15 2013 01:15 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Now I feel guilty for not finishing Frank Thomas' book.

Swan Swan H Jan 15 2013 02:37 PM Re: Your Mets Library

And to think, Clifford Irving got a year and a half in the can for this sort of thing.

Kong76 Jan 15 2013 03:08 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Feel dumb, getting used to that though. I removed the books that don't belong from the Mets' area, not that I'm anal about such things or anything.

G-Fafif Jan 15 2013 04:18 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Kong76 wrote: not that I'm anal Leiter was. An Al.

Ceetar Jan 15 2013 04:46 PM Re: Your Mets Library

so is Piazza's 2/12 release our first target?

batmagadanleadoff Jan 17 2013 02:19 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Brief overview of Mets books that have come out in the past couple of years, and upcoming releases. From Rogers' link: July 10th [2012] saw the release of a tome that Amazon doesn’t have the product image of. It’s the first volume of Meeting The Mets: A Quirky History of a Quirky Team by a Ph.D. Thomas A. Droleskey. It appears to cover 1962-1986 with more volumes to come. ________________________ And from a Droleskey web-piece, Excerpt: "Indeed, I went to 1,601 major league baseball games from July 15, 1962, through the last and most regrettable game of the 2000 World Series on October 26, 2000. Baseball and the Mets are in my blood. Mind you, I do not live for the sport. I have lived quite well without it during players’ strikers and owner lockouts. But it has been a great diversion. And as is somewhat well-known, at least in baseball circles, in 1976 I helped revive the tradition of the baseball novelty figure, the fan who dresses up to entertain other fans. My adoption of the persona of The Lone Ranger of Shea Stadium added another dimension to my following of baseball and the Mets. The act, originally meant to be nothing more than a one-day lark, turned into a bit of an institution at Shea and became something that many fans expected and looked forward to during the games. However, all things in this passing world must come to an end. I still love baseball. I will be a fan of the New York Mets until I die. But facts are facts. Although the good people who staff the Mets’ ticket office have been most kind and gracious to me over the years, ticket prices are getting out of hand. The wonderful season seat I have had since 1994 is going to cost $60 a game for the 2001 season. That’s a total of $4,860 for the 81 home games, not including an additional $567 for the right to find a parking space for my car when I attend the games. And none of that includes the expense of gasoline to get to and from the Big Shea, as the ball park in Flushing Meadows is called now and then. All of that is a lot of money for a man who does not make a lot of money. Moreover, the full complement of post-season tickets a few months ago cost more than $1,800, payable in September. Enough. Uncle. It’s over. I’m out of the ball game. Most of the people who own the seats around me are very wealthy people. The two seats immediately adjacent to the one I have had for the past seven seasons are owned by the agent for the singer Billy Joel. Wall Street financiers own most of the other seats in the area of my season seat. Those people can afford the increases that have occurred in the past few years. In 1994, when I had the chance to grab my season seat owing to the poor season the Mets had suffered through in 1993, it cost $14 a game. That rose to $17 a game by 1996 before skyrocketing to $25 in 1997, $35 in 1998, $45 in 1999, and $54 in 2000. I am being asked to help subsidize the millions of dollars paid out to athletes to play a game. Enough is enough. *** When push comes to shove, baseball salaries are out of control. Baseball clubs are catering to the big-money people who can afford the increased admission costs mandated by ever-escalating salaries. Major League Baseball, the entity that runs the game, caters to the demands of the TV networks that televise the games, starting night World Series games as late as 8:30 p.m. so that they run well after midnight in most cases. The fan in the stands is simply window dressing for the TV cameras. The fan’s convenience (and the needs of those watching at home to go to bed at a reasonable hour) means nothing to the scions of baseball. (By the way, I’ve crossed swords with the head of Major League Baseball, Commissioner Allan H. “Bud” Selig, on the matter of the double standard applied to Ted Turner’s anti-Catholicism vis-a-vis the allegations of insensitivity made against former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott.) The game itself retains its charm and its beauty. As far as I am concerned there is nothing else like it. But the greed of both the owners and the players has reached a point where average people who work hard for their living are being priced out of the game. Mind you, there is no such thing as a free ride. You get what you earn in life. I simply don’t earn enough to warrant spending money I don’t have on a game that is run by billionaires and played by millionaires. It’s time for me to take myself out of the ball game." http://www.griffnews.com/droleskey/010222.shtml and [youtube]FNDoSfyEb0g[/youtube]

seawolf17 Jan 18 2013 07:32 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Some info from Paul of Paul's Random Stuff: http://randombaseballstuff.com/2013/01/ ... -signings/ Spring is just around the corner, and that means a new crop of baseball books. Among them: * Mike Piazza‘s “Long Shot” is probably the one that will get the most buzz, and the former Mets catcher is scheduled to do two book signings in New York next month. One will be at the Barnes & Noble on 5th Avenue in Manhattan on Feb. 11th; the other will be at the Barnes & Noble in Carle Place on Feb. 12th. For more information, visit Mets Hot Corner. * Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona is scheduled to hold a book signing for “Francona: The Red Sox Years” on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd, at the Barnes & Noble on East 54th Street in Manhattan. For details, check Celebrity Book Signings & Events. * WFAN Mets broadcaster Howie Rose‘s “Put It In the Book!: A Half-Century of Mets Mania ” is due out March 1st. I’m not sure he rates a book signing, but I’m mentioning it because it’s the one book of this group that I actually want to read. * Dwight Gooden‘s “Doc: A Memoir” is scheduled for publication on May 28th, and I would be very surprised if he doesn’t have a few New York-area book signings to support it. I would totally go to a Howie Rose signing, by the way. Tempted to hit the Piazza, but I can't imagine how insane that line would be.

Ceetar Jan 18 2013 07:50 AM Re: Your Mets Library

seawolf17 wrote: I would totally go to a Howie Rose signing, by the way. Tempted to hit the Piazza, but I can't imagine how insane that line would be. Over/under on the percentage of people, upon handing him their book to sign, say "Put it in the book"?

MrInbetween Jan 19 2013 12:39 AM Re: Your Mets Library

seawolf17 wrote: I would totally go to a Howie Rose signing, by the way. Tempted to hit the Piazza, but I can't imagine how insane that line would be. I would definitely go to a Howie Rose book signing too. I thought about going to the Mike Piazza one in Manhattan for a few seconds, then I realized how bad the crowd will probably be & how early I'd need to get there and decided that it isn't really worth it to me.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 19 2013 05:22 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Uh oh... watch out for Mr. InBetween!

Swan Swan H Jan 19 2013 05:45 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Welcome aBordick! Don't know where you're from, but Piazza will be in Carle Place on Long Island on Feb.12, and that store is huge.

Frayed Knot Jan 19 2013 06:43 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Uh oh... watch out for Mr. InBetween! You just don't mess with Mr. In-Between

seawolf17 Jan 19 2013 02:01 PM Re: Your Mets Library

MIB appears to be Paul of Paul's Random Stuff; I dropped him a line after I copied his post here. :)

Edgy MD Jan 20 2013 02:45 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Welcome aboard. Hope you visit back.

G-Fafif Feb 14 2013 12:18 PM Re: Your Mets Library

If you haven't enhanced your baseball library with The Happiest Recap: First Base (1962-1973) yet, here's your chance to make up for that shameful void. Contest to win a copy here.

G-Fafif Mar 25 2013 11:35 AM Re: Your Mets Library

Howie! From the Big Lead (h/t bmfc1). 7. Are there events you would still like to call in your career? Yes. The one where I get to proclaim that the New York Mets are world champions.

bmfc1 Mar 25 2013 12:43 PM Re: Your Mets Library

Your Mets Library... won't include this book: http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/201 ... ok-claims/