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Mets Yearbooks

soupcan Jan 24 2007 10:33 AM

In March of 2006 SteveJRogers and I had a PM discussion about Mets Yearbooks. I have been collecting them over the years and wanted information relating to exactly how many different versions there were from each year. Steve, of course, had the information (included below) and was kind enough to share it with me. Over the past year I have been trolling ebay with this information in hand in an effort to actually have a complete collection of original and revised yearbooks. I've spent a bit of money, gotten quite a few yearbooks and have had fun doing it. Of the 90 some odd editions that Steve's list indicates, I'm about 13 short. 7 of those that I need are from 15 that were issued in '62, '63 & '64. Those do get to be a bit pricey so it's gonna take some time. At this point though I think that there are some on Steve's list that might not exist. For instance - everytime I see a 1971 book I ask the seller what the roster date listed inside it is. Always the answer I get back is either 'March 30' or 'July 9'. I have those books. According to Steve's list I need the 1971 versions with the roster dates of April 6 and May 2. I'm wondering if those versions are actually out there. They could be rare I suppose but why would they be any more or less rare than the original version from that year or the July 9 version? Even if they were rare, wouldn't I have seen at least one at some point? Also - I'm not convinced that there was a revised edition for '92. And if so how can you tell the difference from the original? Lastly, I'm doubtful that there were Spanish language editions published in '92 and '98. Been looking high and low for these with no luck as well. If anyone can tell me positively, either by going through your own collections or just maybe you know, whether or not those editions that I've asked about do exist or not, I'd be grateful. Other than those I singled out, the rest of Steve's list seems accurate and has been beyond helpful to me in my childlike endeavor. So again a big thank you to Steve for sharing it with me. ]YEARBOOKS This section contains all Mets-related yearbooks issued to date. The number shown represents the total number of yearbooks listed in that particular year. Explanations and cover information follow when necessary. 1962: 5 first edition - 4/8/62 roster date (Willard Mullin baby drawing on front cover; b&w back cover advertisement) second edition - 4/8/62 roster date with color back cover advertisement third edition - 4/13/62 roster date (same fc; roster changes inside) fourth edition - 6/25/62 roster date (same fc; roster changes inside) inside page ofback cover has game schedule of last 4 months of season fifth edition - 6/26/62 roster date (same fc; inside page of back cover only has game schedule of last 2 months of season) 1963: 4 first edition - 4/1/63 revised edition - 5/1/63 (same fc; roster changes inside) final revised edition - 7/5/63 (same fc; roster changes inside) second final revised edition - 8/5/63 (variation of other final revised edition; same fc; roster changes inside) 1964: 6 first edition (Mullin drawings around an aerial picture of Shea Stadium) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Revised" on fc in green) second revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Revised" on fc maroon) third revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Revised" on fc in red) final revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Revised" on fc in orange) final (blue) 1965: 4 first edition revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Revised" on fc in red) second revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Revised" on fc in blue) final edition (same fc; roster changes inside; says "Final" on fc in orange) 1966: 4 first edition (Mullin drawing on a background picture of fans at Shea) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) second revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) final edition 1967: 3 first edition revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) second revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1968: 2 first edition revised edition 1969: 1 first edition 1970: 1 first edition (small pictures of many Mets; background pictures of scene after Mets win division title) 1971: 2 first edition - 3/30/71 (Grote tagging a Dodger out at the plate) revised edition - 4/6/71 (same fc; roster changes inside) second revised edition - 5/27/71 (same fc; roster changes inside) third revised edition - 7/6/71 (same fc; roster changes inside) 1972: 2 first edition (Seaver, McGraw, Jones, Harrelson) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1973: 2 first edition (head shots of 11 Mets - their "All-Star Gallery") revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1974: 2 first edition (photo of National League Champions flag against the background of Shea Stadium; error in spelling - "Offical") corrected first edition (same fc; now correctly spelled "Official") 1975: 2 first edition - 3/27/75 (Seaver with seven baseballs) revised edition - 6/29/75 (same fc; roster changes inside) 1976: 2 first edition (drawing of a bicentennial Mr. Met) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1977: 2 first edition (Koosman) revised edition (Torre; roster changes inside) 1978: 2 first edition (Stearns tagging a runner out at the plate; cover price is $1.00 — ballpark version) first edition variation (same fc; price is $1.25 — newsstand version) 1979: 2 first edition (orange "NY" against blue background; cover price is $1.50 — ballpark version) first edition variation (same fc; price is $2.00 — newsstand version) 1980: 1 first edition (drawing of a young boy thinking of the Mets) 1981: 1 first edition (Torre "cooking up" a winner) 1982: 2 first edition (Bamberger and Foster) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1983: 2 first edition (drawing of six different Mets) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1984: 2 first edition (Hernandez, Orosco, Strawberry) revised edition (same fc; roster changes inside) 1985: 2 first edition (Gooden, Hernandez and Johnson) revised edition 1986: 2 first edition (Special 25th Ann. Issue — silver cover with 25th Ann. logo) revised edition 1987: 2 first edition (drawing of World Series trophy) revised edition (drawing montage of the 1986 season) 1988: 3 first edition (English version - pictures of 6 Mets in action) first edition variation (same fc; Spanish version) revised edition (Shea Stadium's 25th Ann. & special Tom Seaver commemerative version) 1989: 3 first edition (small photos of Carter, Strawberry, Gooden & Hernandez with a Mets logo baseball) first edition variation (Spanish version with same contents; fc has small photos of Cone, Strawberry, Hernandez and Fernandez with a Mets logo baseball) revised edition (orange and blue number one symbol) 1990: 3 first edition (Gooden,Viola...) revised edition (Harrelson) Spanish edition 1991: 2 first edition (fireworks over Shea) Revised (with Brooks & Coleman on cover) 1992 2 first edition BiLingual (English/Spanish) edition "Los Mets de Nueva York" (Bonilla) 1993 1 first edition(Met unifrorms #37 & #10) 1994 1 first edition (25th Anniversary patch on uniform) Special Promotional Shea give-away, 1969 Yearbook (back cover has Kahns ad) 1995 1 first edition 1996 1 first edition 1997 1 first edition 1998 2 first edition Spring Training Yearbook/Program - J.Franco Spanish edition 1999 2 first edition Spring Training Yearbook/Program (issued in St.Lucie, FL) 2000 1 first edition Spring Training Yearbook/Program - Alfonzo/Piazza/Ordonez/Leiter/Valentine 2001 1 first edition Spring Training Yearbook/Program - Franco/Agbayani/Alfonzo 2002 1 first edition Spring Training Yearbook/Program - Piazza/Franco/Alomar 2003 1 first edition 2004 1 first edition 2005 1 first edition

Edgy DC Jan 24 2007 10:48 AM

Your endeavor may be childlike but it takes an adult wallet. Good luck. I'm trying to bulid a "complete" set of yearbooks (any edition) plus a complete set of media guides. The problem with the media guides is that they simultaneously get more expensive and less interesting the further back they go, unlike the yearbooks, which get better. (I'm missing about four yearbooks and six media guides, not counting ephemera from post-seasons, spring trainings, minor-league teams, etc.) My favorite is Mets-issued post-season media guide from 1986 (there were also league issued two-team ones for both the NLCS and the World Series, I think). The best thing about this one is that the reporter used the scoresheets in the back it to score (in far neater handwriting than my own) games from both the ALCS and the NLCS, plus the world series. Some of the greatest games ever played are there, and I have notes about the weather and when the pitcher started losing his fastball and such. These notes are in English, but there are Chinese characters handwritten on the front page with the same pen, so it might have belonged to a Japanese reporter. I don't know. That's another thing about media guides. Unlike the yearbooks, which are considered less valuable if they're marked up, these are cooler, because presumably the markings come from a responsible chronicler, perhaps a well-known one. I think a lot of my media guides came from Newsday's Stan Isaacs.

KC Jan 24 2007 10:57 AM

I have the '92 Bonilla Spanish one, so that exists. I'm sure I have another one too from the 90's but I'll have to look at home to see what year.

soupcan Jan 24 2007 11:10 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Your endeavor may be childlike but it takes an adult wallet. Good luck. Tell me about it. I put a bid on a '62 yearbook a week or so ago for $350.00. Wondering how I was going to explain that one to the missus if I won. Fortunately/unfortunately some other dude won it for $380.00. Good luck with yours as well. I have some doubles of some yearbooks that I'd be willing to part with if your needs match up. What years are you looking for? ="KC"]I have the '92 Bonilla Spanish one, so that exists. I'm sure I have another one too from the 90's but I'll have to look at home to see what year. Thanks. Guess I'll keep looking for Senor Bonilla.

KC Jan 24 2007 11:10 AM

I think it's worth noting that that's not Steve's list but a compilation by a guy name Dave Berman.

soupcan Jan 24 2007 11:16 AM

You are correct and Steve did indicate that when he gave me the list.

KC Jan 24 2007 02:06 PM

Didn't realize I had this picture already done ...

soupcan Jan 24 2007 02:35 PM

Gracias.

KC Jan 24 2007 06:34 PM

Diggin' through some boxes, I think I transposed 98 and 89 in my head. I don't think I've seen the 98. Also, the first 92 I found has a barcode and a "display until October" thing on the bottom - I think I got a freakin' newsstand copy. Maybe the newsstand copy is the revised copy?

soupcan Jan 25 2007 09:27 AM

KC wrote: Diggin' through some boxes, I think I transposed 98 and 89 in my head. I don't think I've seen the 98. Also, the first 92 I found has a barcode and a "display until October" thing on the bottom - I think I got a freakin' newsstand copy. Maybe the newsstand copy is the revised copy? Thanks I'll check my '92 for that.

Edgy DC Jan 25 2007 09:31 AM

"Grrrrr...."

soupcan Jan 30 2007 09:29 AM

How am I supposed to complete a collection if this is what these friggin' things are going for? [url=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280074621794]Unbelievable![/url]

Edgy DC Jan 30 2007 09:39 AM

One idea: suck it up and pay. Another: lay low until a bargain comes along. A third: stockpile some other stuff that you think you can grab below market value (like that Babe Ruth sluggers book) and start trading up. I have bids on three media guides right now and I'm praying that I get outbid.

Edgy DC Jan 31 2007 11:08 AM

Prayer answered.

soupcan Jan 31 2007 11:34 AM

Sorry and Congrats.