Tales from the Mets Dugout

by Bruce Markusen

Book Overview

In ?fty years of existence, the New York Mets have experienced almost every phase of success and failure that can be encountered by a major league team. Written by veteran baseball author Bruce... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582619832
• ISBN13: 9781582619835
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC
• Length: 178 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Banner Day Read

Tales from the Mets Dugout understands the history and hysteria that come with being a Mets fan. The book has some nice but not overused photos and it packs a lot of information in less than 200 pages. Living in the shadow of the monolithic Yankees, Mets fans know they have ruled the city for just a handful of seasons over the last 43. While the next 1969 or 1986 seems a lifetime in the coming, Mets fans can at least embrace a team that's seen more excitement than some franchises have experienced in a century of play. The Mets have never had a no-hitter, but look at the pitchers who came up through the system and tossed them with other teams: David Cone, Dwight Gooden, Mike Scott, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan . . . The Mets drew 700,000 people in 1979, and eight years later were the first New York team to draw 3,000,000 . . . the Mets have won three NL pennants but only one Met has been Championship Series MVP. Obsessing over the Mets for a lifetime, I thought there was nothing I didn't know about the club, but Bruce Markusen came up with new stories and new angles, including several trades that never happened: the Mets almost traded Jerry Koosman for Fred Patek, Tommie Agee almost went to the Red Sox (instead of the Mets) in a deal for Carl Yastrzemski, and the Mets could've had Dickie Thon for Elliott Maddox, but owner Linda de Roulet thought the Angels' top-notch prospect had too much of a baby face! Perhaps the most shocking nugget of all unearthed by Markusen was a telegram from the president of the Yankees congratulating the '69 Mets. The man even said he was rooting for the Mets. Now that's amazin'. The book's pretty good, too.