Fifty years later, fans are still amazed by the New York Mets improbable World Series victory.
That championship season is being honored with a series of events, exhibits and promotional giveaways at Citi Field.
Fans will notice it as soon as they enter the stadium for the Mets home opener on April 4, when they host the Washington Nationals.
A new 1969 display case in the on-site museum is stuffed with artifacts from that season, including Ron Swoboda’s glove used in Game 4 of the World Series and manager Gil Hodges’ contract. It’s all set against a backdrop of the Mets fabled, former home, Shea Stadium, which was demolished in 2009 to make way for Citi Field.
Promotions such as pennants, a jersey and even a World Series ring, are replicas of the original 1969 designs.
“We really wanted to make things as authentic as possible,” said Joe DeVito, executive producer of content development and marketing for the Mets. “There’s such a romance about that era.”
It all comes together on the weekend of June 28 through 30, when members of the “Miracle Mets” including Ed Kranepool, Jerry Kooseman, Cleon Jones and Swoboda, gather at Citi Field for a ceremony on the field.
“That’s going to be a really special day, I think, for everybody to give those guys one last round of applause,” DeVito said.
Expect long lines as fans and collectors try to score some of the limited edition giveaways, such as the Robinson Cano/"Star Wars" crossover Obi-Wan Canobi bobblehead on May 25 and "Game of Thrones" themed bobblehead, featuring Noah Syndergaard sitting on the Iron Throne on April 27. Both are available to the first 25,000 fans in attendance.
A previous Syndergaard bobblehead giveaway, depicting the pitcher as Marvel superhero Thor (Syndergaard’s nickname), attracted so many people that the line ran from the front of Citi Field to the turnstiles at the 7 train. Syndergaard made a cameo appearance in a 2017 episode of "Game of Thrones."
The Mets are also tapping into another group of enthusiastic fans with a bobblehead of Todd Frazier clutching a WWE championship belt, available at Saturday’s game.
Queens native son Spider-Man will show his Mets fandom in a bobblehead being given away at the July 7 game . The Marvel-created webhead’s original incarnation was Peter Parker, an awkward teen who lived in Forest Hills. A trailer from the upcoming “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” shows a Mike Piazza/Mets pennant on the wall of his bedroom.
