Mets retire Willie Mays 24

mmbtvs · 08-27-2022, 04:49 PM

In a surprise move, during the Mets old timers day today, the Mets announced they are retiring Willie Mays number 24 as promised by Mets former owner Joan Payson years ago.

High class move by Steve Cohen to make good at that promise so many years later.

rngrdanny22 · 08-27-2022, 04:52 PM

WaxPax · 08-27-2022, 05:53 PM

Cohen making all the right moves with the current team and the team history that the previous owners neglected...so much so all the old timers insisted he be in the team photo and called him over to get in the shot...

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ethanwa · 08-27-2022, 09:03 PM

To me this feels like if the White Sox retired Ken Griffey Jr's number. I get the sentiment, but it still seems odd.

somethingclever · 08-27-2022, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethanwa

To me this feels like if the White Sox retired Ken Griffey Jr's number. I get the sentiment, but it still seems odd.

Ryan getting his number retired by the Mets was my comparison, however after thinking about it I realized Mays makes way more sense. Mays started his career in NY and ended it in NY, add in the promise by the former Mets owner and it seems almost overdue.

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rngrdanny22 · 08-28-2022, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somethingclever

Ryan getting his number retired by the Mets was my comparison, however after thinking about it I realized Mays makes way more sense. Mays started his career in NY and ended it in NY, add in the promise by the former Mets owner and it seems almost overdue.

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He started in NY with a completely different franchise. That would be like the Red Sox retiring Eddie Matthews' number.

discostu · 08-28-2022, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

He started in NY with a completely different franchise. That would be like the Red Sox retiring Eddie Matthews' number.

It fulfills a promise and celebrates the legacy that is the Mets - the Giants and Dodgers.

There's no equivalent for Boston until Boston gets an expansion NL team.

Skipscards · 08-28-2022, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discostu

It fulfills a promise and celebrates the legacy that is the Mets - the Giants and Dodgers.

There's no equivalent for Boston until Boston gets an expansion NL team.

It’s the promise that is the big deal. Mays having his Mets number retired need not make any more sense than that.

hxcmilkshake · 08-28-2022, 11:18 AM

In related news the Yankees are retiring the broom of the clubhouse bathroom attendant from 1996.

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MantleMarisFord · 08-28-2022, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

He started in NY with a completely different franchise. That would be like the Red Sox retiring Eddie Matthews' number.

Ahhh but the fan base was still largely the same. Those NY Giants fans spent years HATING the Yankees and were therefore unable/unwilling to switch allegiance. so a few years after the Giants left town for San Francisco a lot of their fans embraced the Mets in their inaugural 1961 season.

Drew3000 · 08-28-2022, 11:49 AM

It’s like Brewers retiring Hank Aaron

It’s dumb

somethingclever · 08-28-2022, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MantleMarisFord

Ahhh but the fan base was still largely the same. Those NY Giants fans spent years HATING the Yankees and were therefore unable/unwilling to switch allegiance. so a few years after the Giants left town for San Francisco a lot of their fans embraced the Mets in their inaugural 1961 season.

Pretty much what I was thinking, it would have been different if he started for say the Yankees and was traded to the west.

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somethingclever · 08-28-2022, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

He started in NY with a completely different franchise. That would be like the Red Sox retiring Eddie Matthews' number.

Matthews never played for the Red Sox, so he didn’t end his career In Boston.

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rngrdanny22 · 08-28-2022, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somethingclever

Matthews never played for the Red Sox, so he didn’t end his career In Boston.

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Sure, I guess those 135 games that Willie played for the Mets just put him over the top.

cfern023 · 08-28-2022, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

Sure, I guess those 135 games that Willie played for the Mets just put him over the top.

I personally don't see a problem with 24 being retired. He's a NY NL icon, and one of the previous owners favorites / reason why she probably purchased a team.

Teams should be able to honor their cities past. NY retiring Willie Mays number is pretty cool.

88horsepower · 08-28-2022, 12:21 PM

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on the Yankees retiring Paul O'Neill's number.

rngrdanny22 · 08-28-2022, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88horsepower

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on the Yankees retiring Paul O'Neill's number.

Did he play more than 135 games for the Yankees? Did someone make an arbitrary random promise to retire his number?

Those things seem to be the floor now.

oplum29 · 08-28-2022, 12:32 PM

i like Willie Mays, but i don't get the Mets retiring his number.

ewokpelts · 08-28-2022, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew3000

It’s like Brewers retiring Hank Aaron

It’s dumb

That was a homecoming for a hero that meant a lot to a small market that also lost its team and was rebuilding a connection to the city with a new club in a new league.

mustardoutcard · 08-29-2022, 01:42 PM

This is like the Devil Rays retiring number 12 for Boggs.

Maybe the fact his 3,000 hit was the first home run in franchise history had something to do with it.

Drew3000 · 08-29-2022, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewokpelts

That was a homecoming for a hero that meant a lot to a small market that also lost its team and was rebuilding a connection to the city with a new club in a new league.

Different franchises. Still dumb to me. But the Brewers don’t have a ton past Yount and Molitor so it makes some sense

caflisch78 · 08-29-2022, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew3000

It’s like Brewers retiring Hank Aaron

It’s dumb

Agreed. DUMB

rfgilles · 08-29-2022, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oplum29

i like Willie Mays, but i don't get the Mets retiring his number.

I'm a Mets fan and don't get it either. Willie Mays is a Giant.

Then again, the Mets have a statue of Jackie Robinson outside of Citi Field. Another player they celebrate who curiously never played for the franchise.

caflisch78 · 08-29-2022, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfgilles

I'm a Mets fan and don't get it either. Willie Mays is a Giant.

Then again, the Mets have a statue of Jackie Robinson outside of Citi Field. Another player they celebrate who curiously never played for the franchise.

Jackie did play in Brooklyn

atk825 · 08-29-2022, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

He started in NY with a completely different franchise. That would be like the Red Sox retiring Eddie Matthews' number.

No. The Sox retiring Mathews' number (he only played one year in Boston) would be like the Mets retiring Mantle's number. They retire Mays' number and have a statue of Jackie because they are the National League team representing New York, so it makes perfect sense that they honor both Mays and Jackie in a way the Sox never would of Eddie Mathews.

08-27-2022, 04:49 PM	#1
mmbtvs unregistered Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 3,531	Mets retire Willie Mays 24 In a surprise move, during the Mets old timers day today, the Mets announced they are retiring Willie Mays number 24 as promised by Mets former owner Joan Payson years ago. High class move by Steve Cohen to make good at that promise so many years later. __________________ -"Close your eyes and remember this. It won't be back again, it's almost gone. Even times that don't seem like much will be your only crutch when you're alone. Time moves slow when you're seventeen and then it picks up steam at twenty-one."

08-28-2022, 11:49 AM	#11
Drew3000 Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Kentucky Posts: 862	It’s like Brewers retiring Hank Aaron It’s dumb __________________ Looking for: 2010 Joey Votto Topps Black /59

08-28-2022, 12:32 PM	#18
oplum29 Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 10,405	i like Willie Mays, but i don't get the Mets retiring his number. __________________ "got em, got em, need em, got em, got em, need em, got em" - Little Monsters

08-27-2022, 04:52 PM	#2
rngrdanny22 Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 12,372

08-27-2022, 05:53 PM	#3
WaxPax Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: The Land of always Baseball...Sunny Florida Posts: 646 WaxPax WaxPax	Cohen making all the right moves with the current team and the team history that the previous owners neglected...so much so all the old timers insisted he be in the team photo and called him over to get in the shot... Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

08-27-2022, 09:03 PM	#4
ethanwa Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Windermere, FL Posts: 644 blade-runner-2049	To me this feels like if the White Sox retired Ken Griffey Jr's number. I get the sentiment, but it still seems odd.

08-28-2022, 11:18 AM	#9
hxcmilkshake Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Apopka FL Posts: 11,391 hxcmilkshake	In related news the Yankees are retiring the broom of the clubhouse bathroom attendant from 1996. Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

08-28-2022, 12:21 PM	#16
88horsepower Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Somewhere In Time Posts: 23,649	I'd love to hear people's thoughts on the Yankees retiring Paul O'Neill's number.

08-29-2022, 01:42 PM	#20
mustardoutcard Banned - PBM Join Date: Jul 2022 Posts: 85	This is like the Devil Rays retiring number 12 for Boggs. Maybe the fact his 3,000 hit was the first home run in franchise history had something to do with it.