New York Mets

Lore & Background

The Mets were founded in 1962 after the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants relocated to California. The team's nickname 'Mets' is a shorthand for the 'New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc.', referencing the 19th-century Metropolitans. In their inaugural season, the Mets posted a record of 40–120, the second-most regular-season losses since MLB went to a 162-game schedule. The team never finished better than second-to-last in the 1960s until the 'Miracle Mets' defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series. The Mets have won the World Series twice (1969 and 1986) and five National League pennants (most recently in 2000 and 2015).

In Their Own Story

The humid air inside Veterans Stadium hangs heavy as the seventh-inning stretch approaches. A sea of blue and orange from New York clashes with the red of Philadelphia in the stands. On the mound, the tension is palpable; one wrong pitch could decide the division race for another year. The crack of the bat echoes through the night, sending a line drive screaming toward the gap, as thousands hold their breath, knowing this moment will be whispered about in barrooms from Center City to Queens for generations.

Reader's Guide

For the 1962 and 1963 seasons, the Mets played home games at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan. From 1964 to 2008, they played at Shea Stadium, named after William Shea. Since 2009, the Mets have played at Citi Field next to the site where Shea Stadium once stood. Since 2020, the team has been owned by billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen. As of 2025, Forbes ranked the Mets as the sixth most valuable MLB team, valued at $3.2 billion.

Did You Know?

• The Mets' 1969 World Series win is considered one of the biggest upsets in World Series history.
• Tom Seaver, who led the Mets to the 1969 World Series victory, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
• The Mets' colors—blue and orange—evoke the blue of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the orange of the New York Giants.