Built with a touch of defiance motivated by New York's determination to bring National League baseball back to the Big Apple after the Giants and Dodgers fled to the West Coast, Shea Stadium carved out a place in history all its own during its 44-year lifespan. After becoming the shiny new home to the Mets upon opening in 1964, Shea was blessed with two championship teams during its first decade: the 1969 Mets, led by Tom Seaver, and the 1969 Jets, led by Joe Namath. Glamour became part of Shea's legend, too, as rock-and-roll and religious royalty - the Beatles and Pope John Paul II - made pilgrimages to Queens. The light shinned brightly on Shea again in 1986 with the Mets' second World Series win and in 2000 during the storied Subway Series against the Yankees, and it remained a top-tier venue right up until its closing in 2008.
Shea Stadium has hosted more than its share of hard-fought games, colorful personalities, and memorable performances and these will forever cement its place in New York lore. This richly illustrated book captures all the fond and fleeting memories of the late, great Shea Stadium and is a must-have keepsake for fans who enthusiastically cheered its never-ending parade of star performers.
