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The Mets
and Me
Website:
Robert
Pizzo
Robert is an
award-winning
illustrator and designer
who upon graduating
NYC's School of Visual
Arts, took his BFA
degree and did the only
natural, logical
thing... he formed a
rock 'n' roll band and
played at CBGB's. Robert
has won awards from
PRINT, SND, GRAPHIS,
HOW, DESI, AR100, SPD,
etc. and is available
for Advertising,
Editorial and Corporate
Illustration.
Illustration
© R. Pizzo
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THE
IRONY IS I
really don't follow the
Mets or any other
baseball team for that
matter. So, this story
is really a testament to
how encompassing Mets
Fever was all those
years ago.
In 1969
I was a diehard Beatle
fan (still am!). And
yet, every time the Mets
get close to clinching
something, The NY Daily
News reruns that picture
from 1969. There I am,
right up in front of the
crowd, Mets helmet on,
11 years old, proudly
flashing the "V for
Victory" in Shea
Stadium. The caption
reads, "Jubilant Mets
fans hang out 'We Never
Had It So Good' banner
as they whoop it up
before clincher."
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Actually, that
wasn't exactly what I was doing.
My stepfather and I had come in
from Long Island, caught up in
Mets Fever. Some of the players
lived on "the island" at the time
and they frequently turned up to
talk at our school or sign
autographs at the local
McDonald's. We just had to be at
the stadium to cheer them
on.
That day at Shea
- October 6th, 1969 - I was on my
way to get a hot dog during a
break in the action and noticed
Daily News photographer Mel
Finkelstein setting up a photo in
the stands. He seemed to be
painstakingly arranging those
jubilant fans in the foreground.
I thought it would be funny to
just stroll into the shot and
flash the peace sign. (Hey, it
was '69.) Mr. Finkelstein didn't
really see the humor in that,
especially on my 3rd or 4th
attempt. As I recall, he finally
gave me a bit of a scolding and
told me to run along. I didn't
blame him, even then. But since
he had reprimanded me for ruining
his shot I never imagined a photo
with me would be used! In fact, I
got my hotdog, went back to my
seat and never even mentioned
it.
The rest was
history. The Amazin' Mets won the
pennant, the crowd (although
sternly warned beforehand on the
PA not to) jumped the walls,
stormed the field and celebrated
in true New York fashion.
Then, the next
day, my grandfather picked up the
paper, spotted the big picture of
me and started the family phones
ringing. I remember he went back
to the newsstand and bought about
10 more copies. Today, those who
know me find it ironic that in
some small way, I'm the poster
boy for Mets baseball.
The truth is,
those Amazin' Mets of '69 even
managed to captivate me.
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