IV
I’ll admit I’m jealous of my son. When you think of the toys you had growing up, there was always one missing. That was interactive sports toys. I know there were video games, but that’s not the same thing. Also, Starting Lineup was a series of collectibles masquerading as kid’s toys.
There’s a new toy series called Oyo Sports. At least, it’s new to me. I didn’t notice them until I saw them in a Mets team store in Citi Field this year. Now, I see them in Modells and toy stores. Basically, they’re Lego men of your favorite teams and athletes:
I would’ve loved to have one of these as a kid. When you incorporate it with the field, it’s amazing. I could imagine being a kid using these sets to not only build my own stadiums around this, but also staging games where the Mets won the World Series every time.
When my son is old enough, I plan on doing that with him (right now we’re still playing with Duplos). In the meantime, I plan to collect as many players I can including his favorite players Daniel Murphy, Lucas Duda, and Matt Harvey. Hopefully, they’ll all still be here.
Right now, I enjoy every moment with my son, and I look forward to doing so much with him. Playing with these Oyo toys is one of them.
Editor’s Note: This was not a paid advertisement or done in any way in conjunction with Oyo. Rather, it’s a mild hint what to get me . . . err my son (yeah that’s it) for Christmas.
Somewhere over the course of the baseball season, my son switched his favorite player from Lucas Duda to Daniel Murphy. I’m not quite sure why, but he did.
When we went to measure his height on his birthday on the Duda Growth Chart, he asked for a Murphy one. At one point the Duda Growth Chart had an awkward Duda body and Murphy head. My son approved.
When we go to play baseball, he insists on batting lefty. He insists despite still not exhibiting a right or left hand dominance. The reason? He wants to hit homeruns like Murphy.
My son’s pediatrician is a Mets fan. No, that’s not the reason we picked him. Five, it’s not the reason my wife picked him. Anyway, he gets a kick out of talking about the Mets with my son. When the doctor asks him who his favorite player is my son says Murphy. He then lets the pediatrician know that “Murphy homerun!”
When the pediatrician suggested he wanted Ben Zobrist to play second, my son said, “No. Murphy.” In his mind there is only one player who plays second for the Mets and that’s Murphy:
There are many reasons to bring back Murphy. However, after last night, I’m stuck with just one. No kid should lose their favorite player. Certainly, not my son.
So, I again implore the Mets to sign Murphy. Sign him because he’s the best free agent fit for the Mets. Sign him because you don’t want to disappoint a two year old.
Whatever the reason, just sign him.
My family never sat around the table and said what we were thankful for each Thanksgiving. We’re rather large people. Sitting through grace was onerous enough. However, I do think it’s worthwhile.
For starters, I’m always thankful for my son and wife. I’m thankful for the rest of my family. This year I’m also thankful I got to go to a World Series game with my Dad and brother. As Mets fans, we should be thankful for this team in general. The 2015 season was a pleasant surprise to everyone, and each player left us with something to be thankful for this year.
Since it appears he’s leaving, I wanted to take time to say I’m thankful for Daniel Murphy. He was a terrific Met for the past seven years. We first saw him in 2008 when the Mets called him up to try to prevent a second straight collapse. Murphy did his part, but the Mets collapsed anyway.
Since that time, he worked hard to become a major league second baseman. He worked his way into becoming an All Star. Despite this, the Mets would move him around the infield. He never complained. He just went out and did his job. He did it’s well as he possibly could. He did it on mostly bad Mets teams. This year Murphy finally got a chance to play in October, and he took over leading the Mets to the World Series.
Mostly, I’m thankful I got to make videos like this one:
It was great rooting for a team that was a good group of guys. It was great seeing my son become a big Mets fan. It’s even better that he’s so smart that he could learn the Mets lineup and pick his favorite players. Players like Murphy, Lucas Duda, and Matt Harvey.
So thank you Murphy for being the type of player we could all root for. I hope to be able to do so again next year. I know my son does as well.
I still remember the toast I gave at my father’s 60th Birthday. In the toast I noted my father instilled two things in me: (1) being a Mets fan; and (2) helping those less fortunate than you. With respect to the latter, he was always more cognizant of that around the holidays.
Each Thanksgiving, he would “adopt a family” which meant he would buy a meal for a family in need. He always took my brother and I with him when he did the grocery shopping. He would have us help him pack the boxes and bring it to the charity. When my brother and I got older and had jobs out if school, we adopted families of our own.
When my son is old enough, I will continue the tradition with him. In many ways, this could be my father’s greatest legacy, and that’s saying something.
With that in mind, I hope everyone does something. It doesn’t have to be adopting a family or going to a soup kitchen. It could be something like donating canned goods. It could be donating your time somewhere. There is nothing too small or inconsequential.
Like my father has done with me, I hope this post has left an impression.
When my son was first born, I began watching hockey with him. Between the Olympics and the Rangers Stanley Cup run, it was pure magic. I enjoyed every minute of it.
Last year was tough. The Rangers won the President’s Trophy in what looked like a Stanley Cup or bust season. I still remember that fateful Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. However, what I remember wasn’t the frustrating loss. It was my son’s fever. I remember spending that entire game trying to bring the fever down. I wasn’t able to accomplish it until sometime after midnight. It was a long, hard night. Normally after a loss like that, I’m up all night. That morning I was able to put my head down and go to sleep. The next day was a whole other story, especially with my son’s fever having gone away.
Since that time, my son has been much more interested in baseball just like his daddy. Just like in 2014, he and I enjoyed a magical run that fell just short. I think I took it harder than he did both times.
Tonight, the Rangers take on the Lightning again. The Rangers can’t exact revenge tonight. No, it’s just a reminder of how close the Rangers were last year. They seem to know and so far has responded by jumping out of the gate with a 14-2-2 record. The team may have its faults, but it is primed for another run to the Stanley Cup.
With the Mets season over, I’m back in full time. The Rangers are yet again a good team that’s enjoyable to watch. However, I’m not sure I can take a third straight year of one of my teams falling just short of winning a championship.
Just like in 1994, New York needs a championship. You’re the best team in New York, and you have the playoff experience to deliver one. It’s time the Rangers get King Henrik a proper crown.
Lets Go Rangers!
Editors Note: apologies to the Islanders fans who read this blog. I promise the Rangers will not be a regular feature. It was more of a reaction to the irritation surrounding the Mets offseason.
There are few toys remaining from my parents’ generation that are still around today. One of them is the Wiffle Ball. That iconic yellow bat with the ball attached at the top. The ball sold separately with instructions on how to throw the curve and the slider. It’s one of the few toys that my father, my son, and I have all played with.
It’s more than that. It’s one of the few toys that young and old play with. You see it at tailgates. You see it in backyard BBQs. You see it at picnics. Oh, and everyone is great at it. Just ask them. They all have an unhittable pitch. For me, I go submarine when pitching.
All of this makes for an iconic toy. It’s a piece of America’s pastime. It’s as American as a slice of apple pie. However, it’s still not good enough for the National Toy Hall of Fame. With all due respect to the Supersoaker, you can’t have a National Toy Hall of Fame without the Wiffle Ball. It’s not possible. In my opinion, it would be the equivalent of what many people call a first ballot Hall of Famer.
So respected baseball people like Jonah Keri has his cause with Tim Raines. I now have mine. The Wiffle Ball belongs in the National Toy Hall of Fame.
Without a doubt, my favorite part of the 2015 season was seeing my son becoming more and more of a Mets fan.
It all started with that Spring Training game when he heard Gary Cohen make an excited call for a Lucas Duda RBI double. To my amazement, he screamed “Duda!” Soon, every night after his bath he wanted to watch Mets games with his daddy. We watched nearly every game together.
My wife and I got him his own tee-ball set. He worked on his swing. For some reason he prefers to bat left-handed. I think it’s because his favorite players are Duda and Daniel Murphy. Once the weather turned warmed we went to a few Mets games. It was at Citi Field, he learned how to hit a homerun.
We got to see Steven Matz‘s first major league game. We got to enjoy a game with the whole family. We were there on the last day of the season to celebrate the NL East Championship.
During the season, he would begin learning the names and positions of the different Mets players:
This was better than I ever could have imagined. In some ways, I actually started to think it was going to be different. You see since my son has been born everything has been better. For some reason I thought that would extend to the Mets as well.
As the playoffs started, it appeared that way. He loved all the Murphy homeruns. He would jump up and down screaming homerun. His excitement carried on even when he was at home watching the game with my wife. I really did thinks things were different.
They weren’t. As the top of the twelfth was unfolding it occurred to me. I was bringing my son into all of this. This was the reason a good friend of mine jokingly said he should turn me into Child Services for raising him a Mets fan.
I was taking the loss really hard. Then my son, who was asleep since the fourth inning, woke up and came over to me. He saw I was upset and said, “what happened?” I informed him the Mets were going to lose. He was defient. He said, “Murphy homerun! Duda homerun!” It was not so much a plea as it was a demand.
Unfortunately, Murphy and Duda were not due up, so they could not heed their orders. The World Series ended. Neither he nor I said a word. Instead, he just gave me a hug. He then laid down next to me and went to sleep. At that point, I wasn’t as angry. I wasn’t as upset. I was just a Dad in awe of his son.
It was at that point I realized I made the right decision in raising him to be a Mets fan. Being a Mets fan builds character. It’s not always easy being a Mets fan. You deal with tough times. Things don’t always go your way. That’s life.
The type of person you become is how you respond to these situations. So far, I like how my son responds. He tried to take control of the situation. When it didn’t work and things didn’t go our way, he gave me a hug.
The next morning he woke up early. As usual, he wanted three things: (1) milk; (2) Thomas; and (3) to talk about the Mets. I told him about the Curtis Granderson homerun. He always likes to hear about them. Instead of being upset when I talked about the game, I chuckled. (Trust me, I would get angry again on the way to work). It reminded me of something my Dad once said to me, “I only have myself to blame.”
I’ve created a Mets fan. I’m sorry the Mets lost the World Series. I’m sorry for my Dad, my brother, and myself. I’m sorry fur my son. However, I’m not sorry I made him a Mets fan.
He loves the Mets. He has now experienced the losing. When the Mets finally win another World Series, it will be all the more enjoyable for him.
Lets Go Mets!
Last night I was lucky enough to go to Game 3, but I wasn’t able to take my son. However, because he is a huge Mets fan, and he has an awesome Mommy, he watched the game.
Here is the Curtis Granderson homerun as shown as TV:
Here’s Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock’s reaction:
Here’s my son’s:
I couldn’t be more proud.
LETS GO METS!
Hey Buddy,
Tonight, Daddy is going to Game 3 of the World Series with your Uncle Pat and your grandfather, the man who you recently started calling “Pop.” Where you came up with Pop instead of Grandpa or Daideo, I’ll never know.
It crushes me that I can’t bring you with me. You’ll never know how much it does. You always come first. That’s why I wanted to bring you. I don’t know how many chances you will have to go to the World Series. It took me 35 years to go to the World Series. Your Uncle Pat 33 years. It took “Pop” 68 years. Hopefully, it won’t take that long for you.
However, I can’t bring you tonight. It’s going to be too cold. It’s too crowded. It wouldn’t be fair to you to have you sit there shivering. The FanFest area has been overcrowded during the postseason. I can’t even let you go there to run the bases or hang out with Mr. Met. It wouldn’t be fair to you to not let you be able to run around for a bit.
I know you love going to Mets games. You’re a good boy, and you actually sit there and watch the game. You’ve tried to stay up and watch these postseason games with me. I always wanted a son. I’ve always wanted him to be a Mets fan. I always wanted to go to games and share the experience of being a Mets fan with that son.
You’ve made it better than I ever could’ve imagined. It’s probably because you’re more amazing, smart, and adorable than anyone could’ve imagined. I love you more than anything, and that’s why ultimately, I can’t bring you tonight.
However, I’m going to wear the same Mets hat I wore the day you were born. I’m going to wear the Lucas Duda jersey you got me. I’m sure I will be bringing you home a souvenir of some kind. I will be making it up to you. How does Opening Day sound?
So when you’re watching the game with Mommy tonight keep an eye out for me. You never know if I’m going to be in one of the several hundred of Fox’s fan shots. Keep on cheering for Murphy and Duda. We’re going to watch the game together tomorrow night. I promise.
Love,
Daddy
P.S. Lets Go Mets!
My son woke up this morning, and said to me, “Mets?” I said not now. It’ll be on tonight. His next said to me, “Murphy homerun!” If I wasn’t excited enough, I became more excited. This was a very good sign. We sang “Meet the Mets” in the car this morning. It’s funny, he’s only lived in a world where the Mets are good. These are wonderful times indeed.
This has all gotten my wife excited. She sees what it means to me. She knows how much our son loves baseball. She comes from a family that never followed sports. Now, she’s correcting people at work about baseball. She actually referenced my blog in correcting someone spewing garbage about the layoff. It’s no wonder I tell her everyday she’s perfect.
My Dad, the reason, I’m a Mets fan is more excited about the Mets than I’ve ever seen him. He’s an original vendor at Shea Stadium. He lived through 1969 and 1986. He’s more excited than that. I get daily “Lets Go Mets” and “Going to Kansas City” texts. I want this for him more than anyone else.
My brother made sure to get his postseason hat as the postseason began. It is a tradition we started at Game 5 of the 1999 NLDS. We used to call it “the hat.” It was good luck. Then the Mets lost the final game in 2007 and 2008. Once Robin Ventura autographed the hat two years ago, it went into retirement. He’s got his new hat, and he’s convinced the Mets are winning the World Series this year.
Me? This has been better than I ever could’ve imagined. I had no grandfathers when the 1986 Mets won, not that I remember it anyway. When the Mets were in the 2000 World Series happened, I was away at college in Western New York. If they were interested in baseball they were Yankees, Blue Jays, or Braves fans. I was alone.
This year I’ve watched nearly every game with my son. I’ve been able to go to games with him, my Dad, and brother. We will all be going to Game Three together (weather permitting for the little guy). I could never imagine watching a Mets World Series game with my Dad, my brother, and my son. It really doesn’t get any better than that.
This is what baseball is. It’s fathers and sons. It’s your family getting together and sharing the experience. It’s sitting there recalling games and moments past. I’m going to be there with my father and son. I will be there with my brother. These are the Mets fans I care about most. I owe a debt of gratitude to the 2015 Mets for making this happen.
Lets Go Mets!