Krell: Rhapsody in blue: ‘Meet the Mets’
From SABR member David Krell at The Sports Post on July 16, 2015:
Debuting concurrently with the New York Mets in 1962, the song “Meet the Mets” struck the tone—no pun intended—required to capture excitement for New Yorkers still suffering from the exodus of the Giants and the Dodgers after the 1957 season. Music, indeed, is a powerful conduit for emotion, inspiration, and passion. A title from the soundtrack to the Elvis Presley movie “Speedway” conveys the power of music—“There Ain’t Nothing Like a Song.”
Imagine Rocky Balboa without the accompaniment of Bill Conti’s masterpiece “Gonna Fly Now.” Imagine the television show “The Wonder Years” without Joe Cocker’s rendition of “I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends” as the theme song to reflect the show’s late 1960s and early 1970s setting. Imagine a baseball game without the national anthem.
When the Mets front office executives chose “Meet the Mets” in a contest involving 19 entries, it carved a foothold for worshippers in a culture colored blue and orange. Written by Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz, “Meet the Mets” immediately conveyed an invitation to become familiar with the nascent National League team through its title.
Read the full article here: http://thesportspost.com/blogs/view/baseball-history-new-york-mets-meet-the-mets-song
Originally published: July 20, 2015. Last Updated: July 20, 2015.