Shea Stadium, That's where my heart is.
Written: May 03 '04 (Updated May 30 '07)
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Pros: Easy to get to and fun baseball
Cons: Jets flying above. No more Jets playing below.
The Bottom Line: Shea is home of the METS. Whether you are a huge fan or not, Shea Stadium is a comfortable place to see them.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Shea Stadium |
My dad was a Dodger's fan and with their departure from NY it was a while before he could call another baseball team his own. Then came the METS and he, like so many others, had a team, good or as bad as they were, to root for again. I followed my dads footsteps in being a METS fan.
SOME PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS AT SHEA
Besides regular home or hospital visits to see my dad who was ill for quite a while before passing on, I most remember the last good times with him through trips we took to Shea Stadium as a family.
I was also fortunate to be in Shea Stadium in two of their most exciting non-world series games ever. They were thirty years apart.
Back in 1969 the year the METS won their first Worlds Series I went to see a game on a Wednesday night on July 9th. That night Tom Seaver went through a near perfect game striking out 11, walking 0 and retiring 25 straight batters. Unfortunately a bloop fly landed between Cleon Jones and Tommy Agee for a hit that broke the perfect game. Tom went on to retire the next two batters and though he didn't get the ultimate no-Hitter then it was still the perfect game to me.
Though we went to many games in between my other most memorable game was a playoff game on a Sunday night between the Mets and Braves. I was there with my wife and two daughters. My wife, an artist, painted our faces in blue and orange METS/Shea colours. It was an "Amazin" game. Fifteen innings, the longest playoff game ever, most pitchers used in a game (Mets 9), and most men left on base (Braves 19). We were seated in the upper decks directly behind the plate. The crowd was into it and our immediate group of fans around us were just as friendly and excited and interactive in sharing this game than anyone could ever imagine. We were a big METS family cheering them Amazin's on! The extra inning were all nail biting. At one point things were looking dismal. The METS were behind a run going into the last inning and had not scored a run in quite a while. But Amazin' they were and they tied it up in the 15th and then a Grand Slam by Robin Ventura grabbed a win for the Mets. Ha, because of the celebration of his teammates coming out to the field, Ventura never made it home and his home run is now technically just a single, BUT!! the Mets won and I still think it was one of the best ball games of all time!!
My wife had a great experience at Shea as a teen. In 1965 she got to see the Beatles play in one of their two visits to Shea Stadium
OTHER GOOD TIMES AT SHEA
Shea Stadium has, ever since its opening April 17, 1964, been a place to see many events. Besides the Beatles other rock groups and musicians included the Rolling Stones, the Dave Clark Five, The Who, The Police, Simon & Garfunkel, Grand Funk Rail Road, Elton John, Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix and in 2003 Bruce Springsteen and the E street Band did concerts. The Newport Jazz festival was held in Shea in 1973 thirty years earlier.
Huge religious gathering have taken place at Shea too. Pope John Paul II was there as were rallies by Billy Graham, The Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Promise Keepers.
Pro boxing has been highlighted over the years just as Pro Wrestling bouts had been. Who remembers Bruno Samartino?
The NY JETS played in the Stadium a few years and started there the first year Shea opened. Shea was the first stadium ever to be designed for both baseball and football games and back again using a motorized seating system that could be moved on or off the field. It was set on tracking that was below the ground.
Would you believe that even the NY Yankees played at Shea for their home games in 1974-75 while the Stadium, Yankee Stadium that is, was being refurbished.
In 1975 the NY Giants Football team also played at Shea while awaiting the construction of their new Giants Stadium in New Jersey. This made it the only time that two pro baseball teams and two pro football teams from the same city ever played in one stadium during one year.
These days there is only one team that plays at Shea and that is the METS.
One other happening at Shea that wasn't a glorious one but is definitely worth noting was that immediately after the 9/11 disaster Shea was used as a relief center, for a short time, holding all kinds of supplies and foods along with lodging set up for the rescue and then recovery efforts.
THE STADIUM
The stadium was named after William A Shea, a lawyer, who was instrumental in bring a baseball team back to NY after the Dodgers and Giants abandoned the town.
It was designed to seat 55,300 for baseball games and over 60,000 for football games. It has 24 ramps and 21 escalators that help getting into and out of Shea pretty easy and quick. There are elevators too.
I happen to like watching games at Shea. The crowds are usually a good group that can get a bit crazy but not in a bad sort of way. I have never felt threatened or had anyone too unruly nearby though from time to time I have seen a sea of security guys going to a particular area and removing people.
I happen to like the more open feeling Shea Stadium gives as compared to Yankee Stadium. One thing that is very annoying though is the constant noise from planes taking off when the flight pattern takes them directly over the stadium. Though night games are great and the lighting system is excellent I happen to enjoy being in this stadium during the day.
The design of the stadium keeps you nearby concession stands and restrooms. There will almost always be a slow moving line while waiting for the way too overpriced beers, pretzels, cracker jack, and the like. I try to buy from the guys hawking in the stands. If we are going with the family we do bring in some of our own snacks and sandwiches. We have never been stopped because of those items.
The restrooms are fast moving with little, if any, line at all for the guys. The gals usually have a line out the door between innings. TV monitors are at every concession stand so you won't miss any of the game. You won't find any in the restrooms. ATMs are in the stadium too. You may need to hit it after your first round of beers and dogs.
SEATING
I have sat just about everywhere at Shea except for the 50 suites that were put in on the Press level a number of years ago. You basically get what you pay for in seating, though all views, even those high and far from the diamond still give a clear unobstructed view of the happenings below. In the Braves playoff game we were just two rows from the top and we still enjoyed every moment. You pay more as you get closer to home plate. There is also another factor brought in. Seating is also priced on a sliding scale according to the popularity of the teams coming in. There are four level games. Gold, Silver, Bronze and Value. The METS vs the Yankees or Braves would be considered Gold games while lesser known last place teams would be considered Value games. The two factors of seating placement and game level can make your prices for a seat anywhere from $5.00 each to $53.00 each
I suggest you go to their web site for specific details.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/ticketing/seating_pricing.jsp
Guys come around selling programs, cotton candy, cracker jacks, ice cream, beer, soda and the like throughout the stadium. It seems to me that they are most active in the Mezzanine and Loge levels.
The Diamond Club is open a few hours before the games. It has a couple of restaurants in it. One is upscale and the other is more moderate. You need to have passes to get in. I won't be able to give any details about this because, to me, dining at a baseball game means some hot dogs and cold beers out in the stands at my seat.
The outside of Shea is pretty simple looking and though it's the fifth oldest of all the baseball stadiums out there, it doesn't look bad. I believe its the simplicity of design that keeps it fresh looking. The outside perimeter wall of the stadium has six huge neon outlines of ball players in different active baseball motions like pitching, catching, and hitting. No, none of them are spitting chew or scratching their baseballs.
GETTING THERE
I always drive to the stadium but there are other ways too.
I won't give much detail here because things are ever changing but I can tell you that NYs subway system will get you to the stadium easily from all five boroughs.
Another way to get to the Shea is by boat. NY Waterways has service from many points. One is from the South Street Seaport. That's one that has always sounded intriguing to me. Start off at the Seaport, shop a bit or have a bite to eat, and then board a ferry that takes you to Shea. This takes you up the East River past many NY landmarks and to the Worlds Fair Marina. Some of the views are stunning. Then you spend a few hours watching the ballgame, and finally take the walk back to the boat, cruise down the East River and after you return to the South Street Seaport, have a nice dinner at one of the fine restaurant there.
There are other companies and boats from New Jersey available.
PARKING
Shea happens to have a pretty big parking lot that is fairly easy to get into. It's getting out and back onto the correct roads that can sometimes be daunting.
Shea charges for parking. It's $10.00 for a car. If you happen to be bringing your Limo it's $26.00 and your RV will have a charge of $30.00.
Though the parking lots open many hours before the games start you have to watch what you are doing as far as a tailgate party in that no alcohol is allowed and no open fires either.
The fact is I rarely use their lot. I save a few bucks and,
more important to me, time getting out and back on the road by parking under the Whitestone Expressway near the World's Fair Marina.
GETTING INTO the STADIUM
The gates open about an hour and a half before the game. For those who want to watch batting practice and spend a bit more time in the stadium you can get in two and a half hours earlier if you use Gate C.
Another fact is that every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, three hours before the game, you can participate in the METS Fun Fest. This takes place near gate E by the train station. Bounces and inflateable obstacle courses for the kids, along with trivia questions, pitching cages, and more are open and free. This is great to do in moderate weather.
Due to security any items over 16"x16"x8" are not allowed into the stadium. All packages and fans may be searched. No glass bottles, cans and beverage containers are allowed. There are other restrictions too. Check the site. Most is common sense.
Still cameras, regular and digital, are allowed, video cameras are not. There are no package storage facilities at the stadium.
Tickets tell you what gate to enter through. That takes you right to escalators and ramps. There are security people in the stadium and stadium people on hand to give direction if needed. I have always found them helpful.
Re-entry into the stadium is not allowed.
HANDICAPPED ACCESS
The last few times I went to games with my dad he needed to be taken in and around in a wheel chair. There is handicapped parking near the Press entrance. When you get to the lot just ask and they will tell you where to go. I found them very helpful in this way.
Elevators were available and the wait wasn't all that long when leaving. Special seating assignments are set up in the stadium. We would be in the area behind the last row of the loge section where wheelchairs could go and an extra seat was set up for just one person to accompany him. We could not all sit together. That I didn't like. We would all take turns enjoying the game with my dad who knew the players and stats better than any of us.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Though I have been to the stadium with a few buddies over the years, there is nothing like going to a baseball game as a family outing. Shea Stadium isn't the prettiest of stadiums these days but it holds some wonderful memories and it's home to the Amazin' METS.
Other reviews by popsrocks
The New York Mets a book 2007
Yankee Stadium
NY WATERWAYS
South Street Seaport
New York City
Recommended:
Yes
Parking Availability: No Problemo
Seat Location: Luxury Box
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