I found out this week that people really love the MLB Network! My appearance for Shea Stadium Remembered with Brian Kenny, John Hart, and Ryan Dempster was better than I could have imagined. Those guys were phenomenal! And the interview with Brian Kenny (take a look) was great. Glendon Rusch even texted his old Cubs teammate Dempster about Shea shenanigans during the show and he shared that story on air. I didn’t tell them my pal Jim Humiston texted me during the show and told me to sit up straighter. I did!

MLB has a vast complex in Secaucus, NJ—just down the road from the former longtime home of Mets baseball, Channel 9. There are dozens of people studying baseball in the MLB building (the NHL Network is there as well). There is a separate building for taping. A lot of times these sets are small when you see them—this place is bigger than Citi Field before they brought in the fences.

Celebrity sighting: I got my makeup done next to Heidi Watney, who was talking to new Hall of Famer Jim Thome. That’s about all the name-dropping I can do right now, but one for the road—show producer Micah Karg put everything together and made me feel like “I got this.”

And thank goodness for a snowstorm that same day! The cabin fever got many people in front of the TV in the middle of the afternoon to watch it live. Several people I know up here were flipping the channels to see if Bryce Harper or Manny Machado (ever) sign. Instead, they saw me. Sure, the snow made the drive home a little hairy, but I was gliding on air—and no I didn’t have anything to drink until I got home. Thanks to all for the kind words and good thoughts. And for buying the book! Shea Stadium Remembered is the #1 new sports history book on Amazon!

For everyone who thinks—or thought—that Shea Stadium was an eyesore that no one cares (or cared) about, tell it to the MLB Channel. They are having me on MLB Now to talk Shea Stadium Remembered with Brian Kenny. Tuesday, January 29, at 2 p.m. Set your alarms and DVRs, but it will be rebroadcast a few times over the next 24 hours.

The amount of money I put it into Shea Stadium is an unknowable sum, but I think we just got paid back a little bit. It’s only been torn down for a decade—the last piece went down on January 24, 2009. But as most of you know, getting a payoff from anything Mets related can often take a while.

A nice writeup—and from what I can gather, the first for Shea Stadium Remembered—comes from AMNewYork by Brian P. Dunleavy. I did the AMNY interview a week ago, but did not come across the article until several days later via a repost on social media. Those become even more important with each book. But I appreciate the article, the people looking out for me on social media, and, most important of all, thanks to all who have read the book. And like Wile E. Coyote said about Acme Supermarkets, “Tell a Friend!”

 

Made it back safe and sound from the sixth Queens Baseball Conference, beating the heavy snow hitting near me up north, but getting a nice parking ticket in Astoria. It was a small price to pay for sharing Shea Stadium Remembered with the best fans in baseball, and sharing a table with Mets in 10s author Brian Wilson and his dad. Got to meet fans new and old of my work, including Janie, Michelle, Will, Oscar, and a host of others.

Having our own spot—in a great location—made for a great place to meet up with old friends and acquaintances like Greg Prince, Jesse James Burke, Pete McCarthy, Darren Meehan, Mark Healey, and more. I did see a few recognizable faces that paused ever so briefly in front of our area, even if we didn’t get to say hi, we were giving back the good vibes of how much we appreciated Edgardo Alfonzo, Ed Kranepool, Darryl Strawberry, and Todd Zeile—if you want to go alphabetically. And let’s hear it for David Wright, who did a short video with Steve Gelbs to say what an honor it was to receive the Gil Hodges Award. Class Act all the way, just like the QBC—thanks again Keith Blacknick, Dan Twohig and the QBC staff. Can’t wait for next year.

If you are going to the Queens Baseball Convention on Saturday, January 19, congratulations! That was one hard ticket to get. It sold out before Christmas and I struck out a couple of different ways to get in. But author Brian Wright of Mets in 10s generously offered to share his vendor space with me and we will be there Saturday selling copies of our books.

Shea Stadium Remembered is officially released this week. It’s been a decade since Shea was dismantled and demolished, but I went picking through the rubble of history to unearth what Mets fans want to remember from the old place—and what they can’t forget. Like Shea itself—it may not have always been pretty, but the memories of the players, the people, and the days we’ll never get back made this project a lot of fun. Hope you agree. Stop on by and Shea Hey on Saturday at Katch Astoria at 31-19 Newtown Avenue.

Brian and I are even working on a special deal so people can buy one of each of our books at the event for a nice price. If you got shut out from going to the QBC, Brian and Wright will be collaborating again at the New York Public Library for a signing on March 18.