Happy Birthday Metsies! Fifty years ago, on this very day, the New York Mets leapt into Major League Baseball.
On April 11, 1962, the Mets played the first game in Franchise history. Gil Hodges provided the first home run in Mets history, but the Mets lost to St. Louis, 11-4. They lost their first nine games, and finished with just 40 wins against 120 losses, in tenth place, 60 1/2 games out of first place. Despite that, the Mets developed a large and loyal following, drawing over 900,000 people, good enough for sixth in the league in attendance. Just seven years later, Hodges would manage the team to a Championship.
Photo: (l-r): Original Mets Frank Thomas, Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, and Roger Craig run across the Polo Grounds.
(via metsingaround)




