«Fall has arrived, the time of year for one of my favorite activities: walking through the galleries of The American Wing. It gives me a chance to see how the leaves are changing in Central Park and, with them, the shift in sunlight against the sculptures of The Charles Engelhard Court. Just a short walk upstairs, in gallery 773, is an exhibition focused on another favorite fall pastime—The Old Ball Game: New York Baseball, 1887–1977, which has been curated by my colleague Allison Rudnick and is on view through November 13.»
Left: Topps Chewing Gum Company (American, Brooklyn). Jerry Koosman, New York Mets, 1977. Commercial color lithograph, Sheet: 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (8.9 x 6.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of George R. Goldner in honor of Stewart Goldner, 2016 (2016.402.382)
Today marks the start of the playoff portion of the Major League Baseball season. To use the exaggerated lingo of a sportscaster, this is the time when legends are made. Among the 10 teams in the playoffs, New York is represented by the hometown Mets.
The Mets organization itself represents a chapter in New York's baseball history and, as such, is featured prominently in The Old Ball Game. The history of baseball in the city also includes the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, and there are a number of baseball cards in the exhibition that depict players from these two teams. Viewers can see the orange of the Giants' colors in the backdrop of the Willie Mays card, and the Dodgers' blue in the cap Jackie Robinson wears on his card.
Issued by Bowman Gum Company. Willie Mays, Outfield, New York Giants, from Picture Cards, series 5 (R406-5), 1951. Commercial color lithograph, Sheet: 2 1/16 x 3 1/8 in. (5.2 x 7.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick (Burdick 327, R406-5.305)
Issued by Topps Chewing Gum Company (American, Brooklyn). Jackie Robinson, Third Base, Brooklyn Dodgers, from the 1956 Topps Regular Issue series (R414-11), 1956. Commercial color lithograph, Sheet: 2 5/8 x 3 3/4 in. (6.7 x 9.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick (Burdick 329, R414-11.1)
By the early 1960s, both franchises had left New York State for California. It's fitting then that when the Mets began to play, in 1962, the team's colors were orange and blue as an homage to the teams it replaced.
Even though I am a Yankees fan, I will be pulling for the hometown Mets this October. And between now and mid-November, I look forward to heading to gallery 773 and comparing the feats of today's legends with the heroes of yesteryear.
Related Links
The Old Ball Game: New York Baseball, 1887–1977, on view at The Met Fifth Avenue through November 13, 2016
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection: Baseball at The Met
MetMedia: #MetKids—What's at The Met for Sports Fans Like Me?
